Homer Alaska - Sports

Homer High School graduates Lindsay Olsen (2008) and Emma Teal Laukitis (2009) helped propel their college rowing team to its sixth consecutive NCAA Division III women's rowing title last Saturday.

Williams College boats finished first and sixth in the grand final race on Lake Natoma in California.

For her second NCAA rowing title, Olsen rowed in the sixth seat on Williams' 1V (Varsity 1) team. Laukitis rowed fourth seat on the 2V boat, the only 2V boat to make the Grand Final, which they did by beating all but 4 and their own 1V boat.

Both women hail from Homer fishing families and began their rowing careers at Williams, a small liberal arts college in Williamstown, Mass.

"It is great and a huge asset to have both Emma and Lindsay on the team. They work so hard at whatever they set their minds to and it is an honor to work with them both," wrote Interim Head Women's Rowing Coach Brad Hemmerly in an e-mail.

Williams' renowned rowing program is half walk-ons and half recruited athletes, Hemmerly said.

He said the most notable characteristic of the Alaska athletes he's coached is their positive attitude and a willingness to work extremely hard for whatever they want.