University of Iowa Athletics

Claire Benschoter

Class Sr.
Hometown Hartland, Wis.
High School Arrowhead
Claire Benschoter - Women's Rowing - University of Iowa Athletics

2016 — competed in six races in the 2V8+ boat… placed second (6:45.5) at the Big Ten/ ACC Double Dual… competed in the morning session of the Big Ten Double Dual in Iowa City, placing second (7:18.30) and first in the afternoon session (7:16.70)… placed second (6:45.73) and fourth (6:32.72), respectively at the Lake Natoma Invitational… competed at the Big Ten/ Big 12 Double Dual, helping Iowa to a first place finish (7:00.74)… helped Iowa  to a second straight first place finish (6:42.4) at the Tennessee Invitational Conference Challenge… placed fifth (6:40.558) at the Big Ten Championships… named to UI Dean’s List… letterwinner.

2014-15… Academic All-Big Ten… competed with the 2V8+ crew at the Head of the Des Moines and against Indiana and Kansas in the fall… competed with the 2V8+ crew at the Nordic Nine, Big Ten Double Dual, B1G/Big 12 Challenge, Tennessee, and the Big Ten Championships… helped the 2V8+ crew top Michigan State for a win of more than four seconds at the Big Ten Double Dual… lead the 2V8+ crew to a dominating performance in the Petite Finals of the Big Ten Championships, beating Rutgers by 28.528 seconds…helped the team to a sixth place finish, the second highest scoring performance at the Big Ten Championships in program history, and the highest since 2003.

2013-14… Academic All-Big Ten… competed in the 1V8+ crew in all eight regattas… finished third (6:55.18) in the season-opener at Clemson, runner-up (7:02.40) on day one and fifth (7:04.38) in the finals of the San Diego Crew Classic, fourth (6:54.00) in the home opener at Lake MacBride, seventh (7:31.90) and sixth (7:05.30) at the Clemson Invitational and first (6:47.50) at Tennessee by four seconds… finished seventh (6:53.982) at the Big Ten Championship at Eagle Creek Park.

2012-13… Competed in all three fall events… placed first in the 1N8+ at the Head of the Des Moines… placed fourth in the 1N8+ at the Head of the Rock… placed seventh in the 1N8+ and third in the 1N4+ at the Head of the Iowa… competed in two spring events… placed second in the 1N8 and helped team take home second place in the final team standings at the Dale England Cup… placed seventh in the 1N8 and helped team take home sixth place in the final team standings at the Big Ten Championships… letterwinner.

Before Iowa… Four-year member of her school varsity girls hockey team… team finished with the best record in school history her junior year… three-year member of the Milwaukee West Team (Wisconsin Elite Hockey League)… four-year member of the honor roll.

Personal… Born January 24, 1994 in Chicago… daughter of Doug and Ann Benschoter… father, Doug, played football (1975-79) and wrestled (1975-76) at Iowa and was a member of the 1975 National Championship wrestling team… pre-nursing major… lists her parents as the most influential people in her life.

Why Iowa… I chose Iowa because right when I stepped on campus I fell in love and felt right at home. I knew there’d be nowhere else that could compare to that feeling.

My favorite aspect of rowing is… The togetherness of the team along with the chance to constantly challenge yourself.

What made you want to become a rower… It was something completely different from anything I had done before. I got my start when a family friend suggested that I hade the perfect body type for it and that I check it out.