Eastern Michigan Athletics
Rowing Inks 16 for 2015-16 Season
5/12/2015 1:46:00 PM | Women's Rowing
Head Coach Kemp Savage brings in the largest class in the history of the program
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University rowing team will welcome 16 newcomers to the 2015-16 squad Head Coach Kemp Savage and his coaching staff announced, May 12.
The newcomers include: Nikki Begziak, Jennifer Bucci, Margeaux Fraleigh, Kari Havenaar, Baylee Kinkade, Stephanie Lamphear, Kylie Lowry, Addison Oblanas, Stephanie Parker, Jamie Rittenhouse, Jordan Stoll, Rebekah Wheeler, and walk-ons Margaret Dillon, Johnni Morris, Makenna Rothert, and Ivy Wells.
Begziak comes to Eastern Michigan after being a two-sport athlete, participating in both basketball and softball at Milan High School. The Milan, Mich. native earned honorable mention all-league honors, while being named a Huron League Scholar athlete and a member of the Huron League All-Academic team in the winter.
Bucci hails from Toronto, Ontario, where she was a member of the track and field team as well as the baseball team at Bishop Allen Academy. The 6'1" freshman earned Most Improved honors in 2013 and 2014, while also qualifying for the OFSAA Discus Finalists in both her sophomore and junior seasons. Bucci also helped her travel team, the Whitby Eagles, to a 2014 Eastern Canadian Championship, playing first base.
Dillon attended Central Catholic High School and was a member of the golf and rowing teams. The Sylvania, Ohio native led the mixed four team to a first-place finish, while finishing second with the Novice 4 and the Varsity Eight on one occasion. Dillon also was a four-time All-Academic team member for the Fighting Irish.
Prepping at Skyline High School, Fraleigh participated in field hockey where she was a two-time letterwinner. In her senior season, Fraleigh was named second team all-state, while nabbing honorable mention accolades in her junior season under Head Coach Kit Bennett.
Havenaar makes the trip to Ypsilanti after competing on the swim team at Plainwell High School. The Plainwell, Mich. native helped the Trojans to their 10th-straight conference championship, placing eighth in the 200 freestyle.
Kinkade hails from Portage, Mich. and prepped at Portage Central High School where she was a two-sport athlete. The 5'11" freshman was a distance and middle distance swimmer for the Mustangs and also competed on the water polo team, earning eight varsity letters.
Lamphear comes to EMU from Chesapeake, Va. where she rowed for Great Bridge High School. Lamphear competed in doubles, quads, four and eights in high school, where she led her team to an Eastern Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association Regional Championship.
Lowry heads to Eastern Michigan after transferring from Kaskaskia College. While at Kaskaskia, Lowry was a member of the volleyball team as an outside hitter. Prepped at Central A&M High School in Mowequa, Ill., the two-sport athlete participated in both softball and volleyball where she was a three-year member of the varsity squads for both sports. Lowry nabbed honorable mention accolades in her junior season as an outside hitter before garnering first team all-conference honors in her senior campaign.
Prepping at Fairfield Senior High School, Morris comes to EMU with three years of high school rowing experience. Morris rowed for Row America Hamilton where she won their first rowing gold medal at the Chicago Sprints, July 2013. Morris also rowed for the Great Miami Rowing Center where she helped the team to a first-place finish in the Varsity Women's Double.
Hailing from Seattle, Wash., Oblanas helped her rowing team to a first-place finish on the JV 8 team at the Tail of the Lake in 2014 before earning a second-place finish at the Head of the Lake. Oblanas is currently a member of the Pocock Rowing Center where she placed third in the Varsity Double at the Northwest Regional Championship en route to helping her team to a Northwest Regional Championship in 2014. Finally, she placed 16th in the Jr. Double at the Head of the Charles in 2013.
Parker comes to Eastern Michigan from Valparaiso, Ind. where she attended Valparaiso High School. Parker was a four-year letterwinner on the basketball team, where she helped the team to a 14-7 overall finish in her senior season and was a captain for two years. For her efforts, Parker was named academic all-state after averaging 10 points and eight rebounds per game.
Rittenhouse, an Ypsilanti native, was a two-sport athlete at Saline High School, playing both volleyball and basketball. The 5'10" recruit was the leading rebounder for the Hornets, averaging 12 per game, while scoring six points, earning her All-SEC Red honors. In volleyball, Rittenhouse earned three varsity letters and was named both team MVP and captain. During Rittenhouse's time with the Huron Valley Volleyball Club, the Ypsilanti native helped her team to a second-place finish in the state championships and a third-place finish at nationals.
Hailing from Liberty Township, Ohio, Rothert comes to EMU after rowing with future teammate Johnni Morris for the Great Miami Rowing Center. Rothert was on the women's single where she nabbed a third-place finish in the 2014 season under Head Coach Frances Mennone.
Stoll, a Westerville, Ohio native, comes to Eastern Michigan after competing on the swim team and track and field team at St. Francis DeSales for three years. Stoll was a district qualifier on the 400 free relay team and was a two-time captain.
Wheeler comes to EMU after finishing her prep career at Newark High School. The three-sport athlete participated in cross country, swimming and track and field for the Wildcats, earning five varsity letters. Wheeler capped off her senior season as captain of the swim team.
Prepped at Charlevoix High School, Wells heads to Ypsilanti after participating in track and field for three years. The Charlevoix, Mich. native was a pole vaulter for the Rayders, setting the indoor pole vault record and earning all-conference honorable mention, en route to a conference championship. As a member of her club swim teams, Wells helped her team to a state championship, swimming the 100 butterfly, the 50 free and the 100 free.
The newcomers include: Nikki Begziak, Jennifer Bucci, Margeaux Fraleigh, Kari Havenaar, Baylee Kinkade, Stephanie Lamphear, Kylie Lowry, Addison Oblanas, Stephanie Parker, Jamie Rittenhouse, Jordan Stoll, Rebekah Wheeler, and walk-ons Margaret Dillon, Johnni Morris, Makenna Rothert, and Ivy Wells.
Begziak comes to Eastern Michigan after being a two-sport athlete, participating in both basketball and softball at Milan High School. The Milan, Mich. native earned honorable mention all-league honors, while being named a Huron League Scholar athlete and a member of the Huron League All-Academic team in the winter.
Bucci hails from Toronto, Ontario, where she was a member of the track and field team as well as the baseball team at Bishop Allen Academy. The 6'1" freshman earned Most Improved honors in 2013 and 2014, while also qualifying for the OFSAA Discus Finalists in both her sophomore and junior seasons. Bucci also helped her travel team, the Whitby Eagles, to a 2014 Eastern Canadian Championship, playing first base.
Dillon attended Central Catholic High School and was a member of the golf and rowing teams. The Sylvania, Ohio native led the mixed four team to a first-place finish, while finishing second with the Novice 4 and the Varsity Eight on one occasion. Dillon also was a four-time All-Academic team member for the Fighting Irish.
Prepping at Skyline High School, Fraleigh participated in field hockey where she was a two-time letterwinner. In her senior season, Fraleigh was named second team all-state, while nabbing honorable mention accolades in her junior season under Head Coach Kit Bennett.
Havenaar makes the trip to Ypsilanti after competing on the swim team at Plainwell High School. The Plainwell, Mich. native helped the Trojans to their 10th-straight conference championship, placing eighth in the 200 freestyle.
Kinkade hails from Portage, Mich. and prepped at Portage Central High School where she was a two-sport athlete. The 5'11" freshman was a distance and middle distance swimmer for the Mustangs and also competed on the water polo team, earning eight varsity letters.
Lamphear comes to EMU from Chesapeake, Va. where she rowed for Great Bridge High School. Lamphear competed in doubles, quads, four and eights in high school, where she led her team to an Eastern Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association Regional Championship.
Lowry heads to Eastern Michigan after transferring from Kaskaskia College. While at Kaskaskia, Lowry was a member of the volleyball team as an outside hitter. Prepped at Central A&M High School in Mowequa, Ill., the two-sport athlete participated in both softball and volleyball where she was a three-year member of the varsity squads for both sports. Lowry nabbed honorable mention accolades in her junior season as an outside hitter before garnering first team all-conference honors in her senior campaign.
Prepping at Fairfield Senior High School, Morris comes to EMU with three years of high school rowing experience. Morris rowed for Row America Hamilton where she won their first rowing gold medal at the Chicago Sprints, July 2013. Morris also rowed for the Great Miami Rowing Center where she helped the team to a first-place finish in the Varsity Women's Double.
Hailing from Seattle, Wash., Oblanas helped her rowing team to a first-place finish on the JV 8 team at the Tail of the Lake in 2014 before earning a second-place finish at the Head of the Lake. Oblanas is currently a member of the Pocock Rowing Center where she placed third in the Varsity Double at the Northwest Regional Championship en route to helping her team to a Northwest Regional Championship in 2014. Finally, she placed 16th in the Jr. Double at the Head of the Charles in 2013.
Parker comes to Eastern Michigan from Valparaiso, Ind. where she attended Valparaiso High School. Parker was a four-year letterwinner on the basketball team, where she helped the team to a 14-7 overall finish in her senior season and was a captain for two years. For her efforts, Parker was named academic all-state after averaging 10 points and eight rebounds per game.
Rittenhouse, an Ypsilanti native, was a two-sport athlete at Saline High School, playing both volleyball and basketball. The 5'10" recruit was the leading rebounder for the Hornets, averaging 12 per game, while scoring six points, earning her All-SEC Red honors. In volleyball, Rittenhouse earned three varsity letters and was named both team MVP and captain. During Rittenhouse's time with the Huron Valley Volleyball Club, the Ypsilanti native helped her team to a second-place finish in the state championships and a third-place finish at nationals.
Hailing from Liberty Township, Ohio, Rothert comes to EMU after rowing with future teammate Johnni Morris for the Great Miami Rowing Center. Rothert was on the women's single where she nabbed a third-place finish in the 2014 season under Head Coach Frances Mennone.
Stoll, a Westerville, Ohio native, comes to Eastern Michigan after competing on the swim team and track and field team at St. Francis DeSales for three years. Stoll was a district qualifier on the 400 free relay team and was a two-time captain.
Wheeler comes to EMU after finishing her prep career at Newark High School. The three-sport athlete participated in cross country, swimming and track and field for the Wildcats, earning five varsity letters. Wheeler capped off her senior season as captain of the swim team.
Prepped at Charlevoix High School, Wells heads to Ypsilanti after participating in track and field for three years. The Charlevoix, Mich. native was a pole vaulter for the Rayders, setting the indoor pole vault record and earning all-conference honorable mention, en route to a conference championship. As a member of her club swim teams, Wells helped her team to a state championship, swimming the 100 butterfly, the 50 free and the 100 free.
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