NEW YORK – Columbia Heavyweight Rowing Head Coach
Scott Alwin announced, on Thursday, July 23, the addition of nine student-athletes who will join the Lions as members of the Class of 2024.
"We are pleased and excited to announce the Columbia Heavyweight Rowing Class of 2024," said Alwin. "When we started finalizing the rowers and coxswain that would make this class up it became apparent how all nine of these student-athletes come from such different backgrounds and experiences in the sport.
"It also quickly became apparent that this will be a strength for this group, that their experiences are what will put them in a position to be progressive and cohesive when they finally come together as a class on campus, becoming true contributors to the Columbia Heavyweights. We expect they will coalesce into a special group in their time here and we cannot overstate how excited we are to work with them through their journey."
It is a diverse class that brings experience from across the country, including California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Illinois and Ohio. And the class also adds a Coxswain to the mix, and all but one of the student-athletes plans on enrolling Columbia College, with the final newcomer enrolling in The Fu Foundation of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Sebastian Frankel, 6'5", Columbia College (Phillips Academy Andover, San Francisco, Calif.): A four-time letterwinner in Heavyweight Rowing at Phillips Academy Andover in Andover, Massachusetts, Frankel served as the team captain for the 2019-20 season. Frankel rowed club for Community Rowing Inc. (CRI) at the U19 Competitive Boys level, and with CRI won Henley Gold at the 2019 Canadian Henley in the Men's U19 4+ boat.
One of Frankel's family members, Samuel Untermeyer, graduated from Columbia Law School Class of 1878, giving Frankel ties with Columbia that go years back. Frankel received and considered attention from fellow Ivy League programs Brown and Penn, along with MIT, but went with Columbia because he "found the campus visually stunning and really enjoyed time with the team." Frankel will enroll in Columbia College and plans on majoring in Political Science.
Chong Hong, 6'5", Columbia College (Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, Cambridge, Mass): Hong spent time rowing for Community Rowing Inc. (CRI), Riverside Boat Clubs and the Chinese Junior National Team. With CRI he rowed at the Club Nationals in 2016 and 2017 and the 2017 Canadian Henley in the U17 Men's 8+. Hong then rowed in the Men's U19 2x, Men's U23 Single, Men's U23 4x and the Men's U19 4x at the 2018 Canadian Henley for the Riverside Boat Club, and with the Chinese Junior National Team he rowed at the 2019 World Junior Championships. Hong also wrestled in high school, posting a career-best first place finish at the 2017 Fessenden Invitational.
Hong, who lived in China until he was 12 years old, received recruiting attention from fellow Ivy League program, Penn, along with Tufts and he went with Columbia because "it provides a well-rounded education and equips the skills needed to excel in an ever-changing world." Hong will enroll in Columbia College and plans on majoring in Economics.
Hayden McGuinness, 6'2", Columbia College (Deerfield Academy, Little Compton, R.I.): A one-time letterwinner in rowing at Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts, McGuinness was invited to the USRowing Junior National Team Selection camp following his junior season. McGuinness also ran Cross Country at Deerfield.
McGuinness spent time living in Australia, and he has ties to the Ivy League, with his mother, Karen McGuinness having graduated from Yale Class of 1995. He received recruiting attention from fellow Ivy League programs Brown and Penn, along with Boston and Navy and will enroll in Columbia College, while planning on majoring in Economics.
Jacob Page, 6'4", Columbia College (Culver Military Academy, Granger, Ind.): A four-time letterwinner in Rowing at Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana, Page rowed at the 2018 and 2019 SRAA National Championships and took fifth at the Head of the Charles in 2018 and 2019.
Page spent time on service trips to Nicaragua, Tanzania and India and he has climbed mountains in the Himalayas. Page was named Batten Scholar (top scholarship at Culver) and is a member of the Cum Laude Society. He decided to attend Columbia because "of the rice history and campus life in New York City," and will enroll in Columbia College, while planning on majoring in Financial Economics.
Jonas Passante, 6'3", Columbia College (The Kent School, New Rochelle, N.Y.): An eight-time letterwinner in Rowing and Ice Hockey at The Kent School in Kent, Connecticut, Passante was the 2020 team rowing captain and is a three-time NEIRA Gold Medalist (2017-19). He was also a member of the 2019 Boys Ice Hockey Earl Martin NEPSAC Championship team and was named team captain of the Ice Hockey team.
Passante spent time working in community service during the COVID-19 pandemic and received recruiting attention from fellow Ivy League programs Cornell and Penn, along with Boston, Bowdoin and Amherst. He went with Columbia because "it is close to home and it provides a fantastic education and first-class athletics." Passante will enroll in Columbia College and plans on majoring in Business/Finance.
Dylan Rose, 6'0", Columbia College (Latin School of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.): Rose spent time rowing with Chicago Rowing Foundation (CRF), the US Junior National Team and PennAC. With CRF Rose finished first at the 2019 Head of the Hooch in the 8+ and took third in the 8+ at the 2019 Midwest Regionals. He placed fourth at the 2017 (U17/8+) and 2018 (U19/4+) Club Nationals with the US Junior National Team and took fourth in 8+ at the 2019 U19 Club Nationals with PennAC.
Rose attended the same high school as former First Lady Nancy Davis Reagan and has goals of getting his pilots' license. Considered fellow Ivy League program Cornell, along with MIT, and he went with Columbia "because of the thriving city, strong community and balance between athletics and academics." Rose Will enroll in Columbia College and plans on majoring in Computer Science.
Anthony Rostek, 6'4", Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (Tappan Zee High School, Blauvelt, N.Y.): Rostek spent time rowing with Rockland Rowing and finished second in the U17 double at 2018 Club Nationals and third in the U19 double at 2019 Club Nationals. He also served as team captain for the 2019-20 seasons.
Rostek's brother, Matt, earned his Master's degree from Columbia, giving Rostek family connections to Columbia. He received recruiting attention from fellow Ivy League program Cornell but went with Columbia "to learn from a diverse environment that New York City provides." Will enroll in the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science and plans on majoring in Engineering.
Katie Ryan, 5'4" (COX), Columbia College (New Albany Plain Local High School, New Albany, Ohio): A three-time letterwinner in Rowing as a member of Westerville Crew and raced at the 2018 Youth Nationals. Ryan will serve as a Coxswain on the Columbia squad.
Ryan spent a summer studying abroad in South Africa, is a National Honor Society Member, graduated Magna Cum Laude and was named an AP Scholar following her senior year. She received recruiting attention from fellow Ivy League programs Cornell, Princeton, Penn and Harvard, along with Cal; UC San Diego; San Diego; UCLA; Loyola Marymount; Santa Clara; Oregon State; Colgate; Trinity; Wisconsin; Michigan State; Eastern Michigan; La Salle; Mercyhurst; Mariette; Michigan and Ohio State.
Ryan went with Columbia because "it is one of the top universities in the world, which provides a great Core and a chance to live in New York City," and will enroll in Columbia College, with plans on double majoring in Economics and Human Rights.
Milo Walshe, 6'4", Columbia College (Phillips Exeter Academy, New York, N.Y.): A nine-time letterwinner in Rowing, Water Polo and Swimming at Phillips Exeter Academy, Walshe was born in Tokyo, Japan. Plans on enrolling in Columbia College, and his major is currently undecided.
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