North Allegheny grad helps Texas to NCAA rowing title
For the second consecutive season, North Allegheny graduate Cassandre Korvink-Kucinski helped the University of Texas rowing team to the NCAA title.
The 6-foot junior from McCandless occupied the second seat of the second varsity eight, which placed fourth in the grand final in 6 minutes, 26.282 seconds of the NCAA championship regatta recently in Sarasota, Fla.
The boat won both its races leading to the final.
Korvink-Kucinski, 21, was surprised and not-so surprised to be a two-time NCAA champion.
“My team works incredibly hard,” she said. “We put in many hours a week to be the fastest. That being said, there are many other good teams in the country putting in the same work. It all comes down to the three races in the finals.”
Texas and Stanford finished each with 124 points, but the Longhorns were awarded the crown by virtue of their victory in the first varsity eight grand final.
Texas coach Dave O’Neill expects Korvink-Kucinski to be a candidate for the first varsity eight next season.
“She’s improved steadily in her three years on the team and is definitely heading in the right direction,” he said.
As a sophomore, KorvinkKucinski placed third in first varsity four in the NCAA championship.
“I would love to be in the first eight if that means my contribution would make that boat be as fast as it can be,” she said. “This team is very deep, with incredible athletes.
“Racing in any of the boats is important.”
Korvink-Kucinski, who in high school competed for the Pittsburgh Rowing Club in Robinson, said it would be amazing to cap her career with a third NCAA title.
“I want to focus on growing as an athlete and enjoying my time with the sport and team,” she said.
In the offseason, she plans to focus on her baseline fitness and overall strength.
“Rowing requires many minutes of cardio,” she said. “I will add some cross training, as well.”
O’Neill said KorvinkKucinski is the type of athlete coaches enjoy working with: “She’s always engaged and gets to work without much hand holding.
“Her quiet intensity is almost comforting for her teammates. They have complete trust in her.”
O’Neill said KorvinkKucinski, a computational engineering major, is the ultimate student-athlete.
Recently, she was honored with a Student Leader Award from Texas’ Cockrell School of Engineering’s Student Life in recognition of her work to motivate, guide, mentor and support the school’s student organizations.
Besides rowing, she has been on Texas Aerial Robotics, an international intercollegiate robotics team.
A two-time Academic AllBig 12 Conference first-team selection, she plans to attend graduate school.
“She’s certainly making the most of her experience at UT,” O’Neill said.
Korvink-Kucinski, who participated in several USRowing junior camps, is undecided about competing after college.
“If I have the opportunity and means, I would like to continue,” she said. “Rowing has been such a large part of my life for the last seven years. I do not see it disappearing anytime soon.”