Posted: Apr 07, 2011
Since September the crew has set its eyes on capturing multiple New England Collegiate Rowing League (NECRL) crowns this May. Improvements in technique, erg times, and overall dedication demonstrate the team is heading down the right path. After a grueling winter training, which lasted longer than usual due to the cold winter, the team finally got on the water on March 30.
Head Coach Brian Chorney's event-by-event analysis is below. Note lineups may shift slightly:
***Women's Varsity 4+***
The Women's Varsity 4+ A lineup, which flip-flopped positions with many NECRL rivals throughout the fall, has been completely revamped for the spring. Despite having junior captain Emily Heath out for the spring with a non-rowing related injury, the return of sophomore Courtney Russell, and strong performances from freshman novices Andrea Ford and Haley Russo, help solidify this lineup. With junior coxswain Kaitlyn Walker abroad for the spring semester, the women's V4+ will turn the rudder over to freshman Katie Cody who joined the team in January. Sophomore Joy Harriman is the only member of the Women's Varsity A boat remaining in this lineup from the fall. Harriman and Russell were half of last spring's NECRL Women's Novice 4+ Champions and look to build upon their undefeated record when rowing in the same boat. Despite being made of only freshmen and sophomores, the crew looks very fast and synchronized in the second week of on-water practice, but expects stiff competition from league championship regulars Brandeis, Roger Williams, and Assumption. This lineup will be one of two crews representing Endicott at the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia where it'll race some of the best Division II and III crews in the country.
***Women's Novice 4+***
At the 5-mile NECRL Halloween race, the women's novice 4+ A boat finished second to Wentworth and has been driven all winter. The Women's Novice 4+ will be an interesting event for the Gulls this spring. After Assistant Coach Adam Conrad's impressive progress with the novices the first two months of the season, both coaches tough workout regiment the whole winter, and dedicated rowers, Endicott features two tough novice crews this spring.
Freshman Mariah Scanlon, who stroked the A boat this past fall, is moving to the coxswain seat of the 'Green' boat due to a medical condition. Her boat is anchored in stroke and bow seat by sophomore Jenn Thomas and freshman Casey Foote who rowed as bow pair in the fall varsity 4+. In the middle of the boat are freshmen Meaghan Moran and Lianna Soreide. Soreide finished the winter with the fastest 2k erg time of all the novices and Moran was the most improved of all the freshmen over the winter.
The Endicott "blue" boat will be stroked by Amanda Bedding, who powered the engine room in the fall novice A 4+. Behind her in 3-seat is new-comer freshman Taylor Chisholm who joined crew in January and will use her strong equestion legs to power the boat. Andrea Ford switches to port after rowing starboard in the varsity 4+ to strengthen the lineup and improve her versatility, while freshman Hannah Cushman uses her much-improved technique and speed to stabilize the boat in the bow. Both crews have gone neck and neck in practice and the every day competition should help them success this spring.
***Men's Novice 4+***
With men's captain, junior Miles Auger, seperated from the college for the semester to perform a tour of duty in Afghanistan with the US Marines, Endicott is left with eight very healthy sized male rowers averaging 6'2", 195 lbs. The A lineup, Endicott's first true heavyweight crew is stroked by strong-man freshman and team hammer Clayton Morrissey. Backing him up is 6'8" freshman Scott MacPhee who brings four years of high school rowing experience along with him. In the bow pair, are two new comers to the sport, juniors Stephen Harper and Alston Adkins. Harper, is a 6'4" former wide-receiver on the Gulls football team and has shown immense technical gains in his first week on the water. Adkins brings with him a couple summers of fixed-seat Seine boat rowing experience and is making strides towards translated from a fixed seat stroke to a full sliding-seat stroke. Though the first week on the water has been strong, with half the lineup having rowed on the water only two weeks, this lineup chould be a mixed bag. However, with a very athletic background and obvious physical tools, the men will look to oust past league champions Brandeis and Wentworth if they can get it together in enough time to qualify for the league championships. Regardless, expect a very fast crew by season's end as this lineup will join the Women's Varsity 4+ to race at the Dad Vail Regatta on May 13-14.
