Winter Newsletter 2012
Winter Newsletter 2012
Winter Newsletter 2012
PITT CREW
1988-2012
CONTENTS
Coaching Staff....2 Presidents Address......3 2011-2012 Board Members.......4 Varsity Captains Addresses......5 Varsity Roster....................6 Novice Captains Addresses.....................................7 Novice Profiles...8 Fall 2011 Results......12 Alumni Page............................................14 Alumni News.....15 Parents Page......................................................16 Spring Races/The University...Back Cover
President: Vice President: Business Manager: Treasurer: Secretary: Equipment: Fundraising: Head Coxswain: Clothing Chair: Tech Chair: Recruiting Chair:
Lars Johnson Andrew Voystock Julie Hallinan Sonny Kieu Ashley Famularo Samuel Nardone Johnny Flickinger Megan Weber Lindsay Cwiklinski Jacob Riddle Cara Massarelli
ljohnson@pittrowing.com avoystock@pittrowing.com jhallinan@pittrowing.com skieu@pittrowing.com afamularo@pittrowing.com snardone@pittrowing.com jflickinger@pittrowing.com mweber@pittrowing.com lcwiklinski@pittrowing.com jriddle@pittrowing.com cmassarelli@pittrowing.com
COACHING STAFF
DANIEL GRANCEA
Head Coach Eight years ago Daniel Grancea assumed the responsibility and role as the Head Coach of the University of Pittsburgh Rowing Club. Coming into a team built on potential, he had a vision for the future that perhaps few could perceive. Over the years Daniel has invested unimaginable amounts of his time and energy into building a lasting legacy for the University of Pittsburgh Rowing Club. In these eight short years this vision has become a reality. Under Daniel's leadership, the team has come to achieve numerous institutional and athletic successes, acquiring a brand new fleet of racing shells, the development of a strong network of administrative and financial relations, and of course, medals earned on the water. Recognized last spring as ACRA Regional Coach of the Year, Daniel encourages the qualities of perseverance, self-discipline, pride, and passion in all his rowers as athletes and individuals in our everyday lives. Throughout every year, every practice, and every stroke, Daniel's unyielding confidence and standards that he has taught us to uphold in ourselves has made Pitt Crew the successful team that it has come to be.
Andrew Cox
Assistant Coach
For a third consecutive year, Andrew Cox returns as the Assistant Varsity coach for the University of Pittsburgh Crew team. Having completed his B.S. in biology and secondary education at Marist College, and his M.A. in cell biology at Villanova University, Cox is now attending the University of Pittsburgh pursing a degree in pharmacy. His extensive knowledge and talent as a coach comes from a long history of invaluable rowing experience having rowed 4 years at Upper Merion High School, 3 years at Marist College, and having coached Harriton High School for 3 years prior to arriving at Pitt. His racing experience also includes competing in internationally known regattas such as the Avaya Rowing Championship, IRA Championship Regatta, and the Henley Royal Regatta.
Erika Morgan
Assistant Coach
Welcomed back as a testament of her knowledge and skill as a rower, Erika Morgan returns to the University of Pittsburgh Rowing Club for her 1st year as the novice womens coach. Following a career of success in Pitt Crews dominant lightweight womens four , Erika now extends her knowledge to the future generation of the University Rowing Club while pursuing a career in pharmacy.
Cory Willis
Assistant Coach
Continuing his rowing career, Cory returns to Pitt Crew for a 5th year, but this year as a novice coach. Having spent four years learning and developing his knowledge and technique as a rower, Cory is bringing this knowledge back to a new group of predominately first year rowers. With an encouraging attitude and dedicated approach, Cory is rapidly becoming an instrumental mentor and coach for all rowers on the team.
Liz Gibbons
Assistant Coach
As a former rower and graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Liz Gibbons has attained a new role as assistant coach. While undertaking her graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences, Liz dedicates her time building the team. Expanding on the experience she obtained during her four years of rowing, begun right here with the University of Pittsburgh Rowing Team, Liz is now one of the select people entrusted with the continual development of Pitt Crew.
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS
Hello Parents, Alumni, Coaches, and Teammates, Three years ago I came to this team completely clueless. I had never rowed before, I had no idea what this sport was about, and I had no idea what this team was about. Sitting here now, looking back, I realize how much has changed. Becoming a member of the Pitt Rowing Club is a defining part of one's college career, and as we look towards our future, many of our finest traits are ones that have been created, developed, and honed during our time here. I believe the foremost of these is the inner strength. Overcoming frustration while learning the finesse of the stroke, waking up at five in the morning for a bitterly cold practice, willing yourself to redefine what you think is hard work, and developing bonds with your boatmates and teammates that will last a lifetime. Nobody can walk away from this team without experiencing this, and for that reason we are helping to create not only a more complete rower, but a more complete person. Beyond the personal growth I have seen during my time here, the growth of the team has been extraordinary. Simple operation of a team of this magnitude is quite a feat for a primarily student run club. Yet the rowers and coaches go above and beyond what is needed to merely subsist. I have seen this club acquire five brand new racing shells, with a sixth on its way this fall. I am proud to say we are not putting these resources to waste. Results have been getting more impressive, culminating with four finalists and two medalists at the Dad Vail Regatta this previous spring. I can only imagine what is in store for us this year. On a broader scale, the club is quite possibly at its strongest point in its twenty three year history. The recently created Masters team, composed of Pitt faculty and staff, is flourishing. We are eagerly waiting to see them participate in their first race at the Head of the Ohio Regatta this fall. Another branch of the club that has been created and is beginning to grow is the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown team. The Pitt Rowing Club is at a point that was probably unfathomable at its conception. However, we are still on the upswing. I can only imagine where this club will stand in a few years as it continues to follow its current trajectory. This is fantastic, but we cannot just pat ourselves on the backs for being a part of the team during its growth. Without the support of the parents, the alumni, the University, none of this would be possible. You are the irreplaceable base of who we are. So I would like to thank you for all of your support, in the numerous ways in which you provide it. I urge you to continue to follow us this year to see what we accomplish, and I hope you enjoy this excellent newsletter. Lars Johnson President
JULIE HALLINAN
Business Manager
ASHLEY FAMULARO
Secretary
JACOB RIDDLE
Tech Chair
JOHNNY FLICKINGER
Fundraising Chair
SONNY KIEU
Treasurer
LINDSAY CWIKLINSKI
Clothing Chair
SAMUEL NARDONE
Equipment Manager
CARA MASSARELLI
Recruitment Chair
MEGAN WEBER
Head Coxswain
WOMENS TEAM
The womens team, despite being a veritable smorgasbord of personalities, has bonded by our mutual respect for and dedication to the sport of rowing. It is this attitude that accounted for numerous successes at Head of the Ohio and Head of the Occoquan. At Head of the Charles, both the open and the lightweight womens 4+ secured their bids for next year, continuing the tradition of excellence on Pitt Crew. Finally the team turned inside, and the dreaded winter training season began. Somehow, regardless of the fact that the indoor season makes up only about one third of our year, the long sessions on the erg and hours in the weight room appear never ending. The coxswains do their best to keep spirits up, but it is the hope of our prophesied return to the water that keeps the team going. After Indoor Sprints, the pinnacle of the indoor season, we all eagerly anticipate the warm weather and time on the water that Camp Bob provides. It is once we get on the water that our hard work and dedication will yield results.
ATHLETE ROSTER
VARSITY MEN
Peter Alter 12 Andrew Krueger 12 Lars Johnson 12 Jose Nery 14 Robert Cavanaugh 13 John Flickinger Jr. 13 William Massimini 13 Samuel Nardone 13 Jacob Riddle 13 Andrew Voystock 13 Robert Walker 13 Zach Amato 14 Jared Lasky 14 Sonny Kieu
VARSITY WOMEN
Sarah Braun 12 Alison Ewoldt 12 Kathleen Schaefer 12 Julia Kirkpatrick 13 Megan Weber 12 Kyri Bennett 14 Lindsay Cwiklinksi 14 Erin Haggerty 14 Jen Huang 14 Sarah Skobeloff 14
Ashley Famularo 12 Jessica Winburn 12 Lena Frey 12 Cara Massarelli 12 Emily Nabasny 12 Mariah Blake 13 Katie Cianciolo 13 Julie Hallinan 13
ATHLETE PROFILES
Braxton Ambrose 15
Accounting, Finance
Blucher Cooper 15
Undecided
Hometown: Holland, PA Hobbies/ Interests: Movies, Music, Hanging out with my Roommates, and dare I say puzzles
Hometown: Basking Ridge, NJ Hobbies/ Interests: Dancing, Unicorns, Searching for Narnia
Rob Gehris 15
Civil Engineering
Seth Graham 14
Information Science
Trey Hinz 15
Political Science, Economics
Hometown: Langhorne, PA Hobbies/ Interests: Playing guitar, rowing, long walks on the beach
Hometown: Lancaster, PA! Hobbies/ Interests: Video Games, Football, Friends, Family
Ray Kluger 13
Communication Science Disorders
Alexander Kruszewski 14
Political Science, History and Philosophy of Science
Kevin Lebo 15
Emergency Medicine
Hometown: Yorktown, NY Hobbies/ Interests: Running, rowing, snowshoe racing, long walks on the beach
Hometown: Warsaw, Poland Hobbies/ Interests: The Cat In The Hat, Mid 20th Century Polish Literature, Legia Warszawa, Danish Cinema, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Quantification Of StylisticTraits In 19th Century Russian Literature
Hometown: Palatine, IL Hobbies/ Interests: Sleeping, eating, reading, sleeping, more eating, sometimes homework--mostly sleeping. And friends
ATHLETE PROFILES
Alex Menard 15
Undecided
Kevin Minkus 15
Mathematics
Steve Myers 15
Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Glen Ellyn, IL Hobbies/Interests: Miniature Golf, College Basketball, Trey Hinz
Nik Nesladek 15
Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Vikram Patwardhan 15
Computer Engineering, Chinese
ATHLETE PROFILES
Ashlie Caputo 15
Psychology/Pre-Med
Traci Carson 15
Political Science, Business
Hometown: Wilmington, DE
Hometown: Grand Blanc, MI Hobbies/ Interests: Baking, movie watching, Crossfit, yoga, traveling, football, The Hillman Library
Summer DeRubeis 15
Anthropology
Breana Downey 15
Neuroscience, Spanish
Emily Dvorchak 15
Undecided
Hometown: Chesapeake, VA Hobbies/Interests: Marching band, sci-fi, video games, foreign languages, knitting, writing
Melanie Esterman 15
Psychology, Pre-Med
Megan Grove 13
Clinical Dietetics, Nutrition
Elese Hiergesell 14
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA Hobbies/ Interests: Reading, writing, sports, hanging out with friends
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ATHLETE PROFILES
Julia Maggio 15
Undecided (probably Biology)
Megan Mann 15
Molecular Biology and English Fiction Writing
Rachel Marx 15
Business
Hometown: Ambler, PA Hobbies/ Interests: Running, reading, rowing, cats, and piano
Hometown: Wynnewood, PA Hobbies/Interests: Rowing, writing, reading, and other things that remind me I can't roll my Rs
Sarah Milker 15
Biology
Kaitlin Paul 14
Communications, History
Lauren Schall 15
Clinical Dietetics, Nutrition
Hometown: Greensburg, PA Hobbies/ Interests: Running, Skiing, Challenger Program, Cheering for the Pens, Steelers, and Pirates
Hometown: State College, PA Hobbies/ Interests: Horseback riding, eating peanut butter, petting kittens, grocery shopping, Giraffes
Alison Sennett 14
History and Anthropology
Hometown: Jamison, PA Hobbies/ Interests: Scrabble, baking, watching music videos, dancing
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Womens Varsity 4 7th of 23 Womens Varsity 8 19th of 25 Womens Novice 4 3rd, 12th of 20 Womens Novice 8 11th of 24
Novice CarDuPitt
Womens Novice 8 Mens Novice 8 Womens Novice 4 Mens Novice 4 1st 3rd 1st, 5th 2nd, 4th, 7th
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ALUMNI NEWS
Scott Wisniewski 04
Scott recently coached the national team u23 lightweight women's double which got 6th (highest place ever for a US crew) at the u23 World Champs in Amsterdam. He was recently promoted to the Head Coach of Vesper Boat Club in Philadelphia.
Recent Engagements!
- Sean Baskin (coxswain 08) & Greer Tiver (coxswain 06) - Drew Kirshmann (rower 07) & Erin Zimmerman - Mark Oleksiuk (rower and coach) & Lou Gillis (rower 08) Congratulations from Pitt Crew!
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PARENTS
In every e-mail, every press release, and every newsletter we glorify the accomplishments of Pitt Crews athletes. We commend the determination of our rowers who fight to the last stroke and who carry our fleet to our hopeful victory. This page, however, is dedicated to the people behind those accomplishments; to the unsung heroes of Pitt Crew. We dedicate this page to our parents who have instilled this determination in us from our youth and who continue to support and motivate our every success. Without the parents of Pitt Crew and their tireless support we would not have the success that we have been so fortunate to attain over the years.
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PITT CREW
2012 SPRING RACING SCHEDULE
Camp Bob Cooper
March 2-10, 2012 Summerton, SC Lake Marion
Murphy Cup
March 24, 2012 Philadelphia, PA Schuylkill River
Knecht Cup
April 13-15, 2012 Camden, NJ Cooper River
CarDuPitt
April 21, 2012 Pittsburgh, PA Allegheny River
ACRA Championships
May 26-27, 2012 Gainesville, GA Lake Lanier