Women's Rowing Welcomes Seven Additional Signees

PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple women's rowing team has announced the addition of seven athletes for their next signing class. The Owls will welcome Megan Cook, Savannah Driscoll, Olga Kolodziejska, Rachel Newcomer, Rachel Petrosino, Jaylah Shannon, and Kate Tambasco.

"We're really happy to be signing seven more incredible athletes to our Class of 2020," said Alyssa O'Donnell, Recruiting Coordinator/Assistant Coach. "Megan, Savannah, Olga, Rachel N., Rachel P., Jaylah and Kate all bring significant talent to North Broad Street and add depth to our incoming class. From height and experience (rowing and coxing) to potential athleticism and impact on our top end speed, this class is the complete package. Our team goal is to win a conference championship and go to NCAA - the Class of 2020 will help make this happen."

Temple Women's Rowing Signees

Megan Cook -- Southampton, PA -- Archbishop Wood

Megan Cook is a 5-11 rower hailing from Southampton, Pa. An accomplished athlete, she competed in both volleyball and swimming for Archbishop Wood High School. Cook was a member of the volleyball team that won the Philadelphia Catholic League for two-straight seasons, and a member of the swim team that captured the District 12 Championships. Individually, she was a state championship qualifier in swimming in three different events. Cook, who plans on majoring in business at Temple, hails from a sports family that includes Temple connections. Her father played football for the University of Arizona, and two of her aunts (Nancy Cook Lazaro, Vicky Murdock) played field hockey for Temple.

Why Temple: "I've lived outside of Philly my whole life and I love the atmosphere of being a part of this amazing city. One look at that skyline and you fall in love. There's always something to do with all the sports and art life here and I knew I would never be bored."

Savannah Driscoll -- Wilton, Conn. -- Wilton High School

Savannah Driscoll is a 5-8 rower from Wilton, Conn., who attended Wilton High School. Competing with Norwalk River Rowing, she completed in both pairs and eights. Her eight won the bronze medal at the Mercer Sprints Regatta, and she was also a member of the pair that placed third at the Tail of the Fish Regatta. Driscoll is a competitive athlete that also earned a varsity letter in swimming, hitting a state cut time in the 100-back. She plans to pursue a degree in biology or pre-health at Temple.

Why Temple: "The women's rowing team at Temple and my current coach influenced my decision to attend Temple."

Olga Kolodziejska -- Ventnor, N.J. -- Atlantic City High School

Olga Kolodziejska is a 5-10 rower from Ventnor, N.J. An accomplished rower, she currently serves as the co-captain of the Atlantic City High School crew team. Kolodziejska raced in an eight that won gold at the Garden State Garden State Scholastic Championships, and also raced to a first-place finish in a four at the Atlantic County Championships. She plans to major in public health at Temple.

Why Temple: "I loved the urban setting that Temple had to offer. The campus was beautiful, the team and coaches were very welcoming! Temple was the first school I could see myself going to."

Rachel Newcomer -- Geismar, La. -- Dutchtown High School

Rachel Newcomer is a 5-9 rower from Geismar, La. who attends Dutchtown High School. A competitive varsity athlete, Newcomer transitioned to rowing through a connection with the sport of CrossFit. She played varsity softball for three years, and also received an invitation to try out for the USA Women's World Cup Baseball team. Newcomer, who is an accomplished member of her school's Chorus, intends on majoring in exercise science at Temple.

Why Temple: "Coach Mike Babin, at Next Level Performance Training and CrossFit APAR, first encouraged me to pursue Rowing in college. Coach Claire Kuehnel, at Temple, greatly influenced my decision to attend Temple by sharing her experiences. This information gave me something to shoot for and assisted me in setting my own goals that I believe only Temple can help me reach. During my official visit, I fell in love with environment provided by the school, the coaches, and the crew, and I knew that I had found the perfect fit."

Rachel Petrosino -- Guilderland, N.Y. -- Mohonasen High School/Ohio State University

Rachel Petrosino is a 5-2 coxswain from Guilderland, N.Y., who transferred from Ohio State University. Petrosino has vast experience guiding crews from her scholastic career, including coxing boats that finished first at the Head of the Fish and the New York State Championships. A graduate of Mohonasen High School, she also guided her boat to an 11th place finish at the Head of the Charles, a 3rd place finish at the Northeast Regionals, and an 11th place finish at Youth Nationals. Last summer, Petrosino was one of five coxswains invited to attend the U.S. Junior National Team Selection camp. She plans to major in marketing at Temple.

Why Temple: "I love the business programs that Temple University offers. I am also extremely excited to be a part of the rowing team and see what we can do in the next couple of years. Being right next to Philadelphia will be an awesome experience because I have always wanted to live in a city."

Jaylah Shannon -- Philadelphia, Pa. -- The Shipley School

Jaylah Shannon is a 5-11 rower from Philadelphia, Pa., who attended The Shipley School. A member of her high school rowing team, she helped her crew to a silver medal at the Cooper Cup, as well as a fifth-place finish at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. A member of her high school newspaper, she intends on enrolling in the Tyler School of Art.

Why Temple: "The competitiveness of the team and the goals that the coaches set for the girls influenced my decision to attend Temple. I also loved Tyler School so it was a win-win."

Kate Tambasco – Odessa, Fla.-- Steinbrenner High School

Kate Tambasco is a 5-10 rower from Odessa, Fla. An honor student at Steinbrenner High School, she also rows for the Tampa Training Center. Tambasco was part of a quad that took third at the state championships, and also competed in flag football in high school. She holds her school's record (between both boys and girls) for the power pentathlon, which consists of two minutes of sit-ups, pull-ups, vertical jump, 40-yard dash, and bench press. She intends on pursuing a degree in education at Temple.

Why Temple: "The character and follow by the coaches influenced my decision to attend Temple."

Temple University Athletics

Women's Rowing Welcomes Seven Additional Signees

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