INDIANAPOLIS – Kate MacKenzie (Novi, Mich.) and Bryan Volpenhein (Cincinnati, Ohio) have been named USRowing’s 2002 Female and Male Athletes of the Year, respectively, the organization announced Monday.
MacKenzie, a graduate of the University of Michigan, stroked the women’s eight to a gold medal at the 2002 FISA World Rowing Championships in Seville, Spain, in September. The victory gave the U.S. its first gold medal in the event since 1995 in Tampere, Finland, and the first medal of any color in the event since 1999. After switching from sculling back to sweep rowing earlier in the year, MacKenzie, who raced at the world championships for the first time this year, flourished and eventually worked her way into the stroke seat of the eight. In addition to winning the gold medal in Seville, MacKenzie stroked the eight to victory at the 2002 Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston and won a gold medal and two silver medals at the 2002 USRowing National Championships in Cherry Hill, N.J. MacKenzie currently lives in Princeton, N.J., and trains at USRowing’s Princeton Training Center under women’s head coach Tom Terhaar.
Volpenhein, a five-time national team member and graduate of The Ohio State University, helped the men’s eight to a bronze medal at the 2002 FISA World Rowing Championships in Seville. Sitting in seven seat, Volpenhein led the U.S. to its first medal in the event since 1999 and won his third medal in five years in the event. In addition to his bronze-medal performance at the world championships, Volpenhein helped the men’s eight to victories at the 2002 FISA World Cup stop in Lucerne, Switzerland, the 2002 Head of the Charles, and the 2002 USRowing National Championships. He also won the men’s pair at both USRowing National Selection Regattas in the spring. Volpenhein currently lives in Princeton Junction, N.J., and trains at USRowing’s Princeton Training Center under men’s head coach Mike Teti.
The athletes and coaches of the 2002 World Championships Team selected the 2002 USRowing Female and Male Athletes of the Year. MacKenzie and Volpenhein will be honored at the 2002 USRowing Annual Convention in Washington, D.C., in December.