BERKELEY – Last summer, former California women's rower Shawn O'Donnell was tragically killed in a bicycling accident while she was on her way to work as a foreign services officer in the State Department in Washington, D.C. When news of her passing made it to her friends and family, they came up with the idea to honor her in the form of a racing boat in her name. O'Donnell's circle of family and friends from all over the world raised nearly $56,000 to build a custom boat that will be used by the Cal Women's rowing team in competitions this season and beyond.

This past weekend, the California women's rowing program and supporting community came together to officially christen the boat in a dedication ceremony at the team's boathouse next to the Briones Reservoir near Orinda. O'Donnell's family and some of her closest friends were on hand, and her mother and sister along with current members of the team took the boat out for its maiden voyage.

To learn more about O'Donnell and the fundraising efforts click here, and to watch a recap of the ceremony click here.