June 5, 2012

BERKELEY -

Two California women's rowers were named to the 2012 Pocock All-America teams as announced on Tuesday by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA). Senior Elise Etem and sophomore Paparangi Hipango were selected to the first team.

Etem and Hipango had previously been named to the All-Pac-12 first team and to the CRCA All-West Region first team. In addition, Etem was tabbed the Pac-12 Athlete of the Year.

Ten Pac-12 rowers were named to the team with Cal and Stanford leading the conference with two rowers each making the first team. USC had three rowers make the team, with two Trojans being named to the second team.

These awards recognize the outstanding performances of rowers and coxswains on the national level in women's collegiate rowing. The general requirements for nominating a student-athlete for CRCA postseason honors are that the student-athlete must meet all eligibility rules as defined by her institution, must have rowed at least 75 percent of the current spring season's races in the varsity boat and the head coach of the student-athlete's institution must be a member in good standing of the CRCA. The nominated student-athletes are then selected to first and second teams based strength of finish of the institution's varsity 8+ within the country, comments for their respective coaches and their 2k erg score.

Etem, a 2012 team co-captain, was a staple in the varsity eight for the Bears in 2012. She is a four-time Pac-12 champion, rowing in the second varsity eight in 2009 and in the varsity eight since then. Originally a member of the Cal women's swimming and diving team when she first arrived in Berkeley, Etem later decided to follow in the footsteps of her mother, Cal Hall of Famer Pat Spratlen Etem, and join the rowing team. A native of Long Beach, Calif., Etem graduated this spring with a degree in media studies.

In just two years of collegiate rowing, Hipango has already racked up numerous awards. In addition to the three awards she won this season, Hipango was selected the Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year last year. She has been a member of Cal's varsity eight boat since her freshman campaign.

The Bears, who spent most of 2012 as the top-ranked team in the country, ended their season with a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships back on May 27. They had previously won their fifth straight Pac-12 Championship on May 13.