CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami head rowing coach Dave Sanderson announced the addition of six newcomers to the 2014 class.
Marguerite Bandeian, Alyssa Basdavanos, Samantha Chenkin, Emme Rempel, Taylor Richard and Nicole Rotkovitz are the newest members of a class of 13 newcomers. They join Paige Hoffman, Taegan Lynch, Jane Moore, Alex Ware, Caitlin White-Parsons, Elise Wiley and Mieke Wilms in the incoming class of Hurricanes rowers.
“I am very excited to announce six more student-athletes to our fall 2014 group,” Sanderson said. “They each bring great strength and character to our team and I am thrilled that we will have the opportunity to work with them.”
Marguerite Bandeian (Bethesda, Md./Walter Johnson HS [Wake Forest])
Bandeian comes to Miami from Wake Forest and will be a sophomore in the 2014-15 season. She placed third in the women’s Varsity 8+ at the 2013 Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Rowing Association regatta and third at the 2013 Maryland State Championships in the Women’s Varsity 8+. Bandeian was also selected honorable mention in the Washington Post‘s AllMetSports in Spring 2013.
“I chose University of Miami for rowing because when I spoke with the coach I could tell they wanted to build a fast team. Being in a competitive atmosphere is something I absolutely love and thrive in, because when I see one girl pushing herself to the point of maximum exertion, it drives me to push harder for her and for myself. I want to be a part of a team that works together but also pushes off one another to become better each day, and I believe I will find that here.”
Alyssa Basdavanos (Honolulu, Hawai’i/Punahou School)
Basdavanos was a standout at Punahou School, earning Interscholastic League of Honolulu (ILH) Paddling All-Star of the Year for the 2013-14 season. Basdavanos helped Punahou School win a state championship, while also winning state championships as a member of the Outrigger Canoe Club in the 15 and 16 divisions.
“Coming from Hawai’i as a paddler, I’ve developed a love for being in the water in any way possible,” Basdavanos said. “I’ve watched many paddlers evolve into successful rowers, especially in recent years. I’m very excited to have the opportunity to continue my paddling career as a rower at ‘The U.’ I am very competitive and look forward to joining a team who shares the same desire to work hard each day. I’m very excited to be a neuroscience major at ‘The U’ this fall. I felt that Miami fit my academic and athletic goals best. There are endless opportunities to take advantage of at ‘The U’ and I hope to maximize my full potential in my time at Miami.”
Samantha Chenkin (Boca Raton, Fla./Spanish River HS [Guilford College])
Chenkin is a relatively new rower who has extensive experience in another endurance sport: cross country running. She was a member of the cross country team at both Spanish River High School and at Guilford College. Chenkin, who will be a sophomore in the 2014-15 season, will look to use her endurance as she transitions from the land to the water.
“I chose to go to the University of Miami for rowing because of the highly-qualified coaches who have the desire to push athletes to reach their potential,” Chenkin said. “I am most excited about embracing all the opportunities that Miami is going to offer me as a student, from being a part of a Division I athletic program to being in the exercise physiology major in order to pursue my passion for sports medicine and the human body. I know that I am going to be able to expand my knowledge and grow academically, athletically, and as an overall person which will only benefit me in my future endeavors. I am also looking forward being part of the Miami Hurricane family.”
Emme Rempel (Monmouth Beach, N.J./Shore Regional HS)
Rempel has experience rowing at both the high school and club level with the Navesink River Rowing Club. She earned third place at the 2014 Two River Erg Challenge Women’s HS Novice 2k and finished 17th in the Women’s High School Quads at the 2013 Head of the Schuylkill.
“The UM rowing community is filled with a great group of dedicated women, along with an amazing coaching staff,” Rempel said. “UM will be a great team for me to spend the next four years with and excel in my rowing career. Miami has the team, academics and location that I have been looking for in a university. The University of Miami continues to push forward and upward; I am incredibly excited to be a part of the Hurricane family.”
Taylor Richard (Belmont, Mass./Buckingham Browne & Nichols School)
Richard comes to Miami after a successful career rowing with the Buckingham Browne & Nichols Girls Varsity Crew. Her top results include and eighth-place finish in the Varsity 4+ at the 2013 NIERAs and a 28th-place finish in the Youth 4+ at the 2013 Head of the Charles Regatta.
“I choose to row at ‘The U’ because of the motivated coaching staff, the commitment to excellence in athletics and academics, as well as the bright future of the program. I’m most excited about being able to explore Miami’s diverse culture and see what it has to offer as well as being a student-athlete at such a well-recognized school.”
Nicole Rotkovitz (Moorestown, N.J./Cherry Hill East HS)
Rotkovitz has had a lot of success as a member of the South Jersey Rowing Club, competing as a coxswain in the men’s division. Her boat finished in the men’s lightweight 4+ at the 2013 Mid-Atlantics, placed seventh in the men’s lightweight 4+ at the 2013 Youth Nationals and won the men’s heavyweight 4+ at the 2014 Braxton Memorial Regatta.
“I chose UM rowing because overall atmosphere and exciting potential of the team,” Rotkovitz said. “I’m most excited about the unique college experience being part of a division 1 team, the academics and, of course, the beautiful weather.”
The 13 newcomers are set to join the Hurricanes for the 2014-15 season.
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