Taryn O’Connell

Women’s Pair

Hometown: Orinda, Calif.

Current Residence: Berkeley, Calif.

Club Affiliation: University of California at Berkeley

Began Rowing: 2002 -- Oakland Strokes

Date of Birth: 4/17/1988

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 170

High School: Carondelet High School

Undergraduate Education: University of California at Berkeley, 2010

Current Coach: Dave O’Neill

Years on National Team: Two -- 2006, Junior; 2007, Under 23

International Results: Finished seventh in the women’s four at the 2006 FISA Junior World Championships...Won gold in the Peabody Cup at the 2005 and 2006 Henley Women’s Regattas...Won gold in the women’s eight and silver in the women’s four at the 2004 CanAmMex Regatta...Placed fourth in the junior women’s four at the 2004 Canadian Henley.

National Results: Won bronze in the senior women’s four and finished second in the women’s elite four at the 2006 USRowing National Championships...Won gold in the women’s eight and women’s four with coxswain at the 2006 USRowing Southwest Regional Championships...Won silver in the women’s eight at the 2006 USRowing Youth National Championships...Won gold in the women’s eight at the 2005 and 2006 San Diego Crew Classics...Won gold in the women’s eight at the 2004 and 2005 USRowing Southwest Junior Regional Championships...Won gold in the women’s eight at the 2004 and 2005 USRowing Youth National Championships...Won silver in the women’s eight at the 2004 San Diego Crew Classic...Won gold in the women’s junior A eight, women’s junior B eight, and women’s junior B four with coxswain at the 2004 USRowing National Championships.

Personal: Taryn enjoys backpacking, reading, scrapbooking, photography, beading, and relaxing outside. She received the 2004 Most Improved award and the 2006 Most Inspirational award at Oakland Strokes. Taryn’s father, Daig O’Connell, helped to coach the women’s national team in 1979. After playing basketball for a long time, her father thought she might enjoy rowing, so she joined Oakland Strokes with her brother. Taryn’s personal hero is her brother, Dan, because he always believed in her and showed Taryn how to push herself.