Lions Welcome 11 Newcomers To The Squad
10/9/2019 1:21:00 PM | Lightweight Rowing
Columbia Lightweight Rowing will add 10 first years and one junior transfer to its 2019-20 roster for the upcoming season.
NEW YORK – With eyes set on a return to the top, with the first Varsity Eight IRA National Championship since 2018 in the crosshairs, Columbia Lightweight Head Coach Nich Lee Parker announced, on Wednesday, Oct. 9, the addition of 10 student-athletes as a part of the Class of 2023 and one transfer who will join the Class of 2021 as they look to help the Lions achieve their goal of taking home the national title.
The class is a diverse one that brings experience from across the country, including California, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Connecticut and Ohio. Along with the difference states, the class has one transfer and all 11 student-athletes will be attending Columbia College.
Justin Abbey, 5'10", Columbia College (St. Ignatius College Prep, Novato, Calif.): A three-time letterwinner in rowing at St. Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco, California, Justin Abbey rowed varsity during his sophomore, junior and senior years. Member of the lightweight V8 that finished third in the nation at the 2017 and 2018 Youth Nationals and helped his V4 boat finish fourth in the nation at the 2017 Club Nationals.
Abbey comes from a rowing family with his sister, Meagan, having rowed varsity at UCLA (2015-18) and he was recruited by Ivy League programs Harvard and Penn, along with California and Navy. Settled on Columbia because "my goal is to receive a world class education while competing at the highest level of collegiate lightweight rowing, both of which I can get at Columbia." Will attended Columbia College and plans on majoring in Political Science and Business.
Curtis Alter, 5'10", Columbia College (Rye Neck High School, Mamaroneck, N.Y.): Rowed three years (2017-19) as a member of Row America Rye and ran one-year of cross country at Rye Neck High School in Mamaroneck, New York. Curtis Alter was a member of the 2018-19 V8 New York State Champions and won the 2019 V4 title as well. Alter took another gold at the 2019 Youth Nationals (V8) and the 2019 Club Nationals (V2) while rowing port in the V8 and V4 that took the championship at the 2018 Head of the Charles, Head of the Riverfront, Head of the Housatonic, Head of the Schuylkill.
Alter's family has many Ivy League connections, with his mother, Caroline, graduating from Harvard undergrad in 1992 and Harvard's graduate school, while his brother, Robby, currently attends Dartmouth. Received recruiting attention from Ivy League programs, Princeton and Harvard along with Georgetown, but settled on Columbia, because "of the perfect combination of a fantastic lightweight rowing team with great coaches and a beautiful campus in the best city in the world." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Art History.
Thomas Anderson, 5'11", Columbia College (Homeschooled, Burlingame, Calif.): Spent three seasons rowing with the Norcal Crew in the stroke seat. Stroked the V4+ to third place at the 2018 Head of the American and was a member of a V8 boat that finished 13th at the 2018 Head of the Charles. Thomas Anderson stroked the Lightweight 4+ to a first-place finish at both the 2018 Capital Invitational and Pacific Invitational, while sitting in the V2 that finished fifth at the 2018 Southwest Regional Championships.
Brother, Peter, is currently a part of the Class of 2020 at Cornell, and Anderson enjoys listening to the theme from "Rocky" to get ready for a race. Anderson spent time in the community as a member of City Impact (San Francisco) and Anderson also went into Glacier National Park, Montana to help perform maintenance on the trails to the Sperry Chalet. Enrolled at Columbia because "of the core curriculum, the commitment to free speech and the athletic prowess of the lightweight rowing team." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in the Classics.
Dion Ariestanto, 5'4", COX, Columbia College (St. Xavier High School, Cincinnati, Ohio): Was a Coxswain as a member of the Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club, from 2015-19 and during that time helped win four Midwest Championships (2016-19). Attended the CRI 2019 Summer Camp and was a member of the French National Honors Society and the National Honors Society.
Dion Ariestanto's parents, Rajnesh and Indriana Tangri, were both born in Jakarta, Indonesia and he has lived in eight places across the United States, while visiting at least 27 different countries. Settled on Columbia because "the history behind the school is amazing and since New York City seems like the center of the world because it's always so busy." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior.
John Gallagher, 6'0", Columbia College (Council Rock North, Newton, Pa.): Spent four years rowing for the Princeton National Rowing Association/Mercer while earning four letters. John Gallagher won the silver (2019) and bronze (2018) medals in the Lightweight 4+ at the Youth National Championships and was on the 2018 United States Junior National Team that competed in Prague, Czech Republic.
Gallagher's sister, Riley, is a part of Barnard College, Class of 2021 and Gallagher was recruited by Ivy League programs, Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Penn, along with Navy. Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Psychology.
Reese Gregory, 6'0", Columbia College (Darien High School, Darien, Conn.): Rowed four years with Maritime Rowing Club, in Norwalk, Connecticut, rowing bow during his sophomore year and stroke during his junior and senior years. Named to the 2019 USRowing Lightweight Men's Selection Camp, while taking the gold medal at the 2018 Northeast Regionals in the LM4+ and at the 2018 Youth Nationals in the LM4+. Added to his case with a silver in the LM2x at the 2018 U23 Trials and in the HM4x at the 2019 U23 Trials.
Won gold at the 2016 Northeast regionals in the LM2x and got himself another gold at the 2016 U19 Club Nationals in the HM4x.
Reese Gregory was recruited by Delaware, but settled on Columbia because "hands down it is the best place to learn and be an athlete since students are exposed to a variety of experiences that no other school can offer." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Financial Economics.
Travis Kennedy III, 6'1", Columbia College (Boston University, Jacksonville, Fla.): Spent two season rowing in the second and third Varsity Eight boats at Boston University. As a senior at The Bolles School, was a member of the USRowing Selection Camp and was a two-time recipient (junior, senior) of the Bolles Crew Erg Hammer Award. As a junior, finished first in the eight and first in the pairs for the junior national team at the CanAmMex regatta and ss a sophomore, took 4th at the USRowing club national championships in the junior pair.
Travis Kennedy's brother, Steffan '09CC, rowed four years on the Columbia Lightweight Rowing team. Kennedy will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in International Relations/Political Science.
Tommy Kimberlin, 5'10", Columbia College (Brunswick School, Greenwich, Conn.): Rowed two seat (junior) and stroke (senior) years in the Varsity Eight, while helping his high school team take second place at the 2018 NEIRA Championship Regatta and the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. Tommy Kimberlin was named team captain during his senior year and he competed at the 2018 Henley Royal Regatta.
Kimberlin was chosen by classmates to be the student speaker at high school graduation and he admires Columbia Professor Mike Massimino '84CC. Has the end goal of becoming an Astronaut and he settled on Columbia "because this has always been my dream school, its space initiative, it being in New York City and the success of the lightweight rowing program." Will attend Columbia College and his major is undecided.
Aidan Mahaffey, 6'1", Columbia College (Junipero Serra High School, San Mateo, Calif.): Plans on attending Columbia College and his major is undecided.
Stan Mason, 6'1", Columbia College (Greenwich, San Antonio, Texas): Rowed four years on varsity as a part of the Greenwich Water Club in Greenwich, Connecticut and while he was in the V8+ three seat, won the 2019 regional championships and finished fifth at the Youth Nationals. Was a member of the Oklahoma City High Performance team, which is an Olympic Development team.
Stan Mason's uncle, John Newman '72BU, graduated from Columbia Law School. Was recruited by fellow Ivy League program, Harvard, before settling on Columbia because "I have wanted to go to Columbia since I was eight years old, and the beautiful campus, amazing rowing team, rigorous academics and the great alum network makes it a special place." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Political Science.
Tucker Wurtmann, 5'11", Columbia College (Saratoga Springs High School, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.): Tucker Wurtmann really only began rowing during his junior year, since he ran track and field and cross country prior to rowing. A six-time letterwinner in track and cross country and three-time letterwinner in rowing at Saratoga Springs High School in Saratoga Springs, New York, he was a member of the Lightweight 4+ squad that took gold at the 2019 Scholastic Rowing Association of America. Wurtmann also sat in the Lightweight 8+ that finished third at the 2019 Youth National Championships.
Wurtmann's connections to the Ivy League run deep with his grandfather and uncle on mother's (Beth) side attending Penn and his grandfather, aunt and uncle on father's (Jon) side going to Yale. Decided on Columbia "because the campus is beautiful at all times of the day, and after my official visit I was convinced that Columbia was the place for me because of the coaches, student-athletes and the biology program offered." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Biology.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Rowing by following the Lions on Twitter (@ColumbiaRowing), Instagram (@columbiarowing) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
The class is a diverse one that brings experience from across the country, including California, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Connecticut and Ohio. Along with the difference states, the class has one transfer and all 11 student-athletes will be attending Columbia College.
Justin Abbey, 5'10", Columbia College (St. Ignatius College Prep, Novato, Calif.): A three-time letterwinner in rowing at St. Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco, California, Justin Abbey rowed varsity during his sophomore, junior and senior years. Member of the lightweight V8 that finished third in the nation at the 2017 and 2018 Youth Nationals and helped his V4 boat finish fourth in the nation at the 2017 Club Nationals.
Abbey comes from a rowing family with his sister, Meagan, having rowed varsity at UCLA (2015-18) and he was recruited by Ivy League programs Harvard and Penn, along with California and Navy. Settled on Columbia because "my goal is to receive a world class education while competing at the highest level of collegiate lightweight rowing, both of which I can get at Columbia." Will attended Columbia College and plans on majoring in Political Science and Business.
Curtis Alter, 5'10", Columbia College (Rye Neck High School, Mamaroneck, N.Y.): Rowed three years (2017-19) as a member of Row America Rye and ran one-year of cross country at Rye Neck High School in Mamaroneck, New York. Curtis Alter was a member of the 2018-19 V8 New York State Champions and won the 2019 V4 title as well. Alter took another gold at the 2019 Youth Nationals (V8) and the 2019 Club Nationals (V2) while rowing port in the V8 and V4 that took the championship at the 2018 Head of the Charles, Head of the Riverfront, Head of the Housatonic, Head of the Schuylkill.
Alter's family has many Ivy League connections, with his mother, Caroline, graduating from Harvard undergrad in 1992 and Harvard's graduate school, while his brother, Robby, currently attends Dartmouth. Received recruiting attention from Ivy League programs, Princeton and Harvard along with Georgetown, but settled on Columbia, because "of the perfect combination of a fantastic lightweight rowing team with great coaches and a beautiful campus in the best city in the world." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Art History.
Thomas Anderson, 5'11", Columbia College (Homeschooled, Burlingame, Calif.): Spent three seasons rowing with the Norcal Crew in the stroke seat. Stroked the V4+ to third place at the 2018 Head of the American and was a member of a V8 boat that finished 13th at the 2018 Head of the Charles. Thomas Anderson stroked the Lightweight 4+ to a first-place finish at both the 2018 Capital Invitational and Pacific Invitational, while sitting in the V2 that finished fifth at the 2018 Southwest Regional Championships.
Brother, Peter, is currently a part of the Class of 2020 at Cornell, and Anderson enjoys listening to the theme from "Rocky" to get ready for a race. Anderson spent time in the community as a member of City Impact (San Francisco) and Anderson also went into Glacier National Park, Montana to help perform maintenance on the trails to the Sperry Chalet. Enrolled at Columbia because "of the core curriculum, the commitment to free speech and the athletic prowess of the lightweight rowing team." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in the Classics.
Dion Ariestanto, 5'4", COX, Columbia College (St. Xavier High School, Cincinnati, Ohio): Was a Coxswain as a member of the Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club, from 2015-19 and during that time helped win four Midwest Championships (2016-19). Attended the CRI 2019 Summer Camp and was a member of the French National Honors Society and the National Honors Society.
Dion Ariestanto's parents, Rajnesh and Indriana Tangri, were both born in Jakarta, Indonesia and he has lived in eight places across the United States, while visiting at least 27 different countries. Settled on Columbia because "the history behind the school is amazing and since New York City seems like the center of the world because it's always so busy." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior.
John Gallagher, 6'0", Columbia College (Council Rock North, Newton, Pa.): Spent four years rowing for the Princeton National Rowing Association/Mercer while earning four letters. John Gallagher won the silver (2019) and bronze (2018) medals in the Lightweight 4+ at the Youth National Championships and was on the 2018 United States Junior National Team that competed in Prague, Czech Republic.
Gallagher's sister, Riley, is a part of Barnard College, Class of 2021 and Gallagher was recruited by Ivy League programs, Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Penn, along with Navy. Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Psychology.
Reese Gregory, 6'0", Columbia College (Darien High School, Darien, Conn.): Rowed four years with Maritime Rowing Club, in Norwalk, Connecticut, rowing bow during his sophomore year and stroke during his junior and senior years. Named to the 2019 USRowing Lightweight Men's Selection Camp, while taking the gold medal at the 2018 Northeast Regionals in the LM4+ and at the 2018 Youth Nationals in the LM4+. Added to his case with a silver in the LM2x at the 2018 U23 Trials and in the HM4x at the 2019 U23 Trials.
Won gold at the 2016 Northeast regionals in the LM2x and got himself another gold at the 2016 U19 Club Nationals in the HM4x.
Reese Gregory was recruited by Delaware, but settled on Columbia because "hands down it is the best place to learn and be an athlete since students are exposed to a variety of experiences that no other school can offer." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Financial Economics.
Travis Kennedy III, 6'1", Columbia College (Boston University, Jacksonville, Fla.): Spent two season rowing in the second and third Varsity Eight boats at Boston University. As a senior at The Bolles School, was a member of the USRowing Selection Camp and was a two-time recipient (junior, senior) of the Bolles Crew Erg Hammer Award. As a junior, finished first in the eight and first in the pairs for the junior national team at the CanAmMex regatta and ss a sophomore, took 4th at the USRowing club national championships in the junior pair.
Travis Kennedy's brother, Steffan '09CC, rowed four years on the Columbia Lightweight Rowing team. Kennedy will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in International Relations/Political Science.
Tommy Kimberlin, 5'10", Columbia College (Brunswick School, Greenwich, Conn.): Rowed two seat (junior) and stroke (senior) years in the Varsity Eight, while helping his high school team take second place at the 2018 NEIRA Championship Regatta and the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. Tommy Kimberlin was named team captain during his senior year and he competed at the 2018 Henley Royal Regatta.
Kimberlin was chosen by classmates to be the student speaker at high school graduation and he admires Columbia Professor Mike Massimino '84CC. Has the end goal of becoming an Astronaut and he settled on Columbia "because this has always been my dream school, its space initiative, it being in New York City and the success of the lightweight rowing program." Will attend Columbia College and his major is undecided.
Aidan Mahaffey, 6'1", Columbia College (Junipero Serra High School, San Mateo, Calif.): Plans on attending Columbia College and his major is undecided.
Stan Mason, 6'1", Columbia College (Greenwich, San Antonio, Texas): Rowed four years on varsity as a part of the Greenwich Water Club in Greenwich, Connecticut and while he was in the V8+ three seat, won the 2019 regional championships and finished fifth at the Youth Nationals. Was a member of the Oklahoma City High Performance team, which is an Olympic Development team.
Stan Mason's uncle, John Newman '72BU, graduated from Columbia Law School. Was recruited by fellow Ivy League program, Harvard, before settling on Columbia because "I have wanted to go to Columbia since I was eight years old, and the beautiful campus, amazing rowing team, rigorous academics and the great alum network makes it a special place." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Political Science.
Tucker Wurtmann, 5'11", Columbia College (Saratoga Springs High School, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.): Tucker Wurtmann really only began rowing during his junior year, since he ran track and field and cross country prior to rowing. A six-time letterwinner in track and cross country and three-time letterwinner in rowing at Saratoga Springs High School in Saratoga Springs, New York, he was a member of the Lightweight 4+ squad that took gold at the 2019 Scholastic Rowing Association of America. Wurtmann also sat in the Lightweight 8+ that finished third at the 2019 Youth National Championships.
Wurtmann's connections to the Ivy League run deep with his grandfather and uncle on mother's (Beth) side attending Penn and his grandfather, aunt and uncle on father's (Jon) side going to Yale. Decided on Columbia "because the campus is beautiful at all times of the day, and after my official visit I was convinced that Columbia was the place for me because of the coaches, student-athletes and the biology program offered." Will attend Columbia College and plans on majoring in Biology.
FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Rowing by following the Lions on Twitter (@ColumbiaRowing), Instagram (@columbiarowing) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
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