STANFORD, Calif. - Five Stanford women's rowers have been named 2021 Pocock All-America Athletes, the College Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) announced Thursday.
Rowers Esther Briz Zamorano, Kaitlyn Kynast, Kelsey McGinley, Meg Saunders and coxswain Nicole Pofcher all claimed first-team honors.
Stanford had five rowers, including McGinley, Kynast and Saunders, recognized as All-America nominees in 2020 after the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The Cardinal earned five All-America selections in 2018 and 2019, but 2021 marks the first season since at least 2007 that the Cardinal has placed five on the first team. Stanford had previously managed four first-team selections in 2009.
The All-America selection is the third of Saunders' career after earning first-team honors as a sophomore and a second-team selection as a junior in 2018-19. Kynast also finds herself on the All-America list for the third time after claiming spots on the second team as a freshman and the first team as a sophomore. McGinley, Briz Zamorano and Pofcher were all lauded for the first time.
The Cardinal finished as the runner-up at the 2021 NCAA Championships in May after capturing second place in all three grand finals. Stanford's 126 points tied for the national title with both Texas and Washington, while the Cardinal claimed second overall based on the finish in the varsity eight.
All five All-America selections rowed as part of Stanford's varsity eight. Briz Zamorano, McGinley and Saunders had previously received All-Pac-12 first team honors. McGinley also earned a call to the USRowing Under-23 National Team Selection Camp.
To meet the criteria for Pocock All-America selection, a student-athlete must meet all eligibility rules as defined by her institution and have rowed in at least 75 percent of the season's races in the varsity boat. Boat performance, nomination rank, coach's comments, individual achievements, and 2,000-meter erg scores are also considered.
