DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University rowing team has added Sadie Gowans (Bountiful, Utah), Abby Rundquist (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Elyse Simons (Chicago, Ill.) for the 2017-18 season, head coach Charlie DiSilvestro announced.
 
Gowans is a member of the Utah Crew Club out of Salt Lake City. She was a two-year team captain for Bountiful High School, who helped her high school's and club's boats win several medals in her career.
 
"Sadie is someone we're happy to have as she brings lots of racing experience under her belt," DiSilvestro said. "It will be great to have someone from out of our region who will bring a different perspective on rowing. Our team is getting very diverse geographically and it is great to have someone with rowing experience from the west coast, where rowing is very strong."
 
Rundquist is a member of the Twin Cities Youth Rowing Club and went to Minnetonka High School.
 
"Abby is an accomplished coxswain and rower," DiSilvestro said. "Two weeks ago, she won the junior 8+ at the prestigious North West International Rowing Association Championship in St. Paul as a rower and she also coxed boats at the regatta. She is very versatile and dedicated to her academics and will be a great addition."
 
The final member of the group is Simons who is a member of the Chicago Rowing Foundation and went Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart.
 
"I am very pleased to have Elyse join our team," DiSilvestro said. "Coach Wallin at CRF is one of the best high school coaches in the country and does a tremendous job preparing his athletes for collegiate rowing. She will be a great addition because of her dedication to academics and athletics, which is what we look for in our student-athletes."
 
Gowans, Rundquist and Simmons join Angelica Hyles (Moore, Okla.), Lauren Launer (Germantown, Wis.), Olivia Masterson (Davenport, Iowa), Lexi Perkins (Jacksonville, Fla.), Emma Stock (Lakewood, Fla.) and Norah Riester (Annandale Va.) who signed with the program back in Dec., 2016.