Lauren Mensch-Speelman

Class:
Senior
High School:
John Hardin
Hometown:
Elizabethtown, Ky.

2009-10: Named to Dean's List, AD Honor Roll, Red & Black Scholars and BIG EAST All-Academic Team ... Joined the varsity eight boat after the first event of the season ... Rowed with second varsity eight boat in Cards' wins over Kansas and Oklahoma at the Longhorn Invitational ... Rowed with Cards' varsity eight in a third-place finish in the B division at the Lake Natoma Invitational, a second-place finish at the BIG EAST Championships and a second-place finish in the V8+ Petite Final in the NCAA South/Central Regionals ... Also rowed in wins against Alabama, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

2008-09: Dean's List ... Athletic Director's Honor Roll ... Red & Black Scholar ... Named CRCA National Scholar-Athlete ... BIG EAST Academic All-Star ... Spent most of the spring in the Cards' second varsity eight boat ... Rowed in Louisville's 2V8+ win at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships, as well as second-place finishes at the BIG EAST Championships and Dale England Cup ... Also rowed for the 2V8+ crew in a sixth-place finish in the petite final at the NCAA Regionals as well as races against Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin ... Rowed in U of L's varsity eight boat in wins over Buffalo and Duke.

2007-08: Dean's List ... Red & Black Scholar ... Selected as the Cards' Novice Rower of the Year by her teammates ... After spending most of the season on the novice team, closed the spring in the Cards' second varsity eight boat that finished fourth in the petite final at the NCAA Regional ... Rowed in the six-seat of Louisville's novice eight boat for the rest of the season ... Was instrumental in the Cards' second-place N8+ finish at the BIG EAST Championships and the silver medal performance at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships ... Also rowed in the novice eight boat against Tennessee and Indiana ... Was in the N8+ boat for a fifth-place finish at the Head of the Hooch and a win at the Head of the Eagle.

Prior to UofL: Had no previous rowing experience prior to joining the Louisville rowing program ... Played four years of softball and four years of basketball at John Hardin High School ... Was a pitcher and played first base in softball and was a center in hoops.

Personal: Born on Dec. 25, 1988, in Ft. Polk, La. ... Daughter of Mike and Micki Mensch ... Has two sisters, Ashleigh and Erin, and one brother, Michael ... Majoring in health and human performance with a concentration in exercise science at U of L ... Post-college ambition is to be a physical therapist ... Hobbies and outside interests include CRU and hanging out with friends ... Chose the University of Louisville because it was close to home ... Says the best thing about the city of Louisville is it is a great college sports town ... Believes the best things about U of L rowing are the opportunities it presents and getting pushed and challenged every day ... Favorite class is her exercise physiology lab ... After graduation, she plans to go to physical therapy school ... Says her best race was 2010 Regionals Petite Finals when the team beat Iowa and Notre Dame ... If she could tell her incoming teammates one thing, it would be to push yourself as much as you can every day. Even though it may be hard at the time, it will be worth it in the end when you succeed.