Bucknell University Athletics
Women's Rowing Announces 18-Person Recruiting Class
5/27/2015 8:08:00 AM | Women's Rowing
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell women's rowing head coach Stephen Kish on Wednesday announced the program's latest recruiting class. The 18-person group will join the successful Bison team in the fall, bolstering an already strong roster. The recruits hail from nine different states with four apiece from New Jersey and New York, making them the most common home locations.
"I am excited to announce the Class of 2019,” commented Kish, a six-time Patriot League Coach of the Year who graduated from Bucknell in 1992. “This class is full of experience, strength, and speed. They will be strong contributors to our program and I am looking forward to seeing them all on campus this fall.
“What impresses me the most about this class is their ambition. We always describe ambition as one of the intangibles that we look for in prospective student-athletes and this class really embodies that. They are constantly driving forward and putting themselves in the best position possible for when they arrive on campus at the end of August. Not only will they be strong contributors to Bucknell Women's Rowing, but they are high caliber students that will bring something special to Bucknell University."
Bucknell is coming off a runner-up finish at last week's Patriot League Championship. The Bison won seven straight conference titles from 2006 to 2012.
Bucknell Women's Rowing – Class of 2019
Audra Adams – Southampton, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy
Lauren Bell – New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan
Cameron Berlin – Sarasota, Fla./Pine View
Katie Carroll – Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy
Leah Chowenhill – Mount Kisco, N.Y./Fox Lane
Menley Denham – Winnetka, Ill./New Trier
Lena Kleinberg – Pomona, N.Y./Immaculate Heart Academy (N.J.)
Rachel Martinez – Morristown, N.J./Morristown
Megan Martzolff – Aventura, Fla./Cranbrook
Sarah Reasbeck – Long Beach, Calif./Wilson
Maddie Senich – Woodbury, Conn./The Gunnery
Stephanie Taylor – Hamilton, N.J./The Hun School
Nicole Vacas – Norwalk, Conn./Brien McMahon
Mara Vinnik – Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek
Jenna Walpole – Upper Montclair, N.J./Montclair
Sasha Weilbaker – Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Emma Willard School
Margo Yancey – Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Mendon
Helena Yoest – Arlington, Va./Yorktown
Recruiting Class Bio Information:
Audra Adams
Before Bucknell: Won bronze medal in lightweight eight at Philadelphia City Championship in 2013 and 2015 … won gold with freshman eight in 2012 … won two medals at Stotesbury Cup Regatta … two-time silver medalist at SRAA Nationals … competed at U.S. Rowing Youth Nationals in 2013 … earned bronze medal with varsity eight at U.S. Rowing Mid-Atlantic Junior District Rowing Championships in 2014 … rowed at Silver City Championship in 2015.
Personal: Audra Marie Adams … born Feb. 20, 1997 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania … daughter of Mary Theresa and Brad Adams … father played football at West Chester … has two older brothers, Brad and Brendan … Brad was a member of Penn's lightweight rowing team … Brendan was a member of Navy's lightweight rowing team.
Lauren Bell
Before Bucknell: Five-year rowing letterwinner at New Canaan High School … also a member of Maritime Rowing Club … team captain as a senior … three-time Head of the Charles competitor … competed at U.S. Rowing Club National Championships (2012, 2013) … rowed at 2012 Royal Canadian Henley Regatta … qualified for 2014 U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships thanks to a third-place finish in varsity 4x at U.S. Rowing Northeast Junior District Championships … won varsity 4x at 2014 U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships … rowed at 2014 Head of the Quinobequin.
Personal: Lauren Ann Bell … born May 22, 1997 in Norwalk, Connecticut … daughter of Kate and Sean Bell … has two younger siblings, Austin and Ryan.
Cameron Berlin
Before Bucknell: Member of Sarasota Crew club team … coxswain since seventh grade … helped team to four straight FSRA state titles and Southeast Regional Championships … finished in second place at the FSRA Sweep Championships in 1V, 2V and 3V … won FSRA Sweep Championships in 2V in 2013 … finished in top two at Southeast Regionals three straight years in three different boats, including a first-place finish with the V8 in 2015 … placed at Head of Charles in women's youth 4+ in back-to-back years … finished 15th (2013) and sixth (2015) at USRowing Youth Nationals in lightweight 8+.
Personal: Cam Bridget Berlin … born Aug. 12, 1997 in Sarasota, Florida … daughter of Donna and Evan Berlin.
Katie Carroll
Before Bucknell: Rowing letterwinner at Loyola Academy … won Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championships in third varsity eight in 2012 … took second place at Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championships in varsity eight in 2015 … placed second at Midwest Scholastic Rowing championships in second varsity eight in 2013 … rowed with Chicago Rowing Foundation in summer 2014.
Personal: Kathleen Ann Carroll … born May 19, 1997 in Chicago, Illinois … daughter of Cathy and Frank Carroll … has four younger siblings: Patrick, Michael, Brigid and Jack.
Leah Chowenhill
Before Bucknell: Member of Greenwich Crew club team … rowed as part of varsity eight in 2014-15 … earned silver medal at Northeast Regionals in spring 2015 … won gold at The Bill Braxton Memorial Regatta and bronze at the Head of the Fish Regatta in fall 2014 … earned two varsity letters in volleyball at Fox Lane High School … team captain and MVP of Downstate Volleyball club team.
Personal: Leah Faith Chowenhill … born May 26, 1997 in Buffalo, New York …daughter of Rona Chowenhill.
Menley Denham
Before Bucknell: Three-year member of rowing team at New Trier High School … member of New Trier Rowing Club … rowing team captain … Student-Athlete Leadership Training member … Midwest Champion in varsity eight (2014, 2015), junior eight (2013) and freshman eight (2012) … national champion in the freshman eight in 2012 and the junior eight in 2013.
Personal: Menley Ann Denham … born Nov. 20, 1996 in Tampa, Florida … daughter of Daphne and Woody Denham … has five siblings: Merritt, Erin, Danette, Ford and Colton … older sister, Merritt, is a member of the women's rowing team at the University of Wisconsin.
Lena Kleinberg
Before Bucknell: Member of River Rowing Association … set River Rowing Association records in the 2k, 5k, 6k and 10k … finished in first place in Women's High School Novice at the 2015 Ironmen Erg Classic … placed 29th out of 294 at 2015 CRASH-B Sprints … placed second at Head of the Schuylkill, third at Head of the Passaic and fourth at Head of the Riverfront in novice quad in 2014 … rowed as part of top varsity boat on team in 2015 … won Cooper Cup Regatta and Mid-Atlantic Youth Championships … will be coming at U.S. Rowing Youth Nationals … also a member of equestrian team … Reserve Champion and a member of Equestrian Talent Search in 2014 … member of Downstate Volleyball Club … qualified for Volleyball Junior Nationals in 2012.
Personal: Lena Sumiko Kleinberg … born Feb. 12, 1998 in Pomona, New York … daughter of Kay and Joseph Kleinberg … has one brother, Samuel.
Rachel Martinez
Before Bucknell: Member of Mountain Lakes Crew Club … national qualifier in women's varsity four in 2014 … 2015 Cooper Cup winner … broke club record in 2k (7:25.5) … four-year swimming letterwinner at Morristown High School … also earned two cheerleading varsity letters … swimming team captain as a senior … earned swimming Most Improved Award in 2013.
Personal: Rachel Kathleen Martinez … born Feb. 10, 1997 in Livingston, New Jersey … daughter of Kathy and Rick Martinez … cousin, Marissa Ianorone, played field hockey at Lehigh … cousin, Eric Becker, played football at Bucknell and graduated in 2006.
Megan Martzolff
Before Bucknell: Three-year varsity coxswain for the men's rowing team at Cranbrook Schools … women's rowing team captain … finished in second place in the mixed 8+ at the 2014 Frogtown Regatta … finished in third place in the V8 at the 2015 Salt Springs Sprints … second place in the junior 8+ at the 2013 Wyhi Regatta.
Personal: Megan Jeanne Martzoff … born Aug. 10, 1997 in Commerce, Michigan … daughter of Kelly Kirpatrick and David Martzolff … mother played field hockey and lacrosse at Skidmore.
Sarah Reasbeck
Before Bucknell: Member of Long Beach Junior Crew … placed 23rd out of 84 in varsity eight at Head of the Charles … club team finished first at junior nationals in quad and double.
Personal: Sarah Anne Reasbeck … born Oct. 12, 1997 in Seattle, Washington … daughter of Lucille and Glenn Reasbeck … has one brother, Gregory.
Maddie Senich
Before Bucknell: Earned seven varsity letters in rowing at The Gunnery … named team's Most Improved Rower as a freshman … earned black belt in Tang Soo Do in eighth grade.
Personal: Madelyn Sullivan Senich … born Nov. 4, 1997 in Washington, Connecticut … daughter of Christine Sullivan and Charles Senich … has a younger sister, Abigail.
Stephanie Taylor
Before Bucknell: Rowing, tennis and basketball letterwinner at The Hun School … two-time rowing team captain … two-time tennis team captain … three-time Mid-Atlantic Prep League All-Academic Rowing Team member … two-time Mid-Atlantic Prep League All-Academic Tennis Team member … New Jersey Prep All-State in tennis … tennis team MVP … member of varsity four all four years of high school.
Personal: Stephanie Maria Taylor … born Aug. 11, 1997 in Hamilton, New Jersey … daughter of Maria and Donald Taylor … father played football at The College of New Jersey.
Nicole Vacas
Before Bucknell: Rowed for Nowalk River Rowing … women's rowing letterwinner at Brien McMahon High School … rowing team captain, MVP and Most Improved … helped team finish sixth in Northeast Region in 2014 … varsity four placed 22nd at Head of the Charles in 2014 … placed sixth in her first single race ever at the Head of the Schuylkill.
Personal: Nicole Elizabeth Vacas … born May 12, 1997 in Quito, Ecuador … daughter of Lorena Tavlarios and Francisco Vacas … has two older brothers, David and Michael.
Mara Vinnik
Before Bucknell: Member of Mile High Rowing Club … qualified for 2015 Youth Nationals.
Personal: Mara Karinn Vinnik … born Dec. 16, 1996 in Pasadena, California … daughter of Jon Vinnik and Lindsay Warren … has one brother, Andrew, who is a member of Bucknell's Class of 2017 and is on the club varsity men's crew team.
Jenna Walpole
Before Bucknell: Rowing letterwinner at Montclair High School … competed in championship finals of varsity eight at Philadelphia City Championships in 2015 … won Philadelphia City Championships with JV8 in 2014 … won 2014 Garden State Championships with JV8 … finished second with varsity eight at 2014 Garden State Championships … finished first and third with JV8 at Stotesbury Cup Regatta … rowing team captain in 2014-15.
Personal: Jenna M. Walpole … born Sept. 19, 1997 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey … daughter of Diane and Robert Walpole … has two older siblings, Ryan and Daniel … Daniel will be a junior on the Bates College swimming and diving team in 2015-16 … father was a member of the rowing team at Villanova University.
Sasha Weilbaker
Before Bucknell: Cross country letterwinner at Emma Willard School … member of the Saratoga Rowing Association and Albany Rowing Center … rowing team captain … Section II champion in the women's junior 2x in 2014 and 2015 … New York State women's junior 2x champions in 2014 … won Scholastic Nationals in the women's junior 2x in 2014 … placed second in women's senior 4+ at 2015 New York State Championships.
Personal: Sasha Weilbaker … born Feb. 3, 1997 in New York City … daughter of Pat Tuz and Jon Weilbaker … father was a member of cross country and track & field teams at Colgate University … has one sibling, Shea.
Margo Yancey
Before Bucknell: Member of Pittsford Crew club team … coached by former Bucknell assistant women's rowing coach Jamie Spoto … team captain … three-time Junior Nationals participant … three-time Head of the Charles participant … earned silver medal at NYSSC with the lightweight eight in 2013 and with the senior eight in 2014 and 2015 … earned three letters in Nordic skiing at Pittsford Mendon High School … two-year Nordic skiing team captain … two-time second-team all-county selection … two-time winner of Sportsmanship Award … received the Karl Metzler scholarship.
Personal: Margo Elizabeth Yancey … born May 1, 1997 in Brunswick, Maine … daughter of Sarah and Michael Yancey … has a brother, Michael, who ran cross country at Clarkson University … has a sister, Colleen, who is a member of the cross country and track & field teams at Vermont University … uncle, Matthew Eagleton, was a member of the rowing team at the University of Rochester.
Helena Yoest
Before Bucknell: Volleyball letterwinner at Yorktown High School … enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College during final two years of high school … created own unaffiliated rowing team and entered regattas racing a 1x because school didn't have a rowing program … finished in first place at Baltimore Invitational … competed at America Rows Regional Championship … finished in fifth place at Mid-Atlantic Youth Regional Championship … placed fourth at Stotesbury Cup Regatta … placed second in age group at 2013 New Carrolton Triathlon … ran Marine Corps Marathon twice.
Personal: Helena Gilbert Yoest … born March 6, 1997 in Fairfax, Virginia … daughter of Charmaine and Jack Yoest … has four siblings: Hannah, John, Sarah and James … third member of family to compete in Division I athletics … Hannah is a member of rowing team at Virginia … John is a pitcher at William & Mary.
