May 7, 2012

BERKELEY -

Senior team captain Kristina Lofman of the California women's rowing team recently garnered two prestigious accolades as she and the rest of the Golden Bears head into the final month of the 2012 season.

The two awards Lofman received were the Jill Costello Scholar award, which was given to her by head coach Dave O'Neill, and Lofman also garnered one of the Oscar Geballe Postgraduate Scholarships.

Following The Big Row on April 28, O'Neill gathered the team, family and friends together for a brief award ceremony at Redwood Shores. O'Neill then presented the first Jill Costello Scholar Award to Lofman. The award is given to the student-athlete who best represents the spirit of Jill by displaying courage, perseverance and a positive outlook when faced with adversity. Lofman was brought to tears when she received the honor.

"I am so honored to receive the Jill Costello award," Lofman said. "It means a lot that the coaches think I am a good representation of who Jill was and what she believed in. There is not a day that goes by where I don't think about Jill and the example that she set for us all. Every day, whether it is as an athlete or as a student, I try to be just as positive and aggressive towards challenges as she was. I want to set a good example as a leader and inspire others to do their very best while enjoying the journey, just like Jill did."

A week later on Thursday, May 3, Lofman received another award, this time for her diligent work in the classroom. At the annual Academic Honors Luncheon held at the Pauley Ballroom on the Cal campus, Lofman was one of the recipients of the Oscar Geballe Postgraduate Scholarships. This award, now in its 31st year, was created through the generosity of Dr. Theodore Geballe to honor his father, Oscar Geballe. This award recognizes Oscar Geballe's devotion to Cal and his strong belief in the value of combining scholarship and intercollegiate athletic competition. Since 1981, the Geballe award has helped more than 75 Golden Bears continue their education at the postgraduate level with a $5,000 stipend going to each winner.

"My determination as an athlete is equally matched by a determination to succeed as a student," Lofman said. "I am really passionate about academics and excited to continue studies at the graduate level. I was really honored to receive the Geballe Scholarship, and I appreciate that the committee believes in my future as a student."

Cal is currently preparing for the Pac-12 Championships this Sunday, May 13, at Lake Natoma. The NCAA Championships will take place two weeks later from May 25-27 in West Windsor, N.J.