July 20, 2004
In numbers alone, this is a significant recruiting class. Marc DeRose and assistant Greg Ventresca have brought in the largest class in memory, with 16 rowers and a coxswain. They could field two fully-recruited freshman eights next fall, a first for the lightweight program and a critical component in restoring depth to it. This group is characterized not so much by numbers, however, as by "talented, motivated and successful rowers." The most notable is Emre Vural, who rows for the Turkish Lightweight National Team; he will compete in the U-23 World Championships this summer in a pair, and may make the Senior Worlds in both a pair and a four. A number of other rowers, four of whom are 6-2 or taller, should become top-flight rowers. According to Ventresca, "every one of the 17 could have competed for a seat on the 2004 freshman lightweight eight." That includes Whitney Wertz, the first recruited lightweight coxswain since 1999.
The recruiting class:
Paul Abelkop (San Diego, Calif./La Jolla/5-11, 155
Sam Barnett (Belvidere, Calif./Redwood/6-0, 155)
Jason Bush (Syosset, N.Y./Chaminade/5-10, 155)
Carl Engel (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep/6-0, 155)
Ari Freisinger (Belvidere, Calif./Redwood/5-11, 150)
Aaron Goldman (Berkeley, Calif./Berkeley/6-3, 155)
Eric Heinbockel (Pennsauken, N.J./Bishop Eustace/5-11, 155)
Danny Litvak (Sugarland, Texas/W.P. Clements/5-11, 150)
John Mascari (Buffalo, N.Y./Nichols School/6-1, 155)
Chris O'Connor (Bryn Mawr, Pa./Shipley School/6-0, 155)
Kent Parmington (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors/6-3, 160)
Lawrence Sulak* (Brookline, Mass./Brookline/6-1, 155)
Nick Tucker (Mathews, Va./Mathews/6-2, 155)
Emre Vulak (Istanbul, Turkey/Robert College/5-11, 155)
Mike Werner (Westlake, Ohio/St. Ignatius/5-10, 150)
Whitney Wertz (cox) (Boulder, Colo./Fairview/5-5, 125)
Ryan Wood (Boston, Mass./Noble & Greenough/6-2, 155)
*admitted in 2003, but deferred admission and will enter Columbia in 2004
