University of Massachusets Athletics
Rowing Anticipates Successful Road Ahead
September 22, 2015 | Rowing
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass rowing team has its sights set on another successful season, as the two-time Atlantic 10 Champions look to defend their conference title, and qualify for a third-straight NCAA Tournament bid in spring 2016. Assistant coach Andrea Morand and this year's senior co-captains Nicole Destefano and Leah Hitchcock recently sat down for a series of interviews highlighting their goals and anticipations for the road ahead.
The team named Destefano and Hitchcock as co-captains at the end of the 2015 season, a decision that the coaching staff fully supported.
"They're both leaders in their own ways and they bring different things to the table," Morand commented. "Leah was a walk-on freshman three years ago and Nicole joined the program as a more experienced rower."
Hitchcock, a Bowdoinham, Maine, native, started her rowing career as a rookie competing in Novice 8+ boats, and has since worked her way into the regular varsity lineup. Last spring Hitchcock placed fourth at the Knecht Cup Finals and second in a dual meet with Boston University, Northeastern and Brown, both times as a member of the Third Varsity 8+. Hitchcock also placed 13th in the 1x at the Seven Sisters Sculling Regatta with a time of 25:55:00.
Destefano on the other hand entered the 2012-13 season as a recruited freshman out of Berwyn, Pennsylvania. She began her collegiate rowing career as a member of the JV 8+ boat and sat seventh seat in the A-10 Championship where her boat finished first with a time of 7:21:57. Over the next three years Destefano continued to stand out for the maroon and white, and last spring competed as a member of the Varsity 8+ boat that placed 20th overall at the NCAA Championships in Gold River, California, in the "D" final Championship.
"What is great about [Hitchcock and Destefano] is that they compliment each other well," Morand remarked. "At the same time they are also both approachable, hardworking and they can hold the team accountable."
Looking ahead, Morand is eager to put the team's hard work over the off-season to the test, and she spoke to the depth that this season's roster boasts.
"There were several women who stayed [in Amherst] over the summer to train in small boats and they have done a phenomenal job so far," Morand added. "Sam Kolovson, one of our rising seniors is back in the Varsity 8+ this week simply because she doesn't let down. She tested last week and we're very excited to see what she will do this season. Courtney Edson, another gold-standard athlete, trained hard over the summer and is sitting in the Varsity 8+ this week as well."
Edson joined the team in a nontraditional fashion, walking on in the spring semester of her freshman year and hasn't looked back since. Edson and Kolovson, coupled with Destefano and Hitchcock add to the 11 returning senior Minutewomen this season, along with 10 juniors and 14 sophomores.
Destefano and Hitchcock also expressed heightened anticipation about the team's promising season ahead.
"Our dynamic is very close right now," Destefano said. "The upperclassmen have spent the past two or three years getting to know each other and we're all really close; that will be helpful when welcoming the new recruits and walk-ons."
Hitchcock went on to comment on the team's overall goals for the season: "Specifically what [Destefano] and I have talked about is that our program is poised to be successful. We've recently had two great years where we've won the A-10 Championship and qualified for NCAAs, but now we're looking to increase our intensity to become even more competitive in those big races."
"I think speaking for the entire team we're all excited to be back, and for the seniors specifically we're looking to leave a great legacy this year," Destefano added.
The UMass women's rowing team kicks off its 2015 fall season on Saturday, Oct. 3 and Sunday, Oct. 4 for Head of the Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The squad will compete in one home race this fall season at the Seven Sisters Sculling Regatta on the Connecticut River on Sunday, Oct. 11.
