STANFORD, Calif. – Sophomore Brennan Wertz was named the Pac-12 Conference Men's Rowing Newcomer of the Year, as the conference announced its postseason honors Wednesday.
The Cardinal had two representatives on the All-Pac-12 Team, as junior Jovanni Stefani joined Wertz on the conference's 14-man all-star team.
Wertz rowed in the varsity eight that was ranked in the top-15 all season. Stanford's top boat placed third in the Pac-12 Rowing Championships in May and 15th at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships at Lake Natoma this past weekend.
Wertz traveled to Germany in January to study abroad at the Stanford campus in Berlin as part of the Bing Overseas Studies Program. He spent four months in Germany, returning to Stanford's main campus in April and re-joining the men's rowing team. Wertz quickly earned a spot in the varsity eight, rowing in the seven seat of the Cardinal's top boat that defeated Oregon State and Hobart prior to the conference championship regatta.
"Brennan is the epitome of a Stanford student-athlete," Stanford men's rowing head coach Craig Amerkhanian. "He jumped at the opportunity to study abroad and enhance his academic experience, and returned to our team and the varsity eight in the middle of our season without missing a beat. Brennan was a big part of our varsity eight this season."
Wertz was the second Stanford men's rower to be recognized as the Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year since the award was first established in 2003. He joined Austin Hack, who took home the honor in 2012.
Wertz joined senior Brendan Larkin with conference individual honors. Larkin was recognized as the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year in May.
Stefani, an engineering major, rowed in the varsity eight all season. He competed primarily in the two seat in the Cardinal's top boat.
Stefani and Wertz rowed together in the USRowing Pair that won a bronze medal for the United States in the Under 23 World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, last summer.
Stanford completed its season at the IRA Championships this past weekend, finishing 16th as a team at the national championship regatta.