July 5, 2012

BERKELEY -

California women's rowers Rosie Popa and Agatha Nowinski will represent the Golden Bears as part of the 2012 U.S. Under 23 National Team at the 2012 World Rowing Under 23 Championships from July 11-15 in Trakai, Lithuania, as announced Thursday by USRowing.

"I'm really proud of Aggie and Rosie," Cal head coach Dave O'Neill said. "Racing at U23s has been a goal for both of them, and it's great to see them make it happen. They both have commented on how much they've learned this summer, and they're using this experience as motivation for future success at Cal."

Popa and Nowinski rowed on Cal's varsity eight boat during the 2012 season that came in fifth at the NCAA Championships, won the Pac-12 title and defeated Stanford and Washington in dual competition.

A native of Melbourne, Australia, Popa will participate in the women's pair with her teammate Anna Kaminski from George Washington University. In the 2011 Under 23 championships, Popa competed in the quad sculls and won the B Final. Recent graduate Kristina Lofman also competed at last year's event, finishing fifth in pairs for Norway.

Nowinski, a 2012 All-Pac-12 selection, will compete in the quad sculls, the same event Popa participated in last year. Nowinski will be joined in her boat by two rowers from Minneapolis, Minn. - Britta Syverson (UCLA) and Martie Kuzzy (Virginia) - as well as Davis, Calif., native Samantha Warren (Columbia).

Twenty-one crews will represent the U.S. at the championships, with Popa being one of 23 athletes returning from last year's squad. Racing begins on Wednesday, July 11, with heats. Finals will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 14-15.