Heavyweight Rowing Welcomes 12 Newcomers To Campus

Columbia Heavyweight Rowing added 12 new Lions to the fold as part of the Class of 2025.

NEW YORK — With eyes on the 2022 season, Columbia Heavyweight Rowing has announced the addition of 12 incoming student athletes as part of the Class of 2025 as Director of Rowing/Head Coach Heavyweight Rowing Scott Alwin and his staff has been busy strengthening the Columbia boathouse.

Within the class, which is extremely diverse in terms of colleges attending and hometowns, all three colleges are represented and nine different states, along with England make up the class. Alwin also added a pair of coxswains to the group as well, with the Class of 2022 set to graduate four coxswains.

Rasa Audejaitis, COX, Barnard College (Holy Names Academy, Seattle, Washington): Earned three letters in Crew with Holy Names Academy in Seattle, Washington and spent time rowing with Mt. Baker Crew. Audejaitis sat Coxswain in the Men's U17 4+ that took first at the 2019 Olympic Development Program and helped push her Men's U18 8+ boat to a second place finish at the 2019 Youth Regional Challenge.

She was member of the fifth-place finishing Women's Masters 4+ at the 2019 Head of the Charles and was named to the USRowing Scholastic Honor Roll. Audejaitis received heavy recruiting from fellow Ivy League program, Princeton, along with Northeastern, Washington, Boston, Oregon State, Washington State, Wisconsin, Louisville, Bowdoin College. She went with Barnard because "not only did the school "call to me", but it was academically exactly what I wanted."

Luke Filor, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (Rye, Rye, New York): While in high school, Filor rowed on three first place winning crews with RowAmerica Rye, took the Straight Four title at the 2021 NY State Championships and the Northeast Regionals and helped his Straight Four crew take third at the 2021 USRowing Nationals Regatta. Filor also collected a first-place finish (U17 Quad) at the 2019 USRowing Club Nationals and spent the summer of 2021 with the ODP U20 High Performance Camp in Jacksonville, Florida.

Filor's father, Daniel, graduated from Columbia Law School, giving Filor a bit of Columbia in his family. Has rowing in the family, as sister Greta (sophomore) is a current member of the Brown Women's Rowing team. He decided to attend Columbia, "because of the great engineering programs, prominent athletics and it being in the center of Manhattan." He plans on majoring in mechanical engineering.

Adrian Foley, Columbia College (Christian Brothers Academy, Point Pleasant, New Jersey): Foley attended and rowed for Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, New Jersey, member of the V2- that took first at that 2021 Philadelphia City Championships. Helped his Weight Adjusted Eight crew take first at the 2020 Virtual Youth Nationals and help push V2- crew to a third-place finish at the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Championships.

Foley earned a ranking of sixth out of 60 (U18) at the 2020 National Team ID Camp and he earned a U19-Selection Camp invitation.

Foley's family has a history of Columbia tradition, with his aunt (Joan Harriman Shaughnessy) graduating from Columbia Teachers College and his uncle (Adrian M. Foley Jr.) graduating from Columbia Law School. There is also an Ivy League history as his brother, Micky, played golf at Brown from 2006-09.

Received recruiting attention from fellow Ivy League programs, Brown, Penn and Cornell, along with California, MIT and Syracuse, but he went with Columbia because "of all the different opportunities that Columbia and New York City make available." Foley plans on majoring in Engineering/Business.

Graham Gallagher, Columbia College (Shorecrest, Lake Forest Park, Washington): Rowed (two letters) for the Green Lake Gators, while attending Shorecrest High School in Shoreline, Washington, and he was a member of the 2019 Head of the Lake Championship crew, recorded the fifth fastest 6K ERG time in history at Green Lake.

Gallagher received recruiting attention from fellow Ivy League program, Dartmouth, along with Washington, but went with Columbia because "the campus felt manageable, since I do not come from a city lifestyle."

Nick Hazard, Columbia College (Noble and Greenough, Boston, Massachusetts): Attended Noble and Greenough High School in Dedham, Massachusetts, and along with rowing crew, also wrestled (195) and ran cross country. Earned the Watson Medal, given for overall contribution to the rowing program and was named team captain for the 2020 season.

Hazard's mother, Donna, played volleyball at and graduated from Princeton Class of 1983, but despite the Princeton connection he decided to attend Columbia because "the environment at Columbia provides opportunities for deep engagement that impersonal lecture-based classes can't match." Plans on majoring in History and Economics/Philosophy.

Zeke Johnson, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (Redwood, Larkspur, California): Rowed club for Marin Rowing, helping his Men's Varsity Quad crew take first at the 2021 Youth Nationals. He finished second at the 2018 Scholastic Nationals in the Freshman Eight and helped his crew collect a fifth-place finish in the Men's Varsity Eight at the 2019 Head of the Charles and the Youth Nationals ...

Johnson was in the Varsity Eight boat that finished third at the 2019 San Diego Crew Classic, and he was named senior team captain for 2020-21 season. Attended the 2018 USRowing U18 High Performance Camp and was named to the USRowing Honor Roll.

Johnson received recruiting attention from fellow Ivy League programs, Penn and Cornell, along with California and San Diego, but went with Columbia "to experience a new and unique part of the world."

David McMillan, Columbia College (Barrington, Barrington, Rhode Island): McMillian attended Barrington High School in Barrington, Rhode Island, where he earned four letters in swimming, while rowing club for East Bay Rowing, Inc. He sat five seat in the East Bay Rowing, Inc. Junior Men's Eight at the 2018 Head of the Charles and was a member of four-time Rhode Island State Championships runners up swimming squads.

McMillian's family has a rich Ivy League athletic history with his mother Clare (Brown '93) rowing at Brown and sisters Emma (track at Brown) and Lucy (rowing at MIT) all competing athletically in college. He considered attending Virginia but went with Columbia "because of its location in New York City, it means that the opportunity to branch out and meet new people, along with competing for a top tier rowing program exists." McMillian plans on majoring in Political Science.

Eric Morais, Columbia College (The Lawrenceville School, College Station, Texas): Morais earned four letters over two sports, three in rowing and one in soccer (goalkeeper), while attending The Lawrenceville School. He raced in the Prince Albert Challenge Cup time trail at the 2019 Henley Royal Regatta, collected a third-place finish in the Second V8+ at the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Championships and was a finalist at the 2021 SRAA National Championships in the V8+.

Morais received recruiting attention from one fellow Ivy League program, Penn, along with California, MIT and Georgetown, but went with Columbia because "Columbia offers elite academics and the Heavyweight Rowing program presents a chance to prepare for and race against the fastest crews in the country." He plans on majoring in Economics.

Brooke Neider, COX, Barnard College (Miami Country Day, Miami Beach, Florida): Neider spent time rowing for the Miami Beach Rowing Club and ran cross country at Miami Country Day. She posted a first-place finish in the Lightweight Four at Florida States and collected second place finish in the LW 8+ at the Florida States. Along with those finishes, she earned a third-place finish at the Head of the Hooch and posted a second-place finish at the Virtual Nationals.

Neider decided to attend Barnard College because "it presents a chance to be challenged both academically and athletically."

Ben Shakespeare, Columbia College (Bryanston School, Wiltshire, England): Rowed at Bryanston School in Dorset, United Kingdom, where he played soccer and track & field at Bryanston. He was a member of the first Bryanston crew to self-qualify and compete in the Henley Royal Regatta in 30 years (Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup) and was a member of the winning crew at the Thames Valley Regatta and the Reading Town Regatta.

Shakespeare's brother, Max, adds to families' Ivy League athletic pedigree as he is a member of the Harvard Crew and has competed internationally for Great Britain. Received recruiting attention from fellow Ivy League programs, Brown and Dartmouth, along with British Columbia (Canada). He went with Columbia "because it's in a cosmopolitan center and presents the challenge of being a member of an urban-based crew." He plans on majoring in Art History.

Mads Sroat, Columbia College (St. Ignatius College, Burlingame, California): Sroat rowed and played basketball at St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco, California, where he was named rowing team captain for his junior year. Sroat also earned basketball's MVP award freshman year, was a four-time Dean's List Honor Roll member and placed Magna Cum Laude in the National Latin Exam (junior year).

Sroat received recruiting attention from Georgetown but went with Columbia because "it provides an amazing education and both the school and city provide so many opportunities." Sroat plans on majoring in Biology.

Mattias Yotopoulos, Columbia College (Palo Alto, California): Yotopoulos rowed club for the NorCal Crew and was a member of the V8 crew that took first at the 2020 Head of the Lagoon. He collected a third place finish at the 2020 Head of the American with V8, rowed in a V8 at the 2019 Head of the Charles and was named team captain (rowing) for 2021 season.

He received recruiting attention from fellow Ivy League programs Dartmouth and Penn, along with Washington, Georgetown, Tufts and San Diego, but went with Columbia because "the Columbia community is one that fosters champions." He plans on majoring in Neuroscience & Behavior.

FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Rowing by following the Lions on Twitter (@CULionsRowing), Instagram (@culionsrowing) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).

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