Temple University Athletics
Women's Rowing Announces 2017-18 Novice Team
10.2.17 | Women's Rowing
PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple women's rowing team has selected its novice squad for the 2017-18 school year. The team was chosen from a tryout group of over 50 athletes.
"Every year the quality and talent of the women who make up our novice team gets deeper and stronger," noted Novice Coach Julia Rorer. "The level of competition continues to rise in the tryout process and the ones that have earned the opportunity to join the team will no doubt contribute on a high level. Along with their athletic ability, their vibrant personalities will also add to the team and we can't wait to see what they will accomplish this year!"
Temple hits the water this fall beginning with the Navy Day Regatta on October 14.
MEET THE NOVICES
> Reagan McDonald is a 5-10 novice rower from Fall River, Mass. She attended Durfee High School in Fall River, Mass., graduating in 2017. She was a four-year honor student and three-year member of the National Honor Society. She is a Biology major at Temple.
> Grace Van Dyke is a 5-6 rower from Minneapolis, Minn. She attended Edina High School in Edina, Minn., graduating in 2017. In her junior and senior year, she rowed in the 1V8 and competed at the Head of the Charles in the youth fours. Her senior year, she placed 13th out of 85 at the Head of the Charles Regatta, and her junior year she placed 16th out of 85 at the same event. Sophomore year, she was a 1V8 alternate, and her freshman year she raced in her first novice boat. She was an Edina scholar with an A average all four years. She will major in Photography or business at Temple.
> Alyssa Platko is a 5-11 rower from Hanover Township, Pa. She transferred from Endicott College. She attended Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes Barre, Pa., where she was a four-year varsity letter winner and captain in basketball, and a two-year varsity letter winner and captain in volleyball. She is an ambassador of the College of Engineering, a member of the Society of Women Engineers, and a member of the Biomedical Engineering Society. She is a bioengineering major at Temple.
> Samantha Aguirre is a 5-8 rower from Pottstown, Pa. She attended Owen J. Roberts High School in Pottstown Pa. In her sophomore year, she rowed in the varsity 8+ at the Head of the Charles. Her women's junior freshmen 8+ qualified for SRAA nationals and placed 1st at Cooper Cup. She was an assistant coach for Great Valley High School during the 2016-2017 school year. She is a Kinesiology major at Temple.
> Katie Kelly is a 5-6 rower from Leonardtown, Md. She attended Leonardtown High School in Leonardtown, Md. A track and field runner all four years of high school, she was a varsity captain her junior and senior year. She was a state qualifier and 4th place regional winner for 4x100 track relay and the coaches award recipient her senior year. Her junior year, she was a national and state qualifier receiving 2nd place regional winner for 4x200 and 5th place regional winner for 4x100 track relays. She was a competitive gymnast for twelve years, qualifying for states all twelve years with numerous podium placements. She has four varsity letters, one in field hockey her junior year. She was a member of the Honor Roll all four years of high school while being involved in Habitat for Humanity and serving as a Student to Student leader. She is a Communications major at Temple with a minor in Sports Management.
> Carly Whiton is a 5-10 novice from Doylestown, Pa. She attended Central Bucks High School East in Doylestown, Pa. Three varsity letters in soccer, and three-year member of NAHS. Her senior year, she was captain of the soccer team that won their league and went to districts. Her junior year, her soccer team went 28-1, winning their league, districts, and making it all the way to the state finals. She has played on the same travel soccer team since she was 10 years old. She is undecided about her major at Temple, but is thinking about Art or English. She enjoys art, reading, playing the ukulele, soccer, yoga, and meditation.
> Caroline Wilson is a 5-5 rower from Baltimore, Md. She attended Baltimore School for the Arts, where she graduated as Valedictorian. Every year of high school, she achieved Dean's List and Honor Roll and spent her senior year as a member of the National Honor Society. She took part in Student Gallery Exhibitions all four years of high school, and was the lead designer, animator, and concept artist for student production of Imagined Worlds her junior year. She is a member of the TU Chemical Society, American Chemical Society, Undergraduate Neuroscience Society, and the TU Club Swim Team. She is a Chemistry and Spanish double major at Temple, and her hobbies include visual arts, swimming, travel and working as a beach lifeguard in the summer in Sandy Hook, NJ for the National Park Service.
> Elaine Tierney is a 5-9 rower from West Chester, Pa. She attended Unionville High School in Kennett Square, Pa. Her accomplishments include Wilmington Youth Rowing Association: 2017 Youth Nationals WLWT4, Newport Rowing Club, 2016 Youth Nationals WLWT 4+, Fairmount Rowing Association, Canadian Henley 2015 U17 quad, Canadian Henley 2016 U19 four (stroke) and eight (stroke), and Canadian Henley 2017 U19 quad (bow). She is a Mathematics major at Temple.
> Celia Martone is a 5-0 coxswain from Fort Washington, Pa. She attended Gwynedd Mercy Academy, in Gwynedd Valley, Pa. Her senior year she was the President of ministry and service and won two gold medals at graduation. She rowed a single for Vesper during high school because her school didn't have a crew team, then switched to rowing a double for Vesper with her younger sister for remainder of HS. Her major at Temple is Early Childhood Education with a concentration in Special Education.
> Elizabeth Bunce is a 5-7 rower from Minneapolis, Minn. She attended Perpich Center for Arts Education in Golden Valley, MN. She spent all four years of high school on the Honor Roll. She has two varsity letters in swimming. On campus, she is a member of the Honors Program, is a President's Scholar, and is a business administration major.
> Emma Lomicky is a 5-11 rower from York, Pa. She attended Central York High School in York, Pa. She finished in the top three of the Target Case Competition through the Fox School of Business. She is a Management Information Systems major at Temple.
> Marta Tsikitas is a 5-1 coxswain from Red Lion, Pa. She attended York Suburban High School in York, Pa. She is involved in Powerlifting and is a Kinesiology major here at Temple.
"Every year the quality and talent of the women who make up our novice team gets deeper and stronger," noted Novice Coach Julia Rorer. "The level of competition continues to rise in the tryout process and the ones that have earned the opportunity to join the team will no doubt contribute on a high level. Along with their athletic ability, their vibrant personalities will also add to the team and we can't wait to see what they will accomplish this year!"
Temple hits the water this fall beginning with the Navy Day Regatta on October 14.
MEET THE NOVICES
> Reagan McDonald is a 5-10 novice rower from Fall River, Mass. She attended Durfee High School in Fall River, Mass., graduating in 2017. She was a four-year honor student and three-year member of the National Honor Society. She is a Biology major at Temple.
> Grace Van Dyke is a 5-6 rower from Minneapolis, Minn. She attended Edina High School in Edina, Minn., graduating in 2017. In her junior and senior year, she rowed in the 1V8 and competed at the Head of the Charles in the youth fours. Her senior year, she placed 13th out of 85 at the Head of the Charles Regatta, and her junior year she placed 16th out of 85 at the same event. Sophomore year, she was a 1V8 alternate, and her freshman year she raced in her first novice boat. She was an Edina scholar with an A average all four years. She will major in Photography or business at Temple.
> Alyssa Platko is a 5-11 rower from Hanover Township, Pa. She transferred from Endicott College. She attended Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes Barre, Pa., where she was a four-year varsity letter winner and captain in basketball, and a two-year varsity letter winner and captain in volleyball. She is an ambassador of the College of Engineering, a member of the Society of Women Engineers, and a member of the Biomedical Engineering Society. She is a bioengineering major at Temple.
> Samantha Aguirre is a 5-8 rower from Pottstown, Pa. She attended Owen J. Roberts High School in Pottstown Pa. In her sophomore year, she rowed in the varsity 8+ at the Head of the Charles. Her women's junior freshmen 8+ qualified for SRAA nationals and placed 1st at Cooper Cup. She was an assistant coach for Great Valley High School during the 2016-2017 school year. She is a Kinesiology major at Temple.
> Katie Kelly is a 5-6 rower from Leonardtown, Md. She attended Leonardtown High School in Leonardtown, Md. A track and field runner all four years of high school, she was a varsity captain her junior and senior year. She was a state qualifier and 4th place regional winner for 4x100 track relay and the coaches award recipient her senior year. Her junior year, she was a national and state qualifier receiving 2nd place regional winner for 4x200 and 5th place regional winner for 4x100 track relays. She was a competitive gymnast for twelve years, qualifying for states all twelve years with numerous podium placements. She has four varsity letters, one in field hockey her junior year. She was a member of the Honor Roll all four years of high school while being involved in Habitat for Humanity and serving as a Student to Student leader. She is a Communications major at Temple with a minor in Sports Management.
> Carly Whiton is a 5-10 novice from Doylestown, Pa. She attended Central Bucks High School East in Doylestown, Pa. Three varsity letters in soccer, and three-year member of NAHS. Her senior year, she was captain of the soccer team that won their league and went to districts. Her junior year, her soccer team went 28-1, winning their league, districts, and making it all the way to the state finals. She has played on the same travel soccer team since she was 10 years old. She is undecided about her major at Temple, but is thinking about Art or English. She enjoys art, reading, playing the ukulele, soccer, yoga, and meditation.
> Caroline Wilson is a 5-5 rower from Baltimore, Md. She attended Baltimore School for the Arts, where she graduated as Valedictorian. Every year of high school, she achieved Dean's List and Honor Roll and spent her senior year as a member of the National Honor Society. She took part in Student Gallery Exhibitions all four years of high school, and was the lead designer, animator, and concept artist for student production of Imagined Worlds her junior year. She is a member of the TU Chemical Society, American Chemical Society, Undergraduate Neuroscience Society, and the TU Club Swim Team. She is a Chemistry and Spanish double major at Temple, and her hobbies include visual arts, swimming, travel and working as a beach lifeguard in the summer in Sandy Hook, NJ for the National Park Service.
> Elaine Tierney is a 5-9 rower from West Chester, Pa. She attended Unionville High School in Kennett Square, Pa. Her accomplishments include Wilmington Youth Rowing Association: 2017 Youth Nationals WLWT4, Newport Rowing Club, 2016 Youth Nationals WLWT 4+, Fairmount Rowing Association, Canadian Henley 2015 U17 quad, Canadian Henley 2016 U19 four (stroke) and eight (stroke), and Canadian Henley 2017 U19 quad (bow). She is a Mathematics major at Temple.
> Celia Martone is a 5-0 coxswain from Fort Washington, Pa. She attended Gwynedd Mercy Academy, in Gwynedd Valley, Pa. Her senior year she was the President of ministry and service and won two gold medals at graduation. She rowed a single for Vesper during high school because her school didn't have a crew team, then switched to rowing a double for Vesper with her younger sister for remainder of HS. Her major at Temple is Early Childhood Education with a concentration in Special Education.
> Elizabeth Bunce is a 5-7 rower from Minneapolis, Minn. She attended Perpich Center for Arts Education in Golden Valley, MN. She spent all four years of high school on the Honor Roll. She has two varsity letters in swimming. On campus, she is a member of the Honors Program, is a President's Scholar, and is a business administration major.
> Emma Lomicky is a 5-11 rower from York, Pa. She attended Central York High School in York, Pa. She finished in the top three of the Target Case Competition through the Fox School of Business. She is a Management Information Systems major at Temple.
> Marta Tsikitas is a 5-1 coxswain from Red Lion, Pa. She attended York Suburban High School in York, Pa. She is involved in Powerlifting and is a Kinesiology major here at Temple.
Players Mentioned
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