Rowing Program Welcomes 15 to Class of 2023
5/18/2023 12:00:00 PM | Rowing
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan rowing team announced on Thursday (May 18) the signing of 15Â student-athletes to national letters of intent.
The class includes Cameren Beattie, Solvej Berman, Piper Evans, Sydnie Gillett, Gretel Ham, Megan Higley, Hannah Hykes, Molly Mitchell, Olivia Penzotti, Phoebe Rhoney, Dylan Schueler, Sophie Snyder, Brigid Wagner, Lainey Weissman and Stella Wickstrom.
This group will join the four signees U-M announced in the winter and will join the program in fall 2023 as first-year students.
"We have an outstanding group of student-athletes joining our program with this signing class," said head coach Mark Rothstein. "Our staff has worked hard to make sure these individuals are a great collective fit for our program, and we are excited to get them on campus. In particular, Coach Lauren Schmetterling has done an outstanding job identifying and building relationships in this incoming class.
"As a group, they are well-rounded students, athletes and people. We are a program that pursues Big Ten and national championships, and these are championship-level rowers and students joining our team. We are excited to get them on the water and bring them into the fold of our program. Welcome to these Wolverines."
Cameren Beattie
• Attends Walled Lake Northern High School in Commerce Township, Mich.
• Four-year honor roll student with highest academic honors
• Three-year Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) scholar-athlete
• Four-year letter,winner in swimming and diving; also a four-year member of Walled Lake Cobras women's water polo club
• Four-year state qualifier as an individual; recorded the second-fastest 100-meter backstroke in WLN history
• Two-year captain with the Cobras
• 2022 Offensive Player of the Year
• Michigan Water Polo Association Player of the Week during 2023 season
• Daughter of Adam and Marsha Beattie
Solvej Berman
• Hometown: Merion Station, Pa.
• Attends Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pa.
• Honor Roll student
• Letter winner in ice hockey and an active Roller Derby competitor
• Played one year with LMHS boys varsity hockey; finished her career leading the girls program
• Team captain, girls varsity ice hockey (two years), Philly Roller Derby Juniors (two years)
• Member of the Junior Roller Derby World Cup team (co-ed) and Philly Roller Derby Adult team
• Helped lead Philly Roller Derby Juniors to a No. 1 national finish in the co-ed junior division
• Expected to compete in Junior Roller Derby World Cup in France with Team USA in summer 2023
• Daughter of Ingrid Johansen and Mitchell Berman
Piper Evans
• Attends Amundsen High School in Chicago, Ill.
• Four-year honor roll student; expected IBDP graduate
• Currently coxes with the Chicago Rowing Foundation
• Two-year captain of CRF's Pauly's Pals, a program that teaches teens on the autism spectrum how to row
• As a rower, helped reach a second-place finish with the 2V8 at the Indy Invite (2022)
• Coxed at the 2022 Head of the Hooch, leading a 3V8 boat in the 1V8 category to a 16th-place finish
• Achieved a black belt in karate
• Daughter of Meg and Tom Evans
• Sister of U-M coxswain Ainslie Evans
Sydnie Gillett
• Hometown: Owosso, Mich.
• Attends Corunna High School in Corunna, Michigan
• Class President; Student Council member; Top Ten Scholar
• Lettered for the Cavaliers in basketball, softball and volleyball
• Four-year first-team all-conference performer on the court
• Two-time All-State selection
• Three-time All-Metro Flint selection with multiple all-league honors as well
• Daughter of Dan and Shannon Gillett
Gretel Ham
• Attends Skyline High School in Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Honors student
• Currently competes with Skyline Crew
• Rowed in first place-finishing women's 8+ at U.S. Rowing Summer Youth Nationals
• Her 2x finished second (Junior) at Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) Natinoals
• Totaled four first-place finishes at Scholastic Midwest events
• Daughter of Jeannette Stawski and Justin Ham
Megan Higley
• Attends Utica High School, Shelby Township, Mich.
• Class Valedictorian, AP Scholar with distinction
• Recipient of President's Award for Educational Excellence, Outstanding Spanish III Student of the Year, Achievement in APP English Language and Composition, and others
• Decorated background as a gymnast, competing as a Level 9 Junior Olympic gymnast at Olympia Gymnastics Academy
• A 10-time state qualifier and four-time regional qualifier
• Competed at the same gymnastics academy as U-M teammate Anna Muench
• Daughter of Scott and Lisa Higley
Hannah Hykes
• Attends Corona Del Mar High School in Newport Beach, Calif.
• Student Council Commissioner; Honors student
• Coxswain at Newport Aquatic Center
• Competed at two Head of the Charles events, finishing fifth with the 8+ in 2021 and third with the 4+ in 2022
• Second-place finisher (2022) in the 8+ at US Rowing Southwest Nationals
• At US Rowing Youth Nationals, competed with the 8+ twice, finishing ninth in 2021 and fifth in 2022
• Daughter of Drew and Amy Hykes
Molly Mitchell
• Hometown: New Baltimore, Mich.
• Attends Anchor Bay High School in Fair Haven, Mich.
• Student Council member and Yearbook Editor
• Also a member of: Spanish Club, Key Club, Peer Mediation and Diversity Club
• Team captain, track and field
• Specialized in middle-distance, running long sprints (200-meters) through the 1,500-meter race
• Background includes 14 years of dance
• Daughter of Jennifer and Michael Mitchell
Olivia Penzotti
• Attends Kalamazoo Christian High School in Kalamazoo, Mich.
• School Ambassador
• Team captain, track and field
• All-State finisher in the high jump
• Conference champion (2022, high jump)
• Six-time all-region honoree
• Daughter of Jeff and Laura Penzotti
Phoebe Rhoney
• Attends Milan High School in Milan, Mich.
• Academic All-State and Academic All-Conference honoree
• Team captain, swimming
• Also swims with the Milan Swim Club
• Helped Milan win the Huron League title, finishing third at the Division 3 State Championship meet
• Four-time state qualifier at Division 3
• Finished third in the 500-meter freestyle at the state championship
• Competed in the Michigan Ultra Championship, earning five top-16 finishes in eight events
• Daughter of Kim and Rich Rhoney
Dylan Schueler
• Attends Skyline High School in Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Top Scholar in basketball, golf and lacrosse for the Eagles
• Team captain, lacrosse (two years)
• Named All-State (second team) in lacrosse
• Also a first-team all-conference selection; team's leading scorer and goal-scorer
• Daughter of Dave and Micki Schueler
Sophie Snyder
• Attends East Jordan High School in East Jordan, Mich.
• Salutatorian, Summa Cum Laude
• Academic All-State in volleyball; Lake Michigan Academic All-Conference
• Earned 13 varsity letters at East Jordan: volleyball (four), track and field (four), swimming (four) and softball (one)
• Team captain, swimming (four years), volleyball (one year)
• State record-holder and 10-time state champion in the pool
• Named All-Conference (2022) and honorable mention (2021) in volleyball
• Daughter of Kris and Laura Snyder
Brigid Wagner
• Attends Willows Academy in Des Plaines, Ill.
• Valedictorian, Dean's List honoree
• Spanish Honors Society, Mu Alpha Theta
• Lettered in swimming, soccer and cross country
• Also competes with Hinsdale Swim Club (state team)
• Daughter of Douglas and Jennifer Wagner
Lainey Weissman
• Attends Plymouth High School in Canton, Mich.
• Honor Roll student; three-time scholar-athlete
• Team captain, swimming
• Three-time state qualifier in the pool; also a Michigan U.S.A. Swimming state competitor
• 2021 All-State finisher (200-meter freestyle relay)
• Also competes with Supernova Swim Team
• Daughter of Neil and Stacy Weissman
Stella Wickstrom
• Attends Houghton High School in Houghton, Mich.
• Student Council vice president
• Earned 12 varsity letters for the Gremlins with four each in volleyball, basketball, track and field
• Team captain, basketball
• Helped her team win district and regional championships on the court
• Made the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) state record book with her three games of 25-plus rebounds
• All-State honorable mention her senior year (2022-23)
• Also earned All-U.P. second team and all-conference; conference Defensive Player of the Year
• Named All-Region and first team All-Conference in volleyball
• Daughter of Jim and Janelle Cone
Players Mentioned
