After the conclusion of their fall season last week, the Villanova women’s rowing team is looking to fill its squad with more experienced members. Although the rowing team is known for being a walk-on sport, last week the rowing program signed eleven members to the 2024 recruiting class, with seven out of the eleven new ‘Cats having rowed with their respective high school teams or clubs in the USRowing Youth National Championship.
The announcements of their commitments came via Instagram throughout the past week. Each stated in the post why they chose to commit to Villanova.
Newly signed Ella Carriero hails from Remensburg, NY, where she competes with The Port Jefferson Rowing Club. During the national championships, she was chosen by her club to take part in the Women’s Youth 4x. Although they finished last in this race, her sights are set on the future with this new Villanova rowing team.
“I chose Villanova Women’s Rowing because I felt so welcomed by the team and coaching staff, the culture was remarkable, and felt like family immediately,” Carriero said in Villanova Rowing’s Instagram post about her commitment.
Sylvia Marks, from Manchester, MA, and Jalyn Colon, from Stoughton, MA, both are part of the Brooks School Rowing team. Marks rowed in the national championship in the Women Youth 4+ squad, where they finished ninth out of 27 competing boats.
“I chose Villanova for the balance between rigorous academics and athletics as well as the strong sense of school spirit,” Marks said.
Olivia Weglarz, from Chicago, IL, competed with the Chicago Rowing Foundation in the Women’s Novice 2V 8+ race of the national championships. Her crew made it all the way to the final and finished in seventh place.
Right across the water from Weglarz in this race was fellow recruit Madeline Sumnar from Cincinnati, OH. With her crew from the Cincinnati Jr. Rowing Club, they finished in 11th place.
“I chose Villanova because of its outstanding coaching, excellent academics, and high quality of life for the student-athletes,” Weglarz said.
Sarah McKee, from New Albany, OH, took part in the Women’s Youth 4- races in the championships with the Westerville Rowing Club. Her boat finished 26th.
The one to watch out for out of this recruiting class is Natalia Peng, from Seattle, WA. Peng competes for the Seattle Preps row team who, after starting a program in 2016, quickly became one of the best programs in the country. In 2022, Peng won the Northwest Regional title while rowing in the women’s double scull. Later that year, she also became one of Seattle Prep’s first rowers to win a bronze medal at the US Rowing National in the Women’s Youth 4x.
Another decorated rower joining the ‘Cats is Bailey Bryan from St. Louis, MO, where she rowed for the St. Louis Rowing Club. In 2023, her crew went to the Midwest Junior Rowing Championship in which her Novice 8+ crew finished in fourth and her Novice 4+ crew finished second.
Two recruits moving far from home are Abby Shang, from Orinda, CA, and Ava DeJong, from Pensacola, FL.
During the Halifax Springs Regatta last July, DeJong took home multiple medals, coming third in the Women’s Jr 1x and Women’s 2-, second in Women’s Jr 2x, and first in Women’s Jr 4x.
The only PA native coming to the ‘Cats next year is Kate Shiply, who comes from New Hope, PA, about an hour north of Philly. Shiply has been rowing for five years and serves as the coxswain for Swan Creek Rowing Club.
“I’ve been working for this for years, and it’s hard to think that I was in such a different place than I am now,” Shiply told Patch.com. “To have the opportunity to go to Villanova is incredible because two years ago, I wouldn’t have thought this could have happened.”
