University of Tennessee Athletics
2023-24 Rowing Roster
Roster
Gifford, Erin
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Erin Gifford
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Chattanooga, Tenn.
- High School:
- Homeschool
Bio
CAREER HONORS
- 4x Big 12 Boat of the Week (3/23/22, 3/30/22, 4/6/22, 4/20/22)
- CRCA National Scholar-Athlete -- 2022, 2023
- Big 12 Academic All-Conference First Team -- 2022, 2023, 2024
- SEC Academic Honor Roll -- 2022, 2023, 2024
- First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll -- 2021
2023-24 - SENIOR
- Spring season boat record: 42-6
- Competed in the 2V8+ boat during the season.
- A member of Tennessee’s 2V8+ crew for the NCAA Championships Grand Final (6/2/24), placed third with a final time of 6:22.830. The result marked the best-ever NCAA Championship finish for a Tennessee 2V8+ crew.
- Racing in the Second Eight semifinal race at the NCAA Championships (6/1/24), placed third in a tight battle, with a final time of 6:27.693. The Lady Vols crossed the line ahead of Michigan, Ohio State and Virginia.
- Competing in Tennessee’s 2V8+ boat, put down a time of 7:02.803, good for a second-place finish behind only No. 7 Washington in Friday’s (5/31/24) NCAA Championships heat race. The Lady Vols crossed the line nearly seven second ahead of ninth-ranked Michigan and over 16 seconds ahead of No. 16 Duke.
- In Tennessee’s 2V8+ boat at the Big 12 Championships (5/19/24), helped the Lady Vol crew place second with a final time of 6:10.993. That Tennessee mark is the fastest by a Lady Vol second varsity eight boat in Big 12 Championship history. UT crossed the line 15.086 seconds ahead of third-place UCF.
- In the 2V8+ boat for the Lake Wheeler Invitational’s (4/27/24) third round, earned a victory by putting down the fourth-fastest time (6:29.500) of any crew all weekend, behind only three 1V8+ crews, two of which were also Lady Vol boats.
- During round two of the Lake Wheeler Invitational (4/26/24), recorded a time of 6:46.693 in the second varsity eight boat. That mark was 11.156 faster than second-place, No. 10 Syracuse and 42.344 seconds faster than sixth-place Boston College.
- As a member of the 2V8+ crew, recorded the second-fastest time (6:37.341) of any crew during Friday’s (4/26/24) first and second rounds at the Lake Wheeler Invitational. That effort resulted in a race win over three ranked opponents.
- Improving Tennessee’s second varsity eight crew to 12-0 this season, put down the fastest time (6:20.650) of any boat in competition on day two of the Big Ten Invitational (4/20/24). That time outpaced second-place Indiana's 2V8+ boat by an eye-opening 15-plus seconds.
- Finished over 11 seconds ahead of second-place and 12th-ranked Ohio State's crew in the afternoon session’s 2V8+ race on day one of the Big Ten Invitational (4/19/24), with a final time of 6:27.657.
- Early on day one of the Big Ten Invitational (4/19/24) in the 2V8+ boat, posted a final time of 6:20.598. That finish not only secured a victory, but outpaced Michigan by over 12 seconds in the race. Additionally, Tennessee's 2V8+ crew was 5.1 seconds faster than any of the other 17 2V8+ boats that competed in that morning session.
- Notched a race win over Minnesota in the 2V8+, finishing a tick under 30 seconds ahead of the Gophers in the Oak Ridge home dual (3/29/24) with a time of 6:30.7.
2022-23 - JUNIOR
- Competed in the 1V8 and 2V8 boats during the season.
- Spring season boat record: 22-19.
- Won a bronze medal at the Big 12 Championship for a third-place finish with a mark of 6:31.003 (5/14/23).
- Notched a win over North Carolina with a 6:52.6 effort at the UVA Invite (4/29/23).
- Posted wins against Georgetown and Louisville with a 6:34.743 effort for the best time of the weekend at the Lake Wheeler Invitational (4/21-22/23).
- Recorded wins over RV UCF, RV Michigan State, RV Wisconsin and Minnesota throughout the Big Ten Invitational with a best time of 6:28.341 (4/7-8/23).
- Bested the Sooners with a time of 6:39.9 at the home dual against Alabama and Oklahoma (4/1/23).
- In the 1V8, opened the season with a 5-2 record during the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invite with wins over RV Louisville, RV Clemson, RV Alabama and RV Wisconsin (3/18-19/23).
- Topped host Louisville with a time of 6:33.929, which was the third-fastest effort among all the first varsity eight races during the final session.
- After besting Clemson in the first session on Saturday, the crew defeated Big 12 rival Alabama as well as Wisconsin and Wisconsin Lightweight in the afternoon thanks to a 6:22.416 effort—the boat’s top time of the weekend.
- In the 2V8, wrapped up fall at the Head of The Charles Regatta, placing 21st out of 29 boats competing ending with a time of (16:08.662)
- In the 2V8, posted the third fastest time (17:13.0) out of six boats in the Women's Open Eight event at the Secret City Head Race to kick off the fall.
2021-22 - SOPHOMORE
- Helped Tennessee's 1V8 boat to a 21-7 record, including four top-20 wins, on the season.
- Won a silver medal with the 1V8 boat thanks to a second-place finish at the Big 12 Championships with a 6:53.612 time.
- UT 1V8 won its fourth Big 12 Boat of the Week status after compiling a 7-2 record with two top-20 victories during the Big Ten Invitational; Posted wins over No. 12 Virginia, No. 20 Indiana, Dartmouth, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota and Wisconsin while recording a top time of 6:29.800 throughout the three-session regatta.
- Lady Vol varsity earned its third consecutive Big 12 Boat of the Week honors after besting 18th-ranked Alabama with a time of 7:15.4 during a head-to-head dual.
- Finished 2-0 during the UVA Invitational, beating No. 6 Virginia and North Carolina, to earn Big 12 Boat of the Week recognition.
- Opened the spring season at the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invite, defeating Navy, Notre Dame and Tulsa – all of which received votes in the Pocock Coaches Poll – in the first race of the event with a 6:33.221 mark; Added a pair of second-place finishes throughout the weekend to finish 6-2 and receive Big 12 Boat of the Week honors.
2020-21 - FRESHMAN
- Helped guide Tennessee to a 17th-place team finish at the 2021 NCAA Championships.
- Part of the 2V8 group that earned the highest finish for Tennessee during the NCAA Championships, placing 16th in the country after posting a time of 6:48.972 in the C Final.
- Placed second in the 2V8 at the Big 12 Championships with a time of 7:10.357.
- Won two of three races in the 2V8 at the Big Ten Invitational, besting No. 7 Alabama, No. 15 Wisconsin, and No. 17 Minnesota on day one, and edging out No. 17 Minnesota, Notre Dame, and Michigan State on day two.
- Rowed four seat in the 2V8 that claimed wins over UCF and No. 3 Virginia at the UVA Invite with times of 7:13.4 and 6:52.2, respectively, while finishing five seconds behind No. 10 Duke at 6:58.0 in the final session.
- In the face-off with Alabama's 2V8, placed second in a photo finish, 6:35.5 to 6:35.0.
- In the 2V8 that finished first in two of its three sessions at ORCI, besting SMU, Notre Dame, Clemson and Tulsa on day one and finishing second behind Indiana while beating Alabama on day two.
HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB
- Secret City 2018: 2nd in the Women's Novice 4+
- Tennessee Indoor Rowing Championships: 3rd in the Women's U19 category
- Music City 2019: 3rd in the Women's Jr. 1x
- Secret City 2019: 1st in the Women's Jr. 1x
- Head of the Hooch 2019: 22nd out of 66 in the Women's Junior 1x
- Nashville Indoors 2020: 2nd in the Women's U19 category
PERSONAL
- Daughter of Paul and Kate Gifford
- On her career goals beyond sports: “My biggest career objective is to come back to Chattanooga when I graduate and coach for my high school rowing club.”
- On her biggest sports influence: “My biggest sports influence are my high school rowing coaches. They are an excellent example of dedication to the sport and commitment to education and work. They all work several jobs or go to school full time while also putting extreme care into cultivating their athletes both on and off the water.
- On why she chose UT: “I chose to attend the University of Tennessee for several reasons, but most importantly, it felt like home. When I came on my official visit, I didn’t feel any hesitations regarding the school, the coaches, the team, anything. I instantly fell in love. I’m also very close with my family and I love the fact that Knoxville is so close to home.”
- On her athletic accomplishment she is most proud of: “Coming from a very small club team with a range of abilities, my biggest athletic accomplishment is making it onto a team at such an amazing D1 school.
- She enjoys drawing, singing, driving and seeing different places, and working.
- Majoring in Business Analytics
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ROW | Walk-On Promo
Thursday, August 15
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Rowing | 2023 Senior Video
Monday, May 22
