OU Rowing Signs Five For 2015-16 Season

Signee	Hometown	Team
Mary Anderson	Edmond, Okla.	Oklahoma City Riversport
Melanie Hampton	Ann Arbor, Mich.	Skyline Crew
Kalie Heffernan	Vashon Island, Wash.	Vashon Island Rowing Club
Abby Lange	Edmond, Okla.	Oklahoma City Riversport
Madeleine Lange	Edmond, Okla.	Oklahoma City Riversport

Class of 2015 Fall Rowing Signees

Mary Anderson
Edmond, Okla.
Oklahoma City Riversport
Parent: Rebecca Anderson
Coaches: Brian Ebke & Karin Derrick

Fourth at 2014 USRowing Youth Nationals in the women's V8

Third at the 2014 Head of the Charles in the women's youth V8

Placed fifth in the junior women's 1x at 2014 Head of the Hooch

Melanie Hampton
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Skyline Crew
Parents: Douglas & Laura Hampton
Coaches: Kit Bennett

2014 Midwest champion in the pair.

10th place in the pair at 2014 U.S. Rowing Youth Nationals

Second place in the quad at Midwest championships in 2014

Kalie Heffernan
Vashon Island, Wash.
Vashon Island Rowing Club
Parents: Peter Heffernan & Lea Duntley-Heffernan
Coaches: Richard Parr & Tom Kicinski

Finished second at the 2014 Windermere Cup in the women's quad

Placed ninth at the 2014 Youth Nationals in the women's quad

2013 Northwest Regional doubles champion

Abby Lange
Edmond, Okla.
Oklahoma City Riversport
Parents: Joseph & Melissa Lange
Coaches: Brian Ebke & Karin Derrick

Attended the U.S. Junior Women's National Team's High Performance Camp and raced V8 at CanAmMex in 2014

Placed fourth in the women's V8 at Youth Nationals in 2014

Finished in the top four in the V8 at the Head of the Charles for three consecutive years (2012-14).

Madeleine Lange
Edmond, Okla.
Oklahoma City Riversport
Parents: Joseph & Melissa Lange
Coaches: Brian Ebke & Karin Derrick

Won the women's youth pair at the 2014 Central Region

Member of the first place women's youth V8 at the 2013 Head of the Hooch

Placed fourth in the women's V8 at the 2014 USRowing Youth Nationals

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma rowing head coach Leeanne Crain announced the signing of five outstanding rowers to the Sooner program on Tuesday.

Mary Anderson, Melanie Hampton, Kalie Heffernan, Abby Lange and Madeleine Lange have signed National Letters of Intent to join OU rowing beginning next season.

“We are excited to welcome a very talented group of athletes in our 2015 signing class," said Crain. "Every one of these young women have proven themselves to be exceptional at the junior level. We're looking forward to working with them and expect them to make significant contributions to the team on the water and in the class room.”

Mary Anderson

Anderson, from Edmond, Oklahoma, has placed fourth at nationals in the women's youth varsity eight with Oklahoma City Riversport.

"Mary has come along very strong in the past year and a half," said assistant coach John Gartin. "Starting out in the OKC novice program, Mary took to heart the advice and coaching she got when she started with the varsity program. Mary worked extraordinarily hard with her coaches on several goals and has seen a lot of success as a result of her hard work and effort – in turn impressing us as well. We are excited to have her bring that work ethic and already strong (and getting stronger) development to the OU Rowing program!"

Why Mary chose the University of Oklahoma: "I chose the University of Oklahoma because I love this state and I love the campus and what it has to offer. I feel like I fit well with this community and I really like the rowing program. Go Sooners!"

Melanie Hampton

A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., Hampton claimed the Midwest championship in the pair in 2014.

"Having only been rowing for about a year and a half, Melanie has developed quickly and done very well at Skyline," said Gartin. "Melanie initially reached out to us and after a glowing recommendation from her coach. We knew she was a great fit for OU Rowing. A former swimmer, she has brought that mental toughness and desire to improve to Skyline rowing with great success including a trip to Youth Nationals in the pair. She brings to OU Rowing great work habits and has the mental and physical toughness to continue getting faster, building upon the foundation laid by her and her coaches at Skyline."

Why Melanie chose the University of Oklahoma: "I chose Oklahoma because out of all the schools I visited I felt like I could be the happiest there. I fell in love with the school's atmosphere and the rowing team. I decided that since I am going to spend four years with this team, the coaching staff, and these girls it is important that I feel like I fit in with them and that was the case with Oklahoma.

Kalie Heffernan

Heffernan, from Vashon Island, Wash., and a rower for Vashon Island Rowing Club, led her team to a ninth place finish at the 2014 Youth Nationals in the women's quad.

"A resolute team leader as well as solid athlete and great teammate, Kalie has worked very hard to earn those accolades," said Gartin. "A former soccer and basketball player, Kalie has only rowed for just under three years. Over that short time she has grown into a national level competitor, racing in the single and the quad at Youth Nationals. Highly recommended by her coach, Kalie is bringing to OU a strong competitiveness as well as a fun and engaging character.

Why Kalie chose the University of Oklahoma: "The girls on the team are really open and friendly; I felt that on my visit I could ask them any questions I had about the school and get an honest answer. I can't wait to work with them and the coaches next year. I also love the school's energy. It seemed everyone was wearing crimson and cream when I visited, and I think the school spirit is contagious.

Abby Lange

Lange, sister of OU committ Madeleine, out of Edmond, Okla. was a member of the U.S. Junior Women's National Team's High Performance camp and raced at the CanAmMex in 2014.

"Abigail's development was in concert with the explosive growth and success of the OKC junior women's program over the past several years," said Gartin. "Abby is a tough competitor and a superior student who's rowed at a very high level. Even a couple years ago, Abby physically stood out when I watched the OKC practice. She will be coming into the OU Rowing program with a several key attributes including a love to practice, strong focus and deep desire to succeed."

Why Abby chose the University of Oklahoma: "I chose the University of Oklahoma for several reasons. It is in the state I love. Athletically they offer high end athletics that are not matched in this region. Academically they are the best path to medicine."

Madeleine Lange

Lange, a native of Edmond, Okla.,and sister to fellow OU signee Abby Lange, was a member of the first place youth women's pair boat at the 2014 Central Region Championships.

"Madeleine is part of the core group of women at OKC who took the program to new heights of performance," Said Gartin. "Madeleine accepted the challenge and high expectations set out at OKC and has done extraordinarily well for herself in helping the program become nationally something special. It has been fun watching her development the past several years. A very tough, hard-working and bright student athlete, she is going to continue to develop and be a great addition to OU Rowing!"

Why Madeleine chose the University of Oklahoma: "OU is a great university that's close to home; I'm not more than 45 minutes from my family. It has a great pre-med program (a career I'm hoping to pursue), and OU really cares about the academic success of its athletes.