Womens Rowing Varsity Four Notch First SSC Boat of the Week Honors

ORLANDO, Fla. –Florida Tech’s women’s rowing Varsity Four members seniors’ Rachel Purvis and Safia Tappan, sophomore Jennifer Johnson, freshmen Ana
Mantilla and Laurel Borgias each were named 2007 Sunshine State Conference Boat of the Week, which is the equivalent to “SSC Rower of the Week”.

The Florida Tech Women’s Varsity Four brought home the only gold for the Panthers. Defeating Columbia and Marietta by three and thirteen seconds was the
only repeat performance from last season’s Governor’s Cup. Senior Rachel Purvis (Brockville, Ontario) and sophomore Jennifer Johnson (Portland, Ore.) were
part of both winning teams from this season and last season. Freshman Laurel Borgias (Spokane, Wash.) took the endurance test for the day as the lone
freshman to row in all three women’s races.

This year’s varsity four members rowed in numerous races today, due to a small roster size. Taking the first place spot included freshman coxswain Ana
Mantilla (Quito, Ecuador), senior stroke oar Rachel Purvis, senior three-seat Safia Tappan (Sarasota, Fla.), freshman two seat Laurel Borgias and sophomore
bow seat JJ Johnson. While the other two teams including the Lions and the Pioneers Varsity Four’s only rowed in the one event.

Purvis, Tappan and Johnson are no strangers to this award having won it twice last season. Purvis is also a two time NRCA Academic All-American as well as
a three time Florida Tech Scholar-Athlete and SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll Member. Purvis is a Marine Biology/Ecology major at Tech. She has numerous
medals and trophies under her belt at Tech including two appearances at the NCAA II National Rowing Championships.

Tappan has also made three appearances to the NCAA’s big show for Tech. She also has a SSC Rowing Title under her belt as well as a Florida Tech Scholar
Athlete and a SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll member. Tappan is an Ocean Engineering major.

Johnson a second year member of the team is Marine Biology major and is also an SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll member and Florida Tech Scholar Athlete. She
also made the NCAA’s last season as a freshman.

Both freshman Mantilla and Borgias win their first conference honors as freshman. Mantilla is a Molecular Biology major while Borgias and Astrophysics
major at Florida Tech.

To view the full SSC Weekly Release click on the following link: http://www.sunshinestateconference.com/0607/mar19.pdf  .