Seattle
University women’s rowing head coach Portia McGee has announced the addition of
Jenny Park and Helen Tilghman to her coaching staff. Park and Tilghman will assist
McGee in coaching the Redhawks in their inaugural year as a NCAA Division I varsity
program.
“I
am happy to welcome Jenny and Helen to my coaching staff,” said McGee. “They
both have impressive experience on the water, as high school rowers from local
northwest clubs and successful collegiate rowers at the University of
Washington. They are an integral part of the success of the Seattle U program
in this first year.”
Jenny
Park graduated from the University of Washington in spring 2010, where she
rowed all four years as a varsity athlete. In
2008, she had an undefeated season which included PAC-10 and NCAA National
Championship titles. Upon graduating, Jenny moved to Princeton, N.J. to train
with the US National Rowing Team. She moved back to Seattle in the summer of 2011,
where she accepted the novice assistant coaching position at the University of
Washington before coming to Seattle U.
“Jenny’s strong athletic experience
as a top collegiate oarswoman is a great example to our athletes,” said McGee. “Her
prior experience coaching novices at the University of Washington will be
invaluable to the development of our large walk-on squad.”
Helen Tilghman is a 2012 graduate of
the University of Washington, where she studied Linguistics and rowed all four years.
She began rowing in Seattle in 2003 with Mt. Baker Junior Crew. She has spent
time coaching at Mt. Baker as well as Lake Union Crew and Craftsbury Rowing
Center. She is currently a graduate student in the University of Washington's
Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership program earning a Masters of Education.
“Helen brings natural leadership and
savvy organizational skills to our program, along with valuable coaching
experience at the junior and masters level,” said McGee.
All three look forward to an
exciting first year of the program, as McGee concludes, “I trust Helen and
Jenny to bring out the best in my coaching abilities and offer their opinions
on training and technique from another vantage point. Working together, I am
confident Seattle U women’s rowing is off to an amazing start.”
For enthusiastic and athletic women,
at any experience level, who are interested in joining the team in their
inaugural year, contact head coach Portia McGee at (206) 220-8239 or mcgeep@seattleu.edu.
If you’re team-oriented, competitive, and dedicated, rowing could be the sport
for you!
