Nov. 23, 2011

STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford Women's Rowing has signed five student-athletes to National Letters of Intent, head coach Yasmin Farooq announced Wednesday. All incoming freshmen will begin classes in the fall of 2012.

Joining the Cardinal for the 2012-13 season will be Taylor Burdge (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Preparatory School), Meredith Fischer (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier HS), Liza Gurtin (San Diego, Calif./Francis Parker HS), Simone Jacobs (San Mateo, Calif./Aragon HS) and Katie Toothman (Waynesburg, Pa./St. Andrew's School).

"To be selected by Stanford Admissions for a November National Letter of Intent is a huge honor. Rowing scholar-athletes who choose Stanford truly strive to be the best in the classroom and on the water," Farooq said. "They must be passionate about school, life and rowing. Katie, Liza, Meredith, Simone and Taylor personify this, and they will shine here. In these five we have found team players who are high achievers, fighters and risk takers, which is what it takes to succeed on the NCAA and Olympic stages, and in life. They will honor Stanford as undergraduates on our team and in their careers long after their rowing days are over."

Burdge comes to The Farm as an accomplished singles rower. She captured women's singles titles at the 2011 USRowing Youth National Championships, at the 2010 and 2011 Southeast Junior Regional Championships and at the 2010 Head of the Hooch in the junior women's single. Earlier this year, she finished second in the women's single at the Stotesbury Cup.

The Tampa native has also swam competitively for over a decade and is a member of the Cum Laude Society.

"I knew from the moment I met the coaches and the team, and explored 'The Farm' that Stanford was right for me," Burdge said. "I am excited to join a team that loves going fast and has a tradition of excellence. I truly believe after four years at Stanford, I will be a faster rower, a smarter student and a better person."

Fischer, from Winnetka, Ill., has earned national accolades and attention on the water in addition to the ice as a long-track speed skater. With New Trier, Fischer finished fifth with the youth eight at the 2010 Head of the Charles before capturing titles at the Midwest Scholastic Championships and National Scholastic Championships in 2011. In 2011, she participated in the U.S. Junior National Team selection camp.

"Stanford is an amazing place to be a student-athlete," Fischer noted. "It has such a welcoming and collaborative atmosphere, and I am so excited for the opportunity to be a part of its rich athletic and academic tradition. I can't wait to come to The Farm and row for the Cardinal next year!"

San Diego native Liza Gurtin joins the Cardinal as a coxswain next season. At Francis Parker High School, Gurtin was an accomplished distance runner, earning FPHS Track team MVP honors in 2009 and 2010 and being a CIF finalist in the 1,600 meters.

With the San Diego Rowing Club, Gurtin earned first place in the 1K Coxswain SDRC Indoor Classic and was named SDRC Women's Crew's MVP in 2011. She is also a Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Recipient in 2011, making her one of five students in California awarded a $36,000 scholarship for dedication and commitment to community service.

"I am both elated and humbled with the opportunity to attend Stanford University and be a part of a nationally-recognized rowing program," Gurtin said. "The first time I stepped foot on campus I knew it was where I wanted to be. I immediately connected with the coach, Yaz Farooq, and having the opportunity to learn from an Olympic coxswain will be truly incredible. I look forward to developing my skills next year both on the water and in the classroom at such an elite institution."

Jacobs, a local product out of San Mateo, rowed with Nor Cal Crew. Rowing in both the fours and eights, Jacobs finished second with the novice four and third with the novice eight at the Southwest Regionals in 2010. Earlier this fall she rowed with the four and the eight at the Head of the Charles, taking sixth and 17th, respectively.

"I chose Stanford because I believe it has all of the best resources and opportunities that I, as a student athlete, could ever wish for," Jacobs said. "Knowing that I get to spend the next four years at such an amazing place is a dream come true."

Rounding out the five-woman class is Toothman, from Waynesburg, Pa. In 2010, Toothman traveled to Berlin on the U.S. Junior High Performance Team, and this past year helped the U.S. women's junior eight to the bronze medal at the Junior World Championships.

She finished sixth at C.R.A.S.H. "B" ergometer sprints, and at St. Andrew's School was a captain of the field hockey team.

"Rowing for Stanford next year will be a dream come true. When I first visited the campus, I knew it was the right place for me; I was first taken aback by the gorgeous facilities and perfect weather, but when the team welcomed me so readily I was completely won over," Toothman noted. "I cannot wait to experience Stanford's perfect combination of dedicated professors and coaches, rigorous classes and practices, and lastly a welcoming atmosphere with a tight-knit team."

Stanford women's rowing has completed the fall season, and will begin the spring championship season at the San Diego Crew Classic the weekend of March 31-April 1.