SAN DIEGO – Shortly after a strong showing at No. 20 UCLA, SDSU head women's rowing coach Bill Zack praised his squad for their performance, saying, "This can be a special team and we are excited to get back to training and working on getting even faster."
That was March 7th – five days later, all spring sports were suspended indefinitely due to the COVID-19 virus. Many of the Aztec senior rowers cited those races against the Bruins as their fondest memory of their college careers.
Ultimately all spring competitions were called off and the NCAA announced that seniors could extend their eligibility for an additional season due to the crisis. The decision by the national athletic governing body effectively allowed all seniors the option to return to San Diego State for another year, paving the way for three Aztecs (Janette Hermosa, Naomi Marroquin and Deborah Worthey) to come back for the 2020-21 season. Another, Brooke Boron, is weighing her options as she considers the time commitment of rowing while pursuing her doctorate in physical therapy at SDSU.
The remaining seven Aztec seniors will move on from San Diego State with degrees in hand. With that in mind, GoAztecs.com continues its series on showcasing those student-athletes who were not afforded the opportunity to partake in their respective sports' Senior Day festivities this spring in person.Returning in 2020-21Jannette Hermosa
Coxswain | San Diego, Calif. | Political Science, Women's Studies
Hermosa has been the coxswain for primarily the third varsity eight boat, which she steered in all three races in the 2019-20 season.
Favorite Rowing Memory at SDSU: My favorite memory was taking first place at the 2018 AAC Championships with the third varsity four boat.
Future Plans: I am currently working as a case manager at a law office while studying for the LSAT. My goal is to go to law school.
Naomi Marroquin
Starboard | San Diego, Calif. | Interdisciplinary Studies (Criminal Justice, Psychology, Sociology)
Marroquin walked on as a sophomore and competed in three races that year (novice eight and second varsity four). In the last two seasons, she has spent time in the first varsity four boat, primarily in the bow seat. Marroquin was named to the AAC All-Academic Team following the 2018 and 2019 seasons and was recently named a CRCA Scholar Athlete.
Favorite Rowing Memory at SDSU: Helping my boat medal at last year's AAC Championship despite difficult rowing conditions.
Future Plans: I hope to return to the team in 2020-21 as a graduate student pursuing a master's in Sociology. My long-term plans are to devote my work to providing humanitarian relief to vulnerable populations.
Deborah Worthey
Port/Starboard | San Diego, Calif. | Kinesiology (Pre-Physical Therapy)
Worthey rowed with the first varsity four boat on two occasions as a freshman. As a sophomore, she was in the two seat with the first varsity four at the AAC Championship. In her junior and senior seasons, she rowed primarily with the second varsity eight boat.
Favorite Rowing Memory at SDSU: The time Coach Zack demonstrated how to be smooth in the boat by performing a little dance in the coach's launch.
Future Plans: Returning back for another year of school and rowing.
Potentially Returning in 2020-21Brooke Boron
Port/Starboard | Valencia, Calif. | Kinesiology (Pre-Physical Therapy)
Boron rowed with the second varsity four at the AAC Championship as a freshman. As a sophomore, she rowed with the first varsity four boat and was again with the second varsity four at the AAC Championship. As a junior, she rowed with the first varsity eight on three occasions in the four seat and with the second varsity eight at the conference championship. In her senior year, she was in the seven seat in the first varsity eight vs. No. 20 UCLA. Boron won the Malik Award on three occasions as well as being named to the All-AAC Academic Team three times. She also earned CRCA National Scholar Athlete recognition in both 2019 and 2020.
Favorite Rowing Memory at SDSU: Coming back to finish third at the AAC Championship my freshman year and finishing just 1.4 seconds behind No. 20 UCLA with the first varsity eight in what would be my final collegiate race.
Future Plans: I just started the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at SDSU.
Moving OnPhoebe Dammersmith
Port/Starboard | Melbourne, Australia | Communication
Dammersmith rowed with the first varsity eight boat on four occasions as a freshman, including the AAC Championship, and in four more races as a sophomore. Over the last two years, she has rowed primarily starboard in the second varsity eight boat.
Favorite Rowing Memory at SDSU: Seeing my hard work pay off in races and erg tests.
Future Plans: I eventually want to work in public relations for a sports team.
Maia Graham
Port/Starboard | Kailua, Hawai'i | Interdisciplinary Studies (kinesiology, nutrition, sustainability)
Graham made her varsity debut as a freshman in the first varsity four boat at the Hornet Classic. After rowing with the second varsity eight boat for the majority of her sophomore year, she has been a mainstay in the first varsity eight boat the last two seasons, rowing primarily in the two and stroke seat.
Favorite Rowing Memory at SDSU: Our final race at No. 20 UCLA.
Future Plans: Enroll in an accelerated nursing program and become an RN.
Alana Grollo
Port/Starboard | Melbourne, Australia, Public Administration
Grollo made her debut with the first varsity eight boat against UC San Diego her freshman year and then competed with the V8 at the AAC Championship the next two years. Prior to the 2020 season being canceled, Grollo was racing with the first varsity four boat. She was named to the All-AAC Second Team in 2018, the All-WIRA Second Team in 2019 and was an AAC All-Academic selection in 2019.
Favorite Rowing Memory at SDSU: Waking up each morning and being able to watch the sunrise at the start of practice.
Future Plans: Return back home to Australia and spend time with my family and friends. Once it's possible again I would love to do some traveling.
Laura Keane
Starboard | Red Bluff, Calif. | Interdisciplinary Studies (kinesiology, nutrition, counseling & school psychology)
Keane rowed with the first varsity four boat as a freshman and then joined the first varsity eight boat where she primarily rowed in the bow. Keane has been named to the All-AAC Academic Team three times, is a three-time CRCA National Scholar-Athlete and earned the Malik Award for her 2019 fall semester.
Favorite Rowing Memory at SDSU: Taking third place at AAC Championship my freshman year.
Future Plans: Live the San Diegan lifestyle. Enjoy my time here while I explore different avenues for a career (possibly firefighting).
Mycayla Smith
Port/Starboard | Los Angeles, Calif. | Psychology
Smith competed with the first varsity four boat as a freshman, rowing in the two seat at the AAC Championship. She raced with different boats at the AAC Championship in each of the next to years: third varsity four (2018) and second varsity four (2019). In 2020, she was racing with the third varsity eight in the stroke seat.
Favorite Rowing Memory at SDSU: Other than meeting some amazing people and making lifelong friends, I would say one of my favorite memories was competing in the first varsity four boat at the AAC Championship as a freshman. Over the next three years, she mainly rowed with the second and third varsity eight boat.
Future Plans: I still have one more semester to complete my bachelor's degree, so I will be back to finish my undergrad.
Danielle Stancikas
Coxswain | Yorba Linda, Calif. | Child & Family Development
After coxing the novice eight boat as a freshman, Stancikas coxed the first varsity four boat in her sophomore year before guiding the first and second varsity four in her final two years. A standout in the classroom, Stancikas is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Malik Award and was named to the 2019 All-AAC Academic Team.
Favorite Rowing Memory at SDSU: Winning WIRA in the first varsity four boat my sophomore year.
Future Plans: Attend California Baptist for a master's in counseling psychology and earn an LMFT (Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist) and LPCC (Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor).
Laurie Tenenbaum
Port/Starboard | Tel Aviv, Israel | Kinesiology (Fitness Specialist)
Tenenbaum competed with the first varsity four at the AAC Championship in each of her first two years. In her junior year, she raced primarily with the third varsity eight boat in the stroke seat. Tenenbaum was in the stroke seat with the first varsity four boat in her final race at No. 20 UCLA. She was a two-time AAC All-Academic selection.
Favorite Rowing Memory at SDSU: Our final race of 2020 at No. 20 UCLA was special and memorable to me for multiple reasons. The team energy was different that day. We were all calm, yet fired up, to put all of the daily hard work, passion, and sweat into play, and be the team we are and strived to be. It ended up being the best collective team performance by all boats in one race, and it was the closest we have ever been to UCLA's speed. Tenenbaum was named to the AAC All-Academic Team following the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Future Plans: I have one more semester and am expected to finish my BS in kinesiology in December. I plan to begin working toward my master's in exercise physiology program at SDSU the following year.