Columbia - - rowing
Columbia University
In the City of New York
Columbia - - rowing
General
Location...............................................................................New York, N.Y. 10027 Founded.........................................................................................................1754 Enrollment.....................................................................................................5,708 President...................................................................................... Lee C. Bollinger Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education..........Dr. M. Dianne Murphy Colors................................................................................Columbia Blue & White Nickname...................................................................................................... Lions Affiliation....................................................................................... NCAA Division I Conference........................................................................................... Ivy League Website....................................................................................gocolumbialions.com
Women’s Rowing
Table of Contents This is Columbia University................................. 4-6 Rowing in New York City........................................ 7 Columbia Boathouses............................................ 7 Program History..................................................... 8 Coaches............................................................ 9-10 Meet the Lions................................................. 11-12
Head Coach............................................................Melanie Onufrieff, 7th season Address................................................ Dodge Physical Fitness Center, MC 1911 ...................................................................3030 Broadway, New York, NY 10027 Onufrieff Phone............................................................................... 212-854-3438 Onufrieff Email......................................................................mcz1@columbia.edu Assistant Coach...................................................... Malcolm Doldron, 4th season Doldron Phone................................................................................ 212-854-4335 Doldron Email.................................................................mcd2137@columbia.edu Captains......................................................................................................... TBD
Sports Information
Rowing Contact................................................................................Pete McHugh Email...............................................................................ptm2102@columbia.edu Office Phone.................................................................................... 212-854-7064 Fax.................................................................................................. 212-854-8168
Credits
The 2010 Columbia Women’s Rowing media guide was written, designed and edited by Pete McHugh, Assistant Director of Sports Information/Media Relations. Additional editorial assistance provided by Bill Steinman. Photos by Gene Boyars, Mike McLaughlin, Eileen Barroso and Char Smullyan. Printing by Register Graphics, Inc.
Columbia University Athletics Mission Statement
The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics of Columbia University in the City of New York serves the needs of its students, faculty, staff, alumni and the New York City community. To achieve and maintain excellence, we will: •Recruit student-athletes who will excel in our academic and athletic environment •Foster the physical, mental and emotional development of our student-athletes •Strengthen the bonds between the University and its alumni •Provide outstanding entertainment •Promote and exhibit appropriate sporting behavior by student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans •Instill integrity and values that enhance decision-making •Comply with all NCAA and Ivy League rules and regulations •Empower the Columbia community through a diverse and equitable athletics program that meets the needs of students, alumni, faculty and staff
Columbia - - rowing
NEW YORK CITY IS From its beginnings in a schoolhouse in lower Manhattan, Columbia University has grown to encompass two principal campuses in New York City: the historic, neoclassical campus in the Morningside Heights neighborhood and the modern Medical Center further uptown, in Washington Heights.
Today, Columbia is one of the top academic and research institutions in the world, conducting pathbreaking research in medicine, science, the arts, and the humanities. It includes three undergraduate schools, thirteen graduate and professional schools, and a school of continuing education.
A member of the Ivy League, Columbia sponsors 29 intercollegiate varsity sports for men and women which compete at the Division I level. Columbia has won 11 Ivy League titles over the past three years, the most in any three-year span in school history.
In New York, the greatest city in the world has everything at your fingertips. A baseball game at Yankee Stadium, a world-class Broadway show, or just a ride around the city where neighborhoods flow freely into one another, New York has it all. Columbia - - rowing
COLUMBIA’S HOME
Columbia - - rowing
BARACK OBAMA COLUMBIA COLLEGE CLASS OF 1983 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Columbia University has produced a large number of distinguished alumni in many different fields, including but not limited to: David Altchek, CC 1978 • Renowned orthopedic surgeon Roone Arledge, CC 1952 • Former president, ABC News & Sports Caitlin “Katy” Bilodeau, CC 1987 • Two-time Olympian Katherine Boo, BC 1988 • Reporter, The Washington Post William V. Campbell, CC 1962 • Chairman, Intuit, Inc. DeWitt Clinton, CC 1786 • Former N.Y. state senator and governor Gary Cohen, CC 1981 • TV play-by-play announcer, New York Mets Brian De Palma, CC 1962 • Filmmaker Brian Dennehy, CC 1960 • Actor, Tony award-winner Amelia Earhart, GS 1919-1920 • Aviator Eileen Ford, BC 1943 • Co-founder, Ford Modeling Agency Chet Forte, CC 1957 • Director, creator of “Monday Night Football” Matthew Fox, CC 1989 • Actor, “Lost”, “We Are Marshall” Ellen Futter, BC 1971 • Barnard College President Emerita Art Garfunkel, CC 1965 • Musician, Grammy award-winner Lou Gehrig, CC 1923-25 • Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Allen Ginsberg, CC 1948 • Author, Howl and Other Poems Judd Gregg, CC 1969 • U.S. Senator, New Hampshire Maggie Gyllenhaal, CC 1999 • Actress, “The Dark Knight” Alexander Hamilton, King’s College 1774-76 • Secretary of the Treasury Patricia Highsmith, BC 1942 • Author, The Talented Mr. Ripley Eric Holder, CC 1973 • United States Attorney General Langston Hughes, School of Mines 1921-22 • Poet Zora Neale Hurston, BC 1928 • Author, Their Eyes Were Watching God John Jay, King’s College 1764 • Judge, statesman, abolitionist Jack Kerouac, CC 1940-1942 • Author, On The Road Jeanne Kirkpatrick, BC 1948 • First female U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Joel Klein, CC 1967 • Chancellor, New York City school system John Kluge, CC 1937 • Entrepreneur, founder of Metromedia, Inc. Robert Kraft, CC 1963 • Owner, New England Patriots Gene Larkin, CC 1983 • Former Major League Baseball champion Alfred Lerner, CC 1955 • Owner, Cleveland Browns Sid Luckman, CC 1939 • Football Hall of Fame inductee Jim McMillian, CC 1970 • Former NBA champion Philip L. Milstein, CC 1971 • Principal, Ogden CAP Properties Janice Min, CC 1990 • Editor-in-Chief, Us Magazine Martha Nelson, BC 1976 • Managing editor, People; founder, InStyle Cynthia Nixon, BC 1988 • Actress, “Sex and the City” Anna Paquin, CC 2004 • Actress, “True Blood” Fernando Perez, CC 2004 • Current Major League Baseball player Joan Rivers, BC 1954 • Emmy Award-winning comedienne Attoosa Rubenstein, BC 1993 • Editor-in-chief and creator, CosmoGIRL! Michael Sovern, CC 1953 • Columbia University President Emeritus George Stephanopoulos, CC 1982 • Anchor of ABC’s “This Week” Julia Stiles, CC 2005 • Actress, “Save The Last Dance” Cristina Teuscher, CC 2000 • Olympic gold medalist, swimming Russell Warren, CC 1962 • New York Giants team physician Marcellus Wiley, CC 1997 • Former All-Pro football player
Alexander Hamilton
Marcellus Wiley
Amelia Earhart
Cristina Teuscher
Robert Kraft
Jim McMillian
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Janice Min
Columbia - - rowing
Jack Kerouac
rowing in new york city
S
tudents from every state and virtually all countries pack away memories of small town life to embrace the city where the lights stay on all night. Hanging out at home is replaced by relaxing on Central Park’s Great lawn; mom’s cooking is replaced by takeout. With so many opportunities to enjoy the greatest city in the world, inertia-filled students could get lost in the routine of trying to take in the whole experience. Columbia Rowing provides an anchor for the student- athletes’ life in New York City, providing simple but essential principles like teamwork, effort, diligence and the hunger to excel every time they shove off the dock. Team members’ learn to strike a balance between the rigors of coursework, the daily training sessions and the excitement of the city.
Columbia rowing provides a team of very competitive and supportive student-athletes driven to succeed in all their endeavors. When the team leaves the Upper West Side campus to the endless miles of water of the Harlem and Hudson rivers there is excitement for practice and the task at hand. With the home race course surrounded by buildings, factories and apartments, the river still acts as a private passageway for Columbia Rowing. Rowers can feel the tradition and history of this place as their boat race by famous New York landmarks like Yankee Stadium and the George Washington Bridge. Each practice feels like a performance for the whole neighborhood and brings with it a sense of accomplishment, as rowers work toward the goal of defeating ancient rivals and becoming the best racers in the country, in the greatest city in the world.
the columbia boathouses In the summer of 2001, Columbia completed construction of the 1929 Boathouse, which was built through the generous contributions of Columbia Rowing supporters. The facility, the newest in the Ivy League, is a three-bay shell house, complete with an upper level that includes an erg and weight room and a beautiful meeting area overlooking the water. The new boathouse is now the centerpiece of a rowing compound in a park-like setting, as the first stage of Columbia’s ambitious reconstruction of its athletic facilities. A new boat shop is expected to be completed in the near future.
The 1929 Boathouse is part of a larger facility, Baker Athletics Complex, which houses the Dick Savitt Tennis Center, Lawrence A. Wien Stadium, which is used for football, track and field and lacrosse; the Columbia Softball Complex, Columbia Field Hockey Venue; Columbia Soccer Stadium and Robertson Field at Satow Baseball Stadium. The facility provides a close, family-like atmosphere to be enjoyed by Columbia’s student-athletes.
The 1929 Boathouse stands immediately next to the Gould-Remmer Boathouse, which was originally constructed in 1895 as the Gould Boathouse at 116th Street on the Hudson River. It was relocated to its current site, and in 1989, was renamed to honor the late Eugene H. Remmer ‘40CC, ‘41SEAS, a varsity oarsman and longtime supporter of Columbia Athletics. The buildings sit at one of the most picturesque locations in New York City. They are located aside beautiful Inwood Hill Park, overlooking the confluence of the Harlem and Hudson Rivers and the famed Spuyten Duyvil.
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the program’s history Columbia University boasts three varsity rowing teams; heavyweight men, lightweight men and women. Though each team is independent, the three squads work together to form a strong, unified rowing program. While each team maintains its own racing schedule, the program frequently travels as one, including two training trips to Melbourne, Florida, and races like the Head of the Charles. The coaches and student-athletes work together to build fast crews by training and practicing together and sharing facilities and equipment. One site in which the teams train together is in Columbia’s stateof-the-art crew training facility, one of the best in the nation. The center features 40 Model D Ergometers with computer interfaces and heart rate monitors. It also houses a strength training room, exclusively used by rowers, that includes Olympic lifting stations, multi-lift power areas, bench-pull stations, and cross-training equipment. Best of all, the facility is located on campus in Dodge Physical Fitness Center. Columbia rowing is the University’s oldest intercollegiate sport, dating back to 1857. The varsity crews have been on the Hudson and Harlem Rivers regularly since 1870, and have developed a proud rowing tradition. In 1878, Columbia gained international acclaim by winning England’s Henley Royal Regatta, becoming the first Americans to win a race abroad. The following year, Columbia was named one of three teams to compete for the Childs Cup, the oldest American rowing trophy. Throughout the next 20 years, Columbia established a national reputation in collegiate rowing. In 1895, with Cornell and Penn, the Lions competed in the first-ever race for the college championship and finished first. This would come to be known as the Poughkeepsie Regatta, a competition to award the national intercollegiate rowing crown. Presently, this race is known as the IRA Regatta. During the 1920s and 1930s, Columbia was one of the most dominant rowing schools in the nation. From 1926-1929, Columbia led collegiate rowing, winning the national championship three times and finishing second once— behind a California squad that went on to win an Olympic medal.
More recently, Columbia crews have worked hard to achieve and maintain the excellence the University has come to expect. During the past three years, the heavyweight crew has won three Collins Cup races, three Alumni Cup races, three Maxwell Stevenson Cup races, two Lusins Trophy races, the Blackwell cup twice and the Childs Cup once. These regular season successes have led to two births in the Sprints Grand Final and one in the IRA Grand Final and an invite to the Henley Royal Regatta in England. In 1995, the freshman lightweights earned Columbia’s first Eastern Sprints medal in 25 years, and were named the EARC Outstanding Lightweight Boat of the Year. The next year, the varsity lightweights earned national acclaim when they went 10-1 and won the Augusta Regatta, the Geiger Cup, and the Subin Cup, and were third in the IRA Regatta, the first Lion varsity crew to medal at the IRA in 25 years. In 2000, the team won the Eastern Sprints, the first time a Columbia varsity has captured the prestigious event, and was third at the National Championship. The same year, it won England’s Marlow Regatta and took its second trip to Henley in three years, again reaching the quarterfinals. The 2003 varsity lightweights went 112, gained silver medals after finishing second in both the Eastern Sprints and the National Lightweight Championship, and became the first Columbia crew ever to capture all four cup races in a single season. Both the 2005 and 2006 freshman lightweight eight earned bronze medals by finishing third in the Eastern Sprints. The varsity lightweight fours completed a perfect season, going 11-0. Columbia women’s crew has been an official varsity sport for 20 years (1986-87) and has established itself strongly in Eastern competition. First under National Team oarsman and Row2K.com founder, Ed Hewitt ’84CC, and most recently under Melanie Onufrieff, the women’s crew has had several strong seasons. In 1998, the varsity earned the bronze medal at the IRA Regatta. In 2002, the squad finished above .500 (7-5) for the first time since 1990 (42), while the 2003 women’s varsity went 7-3, the best record by a women’s varsity at Columbia in 18 years, and the 2004 varsity was considered for an NCAA bid. For the first time since Columbia women’s rowing began in the 1980s, a Lion eight-oared shell earned a medal in the Eastern Sprints. The novice eight captured the bronze medal, and the Columbia “A” novice four finished second to gain silver; the 2006 varsity eight went 9-5 and won the Petite Final.
Columbia - - rowing
melanie onufrieff Head Coach Seventh season
The first impression that Melanie Onufrieff gave when she first came to Columbia after being named head coach was of a person geared for success. First impressions can be incorrect, but not in her case, for the California native gives every indication of being able to take Columbia to a major national level on the collegiate women’s rowing scene. In 2010, Columbia earned its highest seed ever at the Eastern Sprints, after the varsity eight had defeated five teams, including Northeastern and Radcliffe to claim the Woodbury Cup. A pair of first-years were named all-region – Samantha Warren (first team) and Nikki Bourassa (second team) – ensuring that the future is bright on Morningside Heights. In 2009, the varsity eight boat earned a runner-up finish in the Petite Final at Eastern Sprints to beat its seed, and the novice eight closed an impressive 2009 season with a fourth-place showing in the Grand Final. Onufrieff joined Columbia Rowing in the fall of 2004, after six years as head women’s rowing coach at Cornell. She replaced Mike Zimmer, who had headed the women’s program for eight years before moving over to lead men’s heavyweight rowing. “I was attracted by the challenge,” Onufrieff said, “of building a team to where it can consistently compete for championships.” Her first semester on campus was in the Fall of 2004, one of the best women’s seasons ever. That success continued into the
spring, when the Columbia varsity posted a superb 9-4 record that included wins over Penn, UMass, Cornell, Rutgers and George Washington. The Lions captured the inaugural Woodbury Cup by more than four seconds against Northeastern. The 2006 varsity also was successful. It posted a 9-5 record, defeating Penn, Rutgers, Georgetown, UMass and Syracuse, among others, and then finished first in the Petite Final of the EAWRC Sprints, avenging an in-season loss to Northeastern by beating the Huskies in the Petite Final, as well as Cornell, Penn, Syracuse and George Washington. In 2007, all three women’s eights finished second in their Petite Finals, while the 2008 Novice Four gained the program’s first Eastern Sprints gold. She certainly met that challenge at Cornell. The Big Red first began to show signs of increased competitiveness in 2001, three years after she became the head coach, when the novice eight went 11-0 and won a gold medal at the EAWRC (Eastern) Sprints. Her 2002 varsity eight was chosen for the NCAA Championships, where it finished 14th. That performance, combined with its regularseason and Sprints showings, earned Onufrieff Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year honors from the CRCA. In 2003, Cornell’s varsity and second varsity eights both reached the EAWRC Sprints Grand Finals, while three fours gained first place medals in 2004. Onufrieff began her full-time coaching career in 1995 at Rutgers as novice women’s coach, after one year working with the team while living and training in the New Brunswick area. Her first novice eight, in 1996, won a silver medal at the Sprints and a bronze at the IRA Regatta. The Sprints medal was the highest ever for a Rutgers women’s eight. She was voted the EAWRC Novice Coach of the Year.
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In 1996, Onufrieff became novice coach at Princeton. Success quickly ensued as her first novice eight took the silver medal at the 1997 Eastern Sprints. In 1998, the Tigers’ first novice eight won gold at the Sprints. Once again, she was EAWRC Novice Coach of the Year.
While at Cornell, she had been an assistant coach with the U.S. Women’s National Team in 2001 and 2002. She coached at the pre-elite and Nations Cup training camps, and guided the U.S. women’s 4- to a silver medal at the 2001 Nations Cup, then the Under-23 world championships.
Onufrieff’s coaching skill is well known throughout the rowing world. In the summer of 2006, she co-coached the Under-23’s at the U23 women’s sweep camp in California, and then coached the United States Women’s Eight to a gold medal, and the Women’s 2-to fourth at the Under-23 World Championships in Hazewinkel, Belgium.
Onufrieff grew up in Berkeley, Calif. She competed in swimming and water polo at Berkeley High, then discovered rowing as a first-year student at the University of Pennsylvania, and fell in love with it, earning three varsity letters. A two-year captain, she twice was selected for the Hope Barnes Memorial Award for Excellence in Rowing. She also twice earned selection to Academic All-Ivy League.
Shortly thereafter, she teamed with Tom Terhaar, the former Columbia head men’s lightweight coach who is the U.S. National Women’s Coach Onufrieff then coached a women’s 4- to third place at the FISA World Rowing Championships in Eton, Great Britain.
Onufrieff graduated from Penn in 1994 with a B.A. in biology. She lives on Morningside Heights.
malcolm doldron
Assistant Coach Fourth season
Malcolm Doldron, a highly experienced collegiate, scholastic and club rowing coach, was named assistant women’s rowing coach at Columbia in August 2007. He has helped coach the freshman team at Columbia and assists with every aspect of the women’s rowing program. Doldron came to Columbia from Princeton University, where he had been a volunteer assistant coach for the Princeton open women’s rowing team for the past two seasons. His crews finished second and third at the 2006 and 2007 EAWRC Sprints, both going on to compete at the NCAA Championships. During the past year, he served as Junior “A” sweep coach and coxswain coach at the United States Junior Women’s National Team Development Camp in Connecticut. Five of his boats earned gold medals in the U.S. Rowing Club National Championships. “I first met Malcolm through his coaching at Princeton,” Melanie Onufrieff, Columbia’s head women’s rowing coach, said. “He’s a high energy guy with a really positive attitude.
“He’s coached a number of teams in different places, and has become very knowledgeable about rowing. He also has developed many relationships throughout the rowing world that will help our program a lot.” Although he was born in Brooklyn, Doldron grew up in the Washington, D.C., area. He began rowing there, when he attended West Potomac High in Alexandria, and for the Thompson Boat Center. He spent seven years, from 1999 to 2005, as head coach of rowing at West Potomac, leading men’s fours to gold at the Scholastic Nationals and silver at the Stotesbury Cup, and both men’s and women’s fours to gold and silver medals at the Virginia State Championships. In five years as Junior Women’s head coach at the Thompson Boat Center, his Junior and Youth eights and fours earned many medals, including a gold medal in the U.S. Rowing National Championships and a silver medal at Canadian Henley. In 2005, the Thompson Center earned the Marion D. Ventura Women’s Points Trophy at the US Rowing National Championships. Doldron also coached at Water Street Rowing and the Washington Area Rowing Club.
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the varsity Name Alexandra Angelo Nikki Bourassa Aida Conroy Fiona Duffy Mary Kate Frauenheim Jen George-Nichol Bailey Griswold Alex Hammerberg Candise Henry Luisa Isbell Lily Keane Kasey Koopmans Sylvie Krekow Christina Lambiase McKenzie Largay Meredith Mead Louisa Mink Katie Mitchell Mary Nemeth Stephanie Ngai Serena Piol Jessica Polk Rebecca Randall Natalie Rutherford Caroline Shang Caitlin Shufelt Nikki Tomm Samantha Warren Jessica Werlin Courtney Wilkes Nora Wixom Jennifer Wukawitz Marielle Young
Cl. Sr.-CC So.-CC So.-CC So.-CC So.-CC Sr.-CC Jr.-BC So.-SEAS Jr.-CC So.-CC So.-BC Sr.-CC So.-BC Jr.-CC Jr.-CC Sr.-CC Jr.-CC Sr.-CC Jr.-CC Jr.-CC So.-CC Jr.-CC So.-CC So.-BC So.-SEAS So.-CC So.-BC So.-CC So.-CC Jr.-BC So.-BC So.-CC So.-CC
the freshmen Gabrielle Barilla Kenzie Bess Lottie Galliano Hilary Going Sara Hyten Tamar Nisbett Kellie Solowski Shannon Sullivan
Fr.-CC Fr.-CC. Fr.-CC. Fr.-CC Fr.-CC Fr.-CC Fr.-CC Fr.-SEAS
Ht. 5-7 5-9 5-9 5-9 5-8 5-6 5-11 5-0 5-4 5-8 5-11 5-8 5-8 5-7 5-11 5-10 5-10 6-1 5-10 5-0 5-8 5-10 5-11 5-9 5-4 5-9 5-9 6-0 5-9 5-7 5-8 5-6 5-4
Hometown Grand Island, N.Y. Pennsauken, N.J. Chicago, Ill. San Francisco, Calif. Buffalo, N.Y. Williamsburg, Va. Baltimore, Md. Lexington, Ky. Nashville, Tenn. Tampa, Fla. Buffalo, N.Y. Bellevue, Wash. Sun Valley, Idaho Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. Marblehead, Mass. Mystic, Conn. Falls Church, Va. Pittsburgh, Pa. Berkeley, Calif. New York, N.Y. Pittsburgh, Pa. Boston, Mass. Dexter, Mich. Basking Ridge, N.J. Saratoga Springs, N.Y. North Mankato, Minn. Sacramento, Calif. Tokyo, Japan Washington, D.C. Ann Arbor, Mich. Newport Beach, Calif. Honolulu, Hawaii
High School Grand Island Bishop Eustace Prep Phillips Exeter Academy Mill Valley Holy Angels Walsingham Academy St. Paul’s School for Girls Paul Laurence Dunbar Phillips Exeter Academy Plant Park School Newport The Community School The Bolles School Grosse Pointe North Phillips Exeter Academy Stonington George Mason Oakland Catholic Berkeley Milton Academy Oakland Catholic Winsor School Dexter Ridge Saratoga Springs Mankato West Davis Yokohama International School Holton Arms Pioneer Newport Harbor Sidwell Friends
5-3 5-9 5-8 6-0 5-9 5-10 5-8 5-5
Haddonfield, N.J. Norwalk, Conn. Old Greenwich, Conn. Kenilworth, Ill. Austin, Texas Brooklyn, N.Y. Hamburg, N.Y. Los Angeles, Calif.
Merion Mercy Academy Norwalk Greenwich New Trier Westlake Phillips Exeter Academy Frontier Marlborough School
Head Coach: Melanie Onufrieff, Penn ‘94 (sixth season) Assistant/Freshman Coach: Malcolm Doldron, Marietta ‘99 (fourth season) Rowing Athletic Trainer: Anthony Piegaro, Penn State ‘01 (fourth season) Boatwright: Vinny Ventura, Iona ‘69 (fifth season) CC – Columbia College
BC – Barnard College
SEAS – Fu Foundation School of Engineering
A group of eight talented first-years will join the Columbia women’s rowing team in the fall, head coach Melanie Onufrieff announced recently. It is a class that has competed among the best in the country at the high school level and will deepen an emerging Columbia squad. “For us, recruiting isn’t just about physiology and athletic potential; equally important are attitude and outlook,” Onufrieff said. “This class not only has great results from their high school/club rowing, but they also have the boldness and vision to make them really successful in Columbia’s community and on the Ivy/EAWRC/NCAA racecourse. They’ll make an immediate impact on the team and join with our returners to carry 2010’s momentum into 2011 and beyond.”
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spotlight on the lions Jen George-Nichol ‘11CC
Bailey Griswold ‘12BC
Major: English Why did you choose Columbia: I’d spent my whole life in small towns, it was time to try something new What advice would you give to future teammates: Believe in each other Favorite thing to do in New York City: Go to the 72nd Street piers at sunset What is your most memorable moment from rowing: The Beanpot (a race against all of the Boston schools) in spring of my junior year. We went from barely part of a six-boat race to taking complete control of, and winning it, in the last 300 meters. Favorite New York neighborhood: Greenwich Village Best book you’ve read: To Kill a Mockingbird
Major: Environmental Biology Why did you choose Barnard: I like that it is a small community in a big city What is your most memorable moment from rowing: Winning the Beanpot in 2010 with over a boat length of open water after being dead even with Radcliffe and Northeastern at the last 500m mark Favorite meal: Brunch at John Jay What is your favorite thing to do in New York City: Try new things Favorite New York neighborhood: Upper West Side Favorite workout: Blasters Best book you’ve read: Right now I am reading Poisonwood Bible which is pretty good
Alex Hammerberg ‘13SEAS
Kasey Koopmans ‘11CC
Major: Materials Science and Engineering Plans after Columbia: Graduate school Why did you choose Columbia: Columbia requires Engineering students to be proficient in the humanities and engineering rather than solely focusing on math and sciences. This balance was essential in my college decision. What advice would you give to future Columbia teammates: Explore off campus. New York City doesn’t only consist of campus and Morningside Heights. Favorite New York neighborhood: Morningside Heights What is your favorite thing to do in New York City: Wander the trails in Central Park Favorite workout: Blind rowing to encourage boat feel
Major: Political Science and Sustainable Development Plans after Columbia: International development fellowship abroad or Peace Corps What advice would you give to future Columbia teammates: “You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You’ll never remember class time, but you’ll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends...The work never ends, but college does.” –Tom Petty What is your most memorable moment from rowing: Finishing behind Penn and Yale in my first regular season regatta freshman year and reaping revenge at the end of the year by winning a gold medal at sprints! Favorite workout: Annual Women’s Crew Biathlon
Chapel Hill, N.C. • East Chapel Hill
Baltimore, Md. • St. Paul’s
Raleigh, N.C. • William G. Enloe
Meredith Mead
Bellevue, Wash. • Newport
Courtney Wilkes ‘12BC
‘11CC
Marblehead, Mass. • Phillips Exeter Academy
Major: Philosophy Plans after Columbia: Olympics then Journalism school Why did you choose Columbia: Great education and historic rowing program What is your favorite thing to do in New York City: Go out to eat at different restaurants What is your most memorable moment from rowing: Breaking seven minutes in the 2k Favorite New York neighborhood: Lincoln
Center Favorite Movie: The Big Lebowski Favorite meal: BBQ ribs and sweet potato fries Best book you’ve read: Gone with the Wind
Kensington, Md. • Holton Arms
Major: East Asian Studies and Human Rights Plans after Columbia: Move to China Why did you choose Columbia: I love New York What advice would you give to future Columbia teammates: Get enough sleep Favorite New York neighborhood: Lower East Side Favorite class: Chinese Favorite Movie: Whale Rider Favorite workout: Bikram Yoga Favorite meal: Pad Thai Best book you’ve read: The Stories of John Cheever
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