Rhody Women's Rowing Adds Eight Student-Athletes for 2010-11 Season

June 17, 2010

Celine Gill (Tiverton, R.I.), Victoria Lent (New York, N.Y.), Emma Masterson (Moorestown, N.J.), Katie McGonigal (Kearney, N.J.), Siobhan Norton (Chelmsford, Mass.), Chelsea Paulin (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.), Kaitlyn Ruppert (Ocean City, N.J.) and Meghan Sickinger (Simsbury, Conn.) have all committed to compete at URI this upcoming season.

"Each of the women in this class will bring something special to our program," Donohoe said. "They are all competitive in the classroom and on the water. I am excited to begin working with them. Recruiting coordinator, Jessica Lizzi and assistant coach Liz Tuppen, put a lot of effort into bringing this class together."

Celine Gill - 6'0 - Tiverton, R.I. (St. Mary's Bay View Academy): A member of the Varsity 8+ that finished 11th at the 2010 NEIRA's and second at the 2009 Head of the Housatonic. Gill served as the team captain during her senior campaign and plans to study Biology at URI.

Victoria Lent - 5'4 - New City, N.Y. (Clarkstown Crew): A strong sculler that competed in the Rockland Co. Championship, ISA Sculling Championship and the NY State Championship. She rowed in the lightweight double at the New York State Championship and placed third third, qualifying her for Nationals. She placed eighth at SRAA Nationals. Lent is planning to study secondary education at URI.

Emma Masterson - 5'8 - Moorestown, N.J. (Hillfield Srtathallan College in Ontario Cananda): Saw action on the Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+ at Moorestown, N.J. (for one year) and Hillfield Strathallan College in Hamilton Ontario (for three years). Masterson is planning to study business at URI.

Katie McGonigal - 5'6 - Kearney, N.J.: Competed on the Varsity 4+ that finished second at the 2009 SRAA Nationals, third at the 2008 SRAA Nationals and fifth at the 2009 Stotesbury Regatta. She also served as her team's captain. McGonigal enters URI as undecided major.

Siobhan Norton - 5'8 - Chelmsford, Mass. (CRI): A member of the CRI Youth 8+ that finished eighth at the 2010 Youth Nationals held in Cincinnati, Ohio and a member of the Youth 4+ that finished fourth at the New England Championship. In addition to rowing, Norton is a nationally competitive Irish Step Dancer. She plans to major in nursing at URI.

Chelsea Paulin - 5'3 - Egg Harbor Township, N.J.: Served as the Coxswain for the Varsity 4+ that won the 2010 Philadelphia City Championship, Atlantic County Rowing Championship, and the Garden State Rowing Championship. Her boat capped off a successful 2010 season with a victory in the Varsity 4+ at the 2010 SRAA Nationals held in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Paulin is a Centennial Scholarship Recipient at URI and plans to study Nutrition.

Kaitlyn Ruppert - 5'9 - Ocean City, N.J.: A member of the Varsity 8+ that finished runner-up at 2009 Stotesbury Regatta. Ruppert is a Centennial Scholarship Recipient at URI and will be a Nursing Major.

Meghan Sickinger- 5'10- Simsbury, Conn.: A member of the Simsbury High School Varsity 8+ that won the 2010 Connecticut State Championship, finished 1st at the 2009 Head of the Connecticut, 2nd at the 2009 Head of the Riverfront and 6th at the 2009 NEIRA's. In the classroom, Meghan is a Simsbury Scholar, a member of the National Honor Society and a URI Centennial Scholarship Recipient. Sickinger will be a Pharmacy Major.