The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Gia Doonan named Big 12 Rower of the Year
05.22.2017 | Rowing
Doonan earns second such honor in three years while head coach Dave O’Neill earns third straight selection as the league’s coach of the year.
IRVING, Texas – Texas senior Gia Doonan and UT head coach Dave O'Neill took home two of the three Big 12 rowing postseason awards announced Monday. Doonan becomes the first league rower honored as a two-time Big 12 Conference Rower of the Year (2015 & 17), while O'Neill earns his third consecutive selection as the league's Coach of the Year.
Doonan, a first-team All-American the last two seasons, helped the Texas varsity eight boat win all six of its regattas heading into this weekend's NCAA Championships. The Marion, Massachusetts, native helped the Longhorns' V8+ to its third consecutive Big 12 title (May 14).
With Doonan aboard, Texas' V8+ has secured the No. 3 national seed among the 22 boats selected for the NCAA Championships. Doonan has excelled at the international level, as well. Last summer, she helped Team USA to a pair of gold medals at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships.
O'Neill earns his third straight selection as the Big 12 Coach of the Year after leading the Horns to a school-best No. 3 national ranking and their third consecutive Big 12 title. O'Neill has transformed Texas into a national power with its back-to-back top-eight NCAA Championships finishes and two top-five seeds at this week's NCAA Championships.
Texas will contend for team and individual national championships at the NCAA Championships set for May 26-28 in West Windsor, New Jersey.
