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Oscoda’s Langley to join Michigan rowing team

News Photo by James Andersen Oscoda High School senior Lauren Langley, center, recently signed her letter of intent to join the University of Michigan women’s rowing team. Langley, who has earned all-North Star League honors in both volleyball and basketball, will be one of several new recruits who are brand new to the sport.

OSCODA–You never know where opportunity is going to strike, especially when it comes to athletics.

That’s certainly true for Lauren Langley.

Langley, an Oscoda senior, signed her letter of intent last Friday to join the University of Michigan’s rowing team in front of friends and family at Oscoda High School.

So how did Langley, an all-North Star League volleyball and basketball player, end up signing a letter of intent for rowing?

She was in the right place at the right time.

Michigan’s coaches saw Langley at an AAU basketball tournament over the summer and saw an athlete who perfectly fit the profile of a rower.

Schools with competitive rowing programs like Michigan do recruit volleyball and basketball players with a lot of athleticism, but it still came as a surprise to Langley and her coaches, who figured she would sign an LOI for basketball and for good reason.

She averaged 15.7 points and 10.6 rebounds last season as one of the premier forwards in the area as the Owls made a run to regionals.

“(My reaction was) like what? Rowing’s never ever crossed my mind ever, but I think it’s a really great opportunity,” Langley said. “They recruited me because they watched me play at an AAU basketball tournament. They basically contacted me and thought I had the potential to be a great rower if I was exposed to the sport.”

Since rowing became a varsity sport at Michigan in 1996, the Wolverines have consistently been among the top teams in the national. Under head coach Mark Rothstein, the Wolverines have finished in the top 10 in the NCAA Tournament at least 10 times, finished as national-runner up twice and won six Big Ten Championships.

At the 2019 Big Ten Championships in Wisconsin, the Wolverines won the title with 186 points, the second-highest team total in the history of the tournament.

This season’s Michigan roster includes Harbor Springs alum Perry Bower, who converted from basketball to rowing and Grosse Pointe Shores alum Julia Gehlert, who had a decorated high school swimming career before pursuing rowing.

When she reports to Ann Arbor next fall, Langley will be among a group of new recruits who will learn the sport for the first time. Since getting her offer, Langley said she’s done some research to familiarize herself with her new sport.

Langley said she plans to pursue pre-medical studies at Michigan.

“I’ve definitely watched a lot of YouTube videos about rowing since then. I got a couple books on it as well. I’m trying to expose myself to it as much as possible to it before actually started it,” Langley said. “(I’m) definitely (nervous). But I think everything I’ve done so far athletically will help me prepare for that.”

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