Erin Cafaro

Cafaro goes for a second consecutive gold medal in the eights after being on the 2008 crew that was named the world rowing female crew of the year. Cafaro, who was named USRowing’s female athlete of the year in 2009 and part of the 2009 world rowing female crew of the year, missed the 2011 worlds with two rib injuries. The Modesto, Calif., native won bronze in the pair at the 2010 worlds after finishing first in 2009 in the eight and pair. Cafaro, a gold medalist in the four at the 2007 worlds, rowed at the University of California. She won NCAA titles with the Golden Bears in 2005 and 2006, finishing second in the eight in 2006 after winning the event the previous year. Cafaro, who took up the sport in 2001 at the Stockton Rowing Club, finished first in the four at the U-23 worlds. She is pursuing a graduate degree in sports management at Drexel.