Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Rowing Announces Openweight and Coxswain Recruits
6/13/2008 8:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
June 13, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - On Friday, Bucknell head women's rowing coach Stephen Kish announced the addition of 12 openweight and coxswain recruits who will join the program in the fall. Early next week 13 lightweight recruits will be announced as well, making the Class of 2012 the largest in program history. The openweight and coxswain newcomers hail from six states, with three of them calling Pennsylvania home.
"I am excited about the strength of this class," said Kish, who is in the midst of leading his team through training sessions in England as the Bison prepare for next week's Henley Women's Regatta. "The coaching staff and returning rowers look forward to welcoming this group in the fall. It is a very talented, accomplished and deep class that will help us as we strive to meet our goals."
The openweight list of recruits features nine student-athletes: Taylor Cardosi, Erica Crawford, Kalila Beehler, Alison Cohen, Christine Holodnik, Anne Kirk, Jillian O'Mara, Katharine Watson and Meredith Weber. That group will help the Bison continue to improve upon the team's success of the last few years that includes two overall points trophies at the Murphy Cup, back-to-back ECAC Metro Championship crowns, a varsity eight victory at the Knecht Cup, three consecutive Patriot League titles and an eighth-place finish out of 18 teams at the Eastern Sprints.
"This class of openweight recruits comes in following the three most successful seasons in program history," remarked Kish, who was the CRCA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. "The openweights have been gaining speed at an incredible rate and these women are qualified to jump into that group and have an impact on our momentum as we build off our third straight Patriot League championship and eighth place at our first Eastern Sprints. As our current team members become older and we add more young talent to the group with this incoming class, we will be pushing to build the speed necessary to put us within the top 20 nationally."
Katherine Anderson, Alexandra Higbee and Christina Sfedu comprise the fourth group of experienced coxswains Kish has recruited.
"We are very excited to welcome the three coxswains in this recruiting class," commented Kish. "Our current coxswains are one of the strongest groups we have had in the program and three more experienced voices on the team will be an instrumental piece in continuing to progress our process and our speed."
Bucknell's 12 openweight and coxswain recruits will join 48 returning rowers to form the 2008-09 Bison women's rowing squad. Gillian Carter, Caitlin Doolin, Whittney Henry, Page Kannor, Beth Mooney and Jeweliet Yost will form the six-person senior class.
BUCKNELL WOMEN'S ROWING 2008 RECRUITING CLASS (openweights and coxswains)
Name - Hometown/High School
Openweights
Taylor Cardosi - Harvard, Mass./Bromfield
Erica Crawford - Long Branch, N.J./Hun School
Kalila Beehler - Issaquah, Wash./Issaquah
Alison Cohen - Harvard, Mass./Bromfield
Christine Holodnik - Pittsburgh, Pa./Oakland Catholic
Anne Kirk - Boston, Mass./Loomis Chaffee
Jillian O'Mara - Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge
Katharine Watson - Old Saybrook, Conn./The Williams School
Meredith Weber - Fort Washington, Pa./Mount St. Joseph's Academy
Coxswains
Katherine Anderson - Piedmont, Calif./Bentley School
Alexandra Higbee - Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich
Christina Sfedu - Philadelphia, Pa./Springsdale School
Openweights
Taylor Cardosi (Harvard, Mass./Bromfield)
High School: Member of the Bare Hill Rowing Association ... member of the Varsity Eight ... first-place finish in Varsity Eight at the Lowell Regatta in 2008 ... third place in Varsity Eight at Massachusetts State Championship Regatta in 2007.... nationally ranked high school runner ... member of the National Honor Society, Student Advisory Council and Student Council ... incoming member of Bucknell Army ROTC ... avid wakeboarder, snowboarder and snowmobiler ... previously a varsity runner in cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field .... member and captain of the Massachusetts state championship winning cross country team in 2005 .... league and district champion in indoor track in the two-mile run and a league champion in outdoor track in the two-mile run.
Personal: Full name is Taylor Marie Cardosi ... daughter of Vincent and Laurie Cardosi ... born June 5, 1990 ... has two siblings: Garrett Cardosi and Martha McDonald ... interested in becoming a member of the CIA or FBI ... intended major is international relations and economics.
Erica Crawford (Long Branch, N.J./Hun School)
High School: Member of the Hun School Rowing Team ... member of the High Honor Roll.
Personal: Full name is Erica Hope Crawford ... daughter of Ernest and Patricia Crawford ... born May 25, 1990 ... intends to pursue majors in philosophy and neuroscience.
Kalila Beehler (Issaquah, Wash./Issaquah)
High School: Member of the Sammamish Rowing Association ... first in the JV 2x and second in the JV 4x at Northwest Junior Regionals in 2007 ... third in the Junior B 2x at US Rowing Club Nationals in 2007 ... third in the Varsity Eight at the Head of the Gorge, second at the Head of the Lake and the Head of the Elk in 2007 ... fourth in the Varsity Eight at the Brentwood Regatta in 2008 ... qualified for Nationals in the 2x in 2008.
Personal: Full name is Kalila Johanna Beehler ... daughter of Joyce Hilton and Gary Beehler and stepdad Jefferey Hilton ... born April 20, 1991 ... has a sister, Kiah Beehler, and step-siblings Jeffrey, Jeremy, Johathan, Jennifer, Jessica and Jillian Hilton ... intends to pursue a major in animal behavior.
Alison Cohen (Harvard, Mass./Bromfield)
High School: Member of the Bare Hill Rowing Association/Boston Rowing Club ... best finishes came at the Lowell Invitational and Bare Hill Regatta in 2008 and the Sweeps and Sculls and Philadelphia Youth Sprints in 2007 ... team captain.
Personal: Full name is Alison Elizabeth Cohen ... daughter of Ann and Kevin Cohen ... born March 8, 1990 ... has two brothers: Max and Isaac ... major is undecided.
Christine Holodnik (Pittsburgh, Pa./Oakland Catholic)
High School: Member of the Oakland Catholic rowing team ... won the Stotesbury Cup Regatta in the Junior Varsity Four in 2006 ... won the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championships in the Junior Varsity Four in 2006, Varsity Four in 2007 and placed second in the Varsity Four in 2008 ... second in the Varsity Four at the Stotesbury Cup and Scholastic Nationals in 2008, beating the second-place boat by 12 seconds and placed fourth in the Varsity Eight ... Highest Honor Roll and National Honor Society member.
Personal: Full name is Christine Lynn Holodnik ... daughter of Edward and Debra Holodnik ... born July 1, 1990 ... has a brother, Daniel ... intends to pursue a major in sociology.
Anne Kirk (Boston, Mass./Loomis Chaffee)
High School: Member of Community Rowing, Inc. ... fourth in the final at Canadian Henley in the Junior A Eight in 2007 ... fifth in the final at Canadian Henley in the Junior B Eight in 2006.
Personal: Full name is Anne Starr Kirk ... daughter of Peggy and David Kirk ... born Aug. 20, 1990 ... had two brothers who rowed at Brown: Garrett and Nathanial ... major is undecided ... Honor Roll member ... also ran cross country, track & field and played ice hockey in high school.
Jillian O'Mara (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge)
High School: Member of the Bainbridge Island Rowing Club ... third at the Brentwood Regatta and Second at the Head of the Lake in the Varsity Four ... third at the Northwest Regional Championships in the Varsity Four in 2008, which qualified her boat for Nationals ... rowed for a month in the Swiss Alps ... played soccer for 10 years before she started rowing ... loves to dance ... devoted member of Amnesty International.
Personal: Full name is Jillian Rose O'Mara ... daughter of Laura and Tim O'Mara ... born Aug. 26, 1990 ... has an older sister, Katie, attending the University of Chicago and a younger brother, Teddy ... major is undecided.
Katharine Watson (Old Saybrook, Conn./The Williams School)
High School: Member of the Blood Street Sculls and Williams School Rowing Team ... first in the Junior Women's 1x and the Women's Quad at the Coast Weeks Regatta ... magna cum laude on the Connecticut State Latin Exam ... honor roll member ... department honors in English, environmental science, history, geometry, Latin and dance ... Eastern Connecticut State University Literary Award semifinalist ... earned varsity letters in crew, swimming and soccer.
Personal: Full name is Katharine Suzanne Watson ... daughter of Suzanne Delise Watson and Richard Decker Watson Sr. ... born Nov. 17, 1990 ... siblings are Christine, Richard, Jeffery and Eric ... intends to pursue a major in economics.
Meredith Weber (Fort Washington, Pa./Mount St. Joseph's Academy)
High School: Member of the Mount St. Joseph's Academy Rowing Team ... first in the Novice Eight at the Stotesbury Cup in 2005 ... first in the Junior Varsity Eight at the Stotesbury Cup and Philadelphia City Championships ... second at the Scholastic Nationals in 2006 ... second at the Mercer Sprints, New Jersey State Championships and Stotesbury Cup Regatta in 2008.
Personal: Full name is Meredith Leigh Weber ... daughter of John and Lois Weber ... born May 14, 1990 ... has two sisters: Erika and Kristin ... intends to pursue a major in psychology.
Coxswains
Katherine Anderson (Piedmont, Calif./Bentley School)
High School: Member of the Oakland Strokes Rowing Club ... second in the Junior Varsity Eight at the Long Beach Junior Rowing Invitational in 2008 ... first in the Third Varsity Eight at the Southwest Junior Championships in 2005 ... volunteered over 400 hours of service to George Mark's pediatric hospice ... received Gold Award from her high school for community service in 2006 ... traveled to Mexico and Malawi on mission trips ... received Coach's Award in 2007 and honorable mention Most Improved in 2008 ... president of the Bentley Fight Aids group ...senior class representative.
Personal: Full name is Katherine Cuttle Anderson ...daughter of Jane and Keith Anderson ... born Feb. 2, 1989 ... has two brothers: Robert and Henry ... has many interests and is undecided on her major at this time.
Alexandra Higbee (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich)
High School: Member of the Greenwhich Crew Team ... first in the Varsity Eight at Connecticut Public Schools Regatta in 2008 ... sixth overall at the New Jersey Scholastic Championships in 2007 ... second at the Frostbite and Bill Braxton Memorial Regattas in 2007 .. . team captain as a senior.
Personal: Full name is Alexandra Wilmarth Higbee ... daughter of Nancy Higbee ... born April 25, 1990 ... has a brother, Jeffrey ... major is undecided.
Christina Sfedu (Philadelphia, Pa./Springsdale School)
High School: Member of the University Barge Club Crew Team ... three-year varsity member ... placed third in the Inter-AC eight ... honor roll member ... honorable mention for AMC Math 12 Exam ... member of varsity softball and cross country teams.
Personal: Full name is Christina Alexandra Sfedu ...daughter of Susan Satkowski and George Sfedu ... born July 15, 1990 ... has a sister, Larissa ... intends to pursue a major in mechanical engineering.
