Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Duke Rowing Announces 2010-11 Freshman Class

DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke head coach Robyn Horner announced the signing of seven rowers and one coxswain for the 2010-2011 academic year. The Blue Devils signed Lauren Baumgartner (Oxford, N.J.), Allison Beattie (Jacksonville, Fla.), Grace Cassidy (New Fairfield, Conn.), Katy Gregor (Philadelphia, Pa.), Caroline Kiritsy (Boston, Mass.), Lauren Lashmet (Chicago, Ill.), Chelsea Sawicki (Farmington,Conn.) and Shannon Sims (Sarasota, Fla.).
"This class will give us competitive depth in all of our boats," said Horner, who is in her 11th season at Duke. Recruiting Coordinator
Jim Lister said, "This class can be quickly described as hard working. Each of these students has had a great impact on their high school programs, and we look forward to their contributions in the coming years."

Baumgartner rows for Blair Academy. Lauren is a Mid-Atlantic Prep League All-Academic soccer and track athlete. She has rowed for two years and made a varsity boat her novice year.

Beattie is a sculler for Stanton Riverbank Crew. Allison has continued to show a lot of growth competing in a double at Southeast Regionals for the past two years. This past year, she qualified for USRowing Youth Nationals in the double.

Cassidy will join two Exeter alumni in the Duke program. Grace is a varsity swimmer and quite new to the sport of rowing. In her novice year, she made the varsity eight and won gold at NEIRAs and a silver at Youth Nationals last year.

Gregor is a very experienced rower for Mount Saint Joseph Academy. Katy's most recent accolades include a gold medal at Scholastic Nationals, racing at the British Henley, and attending Jr. A development camp.

Kiritsy is a coxswain for both Boston Latin HS and Community Rowing. Caroline placed 11th, 1st and 2nd over the past 3 years at the Head of the Charles, respectively. She was a gold medalist in the eight at the 2009 Canadian Henley as well as the 2009 Club Nationals Championships.

Lashmet is a rower for New Trier HS. In Lauren's junior year, her team earned a first-place finish at SRAA Nationals in the senior eight. She went on to take fourth place at Youth National Championships, and then made the 2009 CanAmMex team as a part of the Junior Women's National Selection Camp.

Sawicki rows for Miss Porter's School. Chelsea is a soccer player as well. In her last two years, she has made the finals at the NEIRA regatta in the four. She has placed in the top four for the past two years.

Sims is a sculler for Sarasota. She placed 4th in the double at Youth Nationals. This summer, she qualified for the CanAmMex team as part of the Junior Women's National Selection Camp. Recently, she won the quad race at the head of the Hooch this past fall.

The Blue Devils will announce the remainder of their class this spring.