Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Rowing's O'Mara and Pilling Earn Spots on Academic All-Patriot League Team
5/3/2012 8:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
May 3, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell seniors Jillian O'Mara (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge) and Nicole Pilling (Wayne, Pa./Radnor) were named to the 11-person Women's Rowing Academic All-Patriot League Team, the league office announced Thursday. Both veterans were members of the Bison varsity eight, which was named Boat of the Year at this past weekend's Patriot League Championship.
O'Mara, a three-time All-Patriot League selection, is a member of the Academic All-Patriot League Team for the second straight year, while Pilling was honored for the first time. Both were also among the seven Bison named All-Patriot League this week with O'Mara listed on the first team and Pilling landing on the second team.
One of four rowers in Patriot League history to be a member of the league's Boat of the Year four times, O'Mara rowed in the seven seat of the varsity eight at this year's Patriot League Championship, an event the Bison won for the seventh consecutive year. O'Mara was a Capital One Academic All-District II At-Large Second Team selection in 2011 and is a two-time CRCA National Scholar-Athlete. She is also a three-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
O'Mara, the winner of the Alvin F. Jackson Jr. Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award at this week's Bison Club Senior Recognition Dinner, carries a 3.91 cumulative grade-point average while majoring in biology and French and Francophone studies with a minor in peace studies. Additionally, she is a six-time Dean's List member, a Mortar Board Academic Society member and the community service chair of Kappa Alpha Theta.
Pilling, a three-year member of the varsity eight, rowed in the two seat at this year's Patriot League Championship. She helped the varsity four to a win at the league championship as a freshman.
A three-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll member, Pilling is also a two-time CRCA National Scholar-Athlete. She is an economics major with a 3.79 GPA.
To be eligible for the Academic All-Patriot League Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and be a starter or key player in his/her sport. Freshmen or student-athletes in their first academic year at their school are not eligible for the honor. The Academic All-Patriot League Team was added for all sports in 2010-11 to honor additional student-athletes who excel both on and off the fields of play.
MIT's Theresa Saxton-Fox was named the Patriot League Women's Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second straight year. MIT and Holy Cross had three rowers each named Academic All-Patriot League as Bucknell was one of three schools to have multiple honorees.
Patriot League Women's Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Theresa Saxton-Fox, MIT
Women's Rowing Academic All-Patriot League
Jillian O'Mara, Bucknell
Nicole Pilling, Bucknell
Nathalie Bauman, Colgate
Kate Broderick, Holy Cross
Beth Charron, Holy Cross
Jill Sollazo, Holy Cross
Erin Meyer, MIT
Theresa Saxton-Fox, MIT
Allison Simi, MITB
Jackie Ogden, Lehigh
Jacqueline Penichet, Navy
