March 22, 2007

PHILADELPHIA - The Saint Joseph's women's rowing team has been grabbing headlines in the past few years and continued that trend with record finishes at the San Diego Crew Classic, Atlantic 10 Championships, Dad Vail Regatta, and the Henley Women's Regatta last season. Coach Gerry Quinlan and his staff have returned for the 2006-07 season looking to build on the momentum provided by last season's wins and to keep raising the bar to new heights this season.

Two of the squad's co-captains, junior Liz Sauter and senior Meghan Henry, will return to this year's Varsity 8. Joining them will be sophomores Debbie Bateman, Lauren Sysol, and Katie Reehill. This strong nucleus will help provide steady leadership and quality results for the Hawks. Competition to fill out the boat will be tough as junior co-captain Alicia Easby-Smith and juniors Kelly McKinley will be vying for the remaining spots as they compete to show their skills on the water.

Several younger Hawks will also have the opportunity to fight for varsity spots, as freshmen Emma Harmon, Lauren Rozsits, Christina DiSanto, and Colleen Greway will push the upperclassmen to strive for greater heights.

"I saw us do amazing things in 2006 from the freshmen through the seniors," Quinlan said. "We expect the same type of relentless pursuit of excellence this year."

The Varsity 8, 2nd Varsity 8, and Varsity 4 will deepen with these talented women and will look to provide the team with astonishing results. The freshman class is very athletic and had great success this fall. The coaching staff expects a lot from them in the upcoming season, but the freshmen also have great expectations for themselves.

The coxswain corps is knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and they have established themselves as leaders in the fall season. Sophomore Kristen Bonnici and freshman Andi Hartfield will command the Varsity boats while Dominique Russo will lead the freshmen. Regardless of age, it is evident the team is talented and prepared for a good season.

The Saint Joseph's University women's rowing team has plenty of past success to lean on as it moves forward with the upcoming 2007 season. As Coach Quinlan explains, "They say you can tell a lot about character in how you deal with losing. Well, we believe the same is true in how you deal with winning. We held the reigns tight in the fall to continue our work on efficiency and endurance. We will be ready to release them in April and May."

The Hawks will look to make their coach's words ring true as they soar to even greater heights this spring.