The Boston University women's rowing team will welcome eight newcomers for the 2017-18 season, director of women's rowing Madeline Davis announced on Wednesday.
 
"I'm very excited about this year's incoming recruiting class," said Davis. "This is a group of accomplished rowers who I know will contribute immediately to BU, both on the water and on campus. I'd like to thank our recruiting coordinator, Matt Hanig and the previous staff for their hard work in assembling this impressive group of student-athletes. I'm looking forward to accomplishing great things with this class and the rest of the team."
 

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Lexi Wright
Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Previous Club: Don Rowing Club/Rowing Canada

BEFORE BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Wright started rowing just two years ago and in that time has already achieved on the national and international level. She placed second in the pair at both the 2016 Canadian Henley and the RCA National Championships. She also won the junior 4x at the Head of the Charles Regatta this past fall. Wright represented Canada at the CanAmEx Regatta in the summer of 2016 and placed second in both the 2- and 8+. Lexi also rowed in the Canadian 4- at the 2017 World Junior Rowing Championships. 

Hanig on Wright: "We're really excited for Lexi to be a Terrier. She has already accomplished a tremendous amount in only two years or rowing. She earned gold at the Head of the Charles which is no easy feat, and she brings international racing experience from CanAmEx and Junior Worlds. What we are most excited about though is that Lexi is a humble, hard-working student-athlete who is going to have an immediate impact in the boathouse and on campus."

 
Sophie Winbush
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Previous Club: Three Rivers Rowing Association

BEFORE BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Rowed for Three Rivers Rowing Association, one of the top clubs in the US, and raced at Youth Nationals multiple times. This past year, Winbush won gold in the 4+ at the Head of the Charles Regatta, and finished off her senior year with a silver medal in the 4+ at Youth Nationals while also competing in the 8+.

Hanig on Winbush: "Sophie stood out right away in the recruiting process as a perfect fit at BU. She is an accomplished student and tenacious racer who has the medals to prove it. Sophie is organized, diligent, and has a terrific work ethic."


 
Tara Finlayson
Hometown: Lewiston, N.Y.
Previous Club: Nardin High Schoo/West Side RC/USRowing HP Camp

BEFORE BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Earned an invite to compete at the USRowing High Performance Camp during the summer of 2016 as well as with West Side Rowing Club. Placed seventh out of 191 at the Crash-B indoor world Championships this past February. This spring, while serving as team captain, sat in the three seat of Nardin's varsity 4 and won the New York State Championship and also place third at Scholastic Nationals. During the summer, Finlayson won gold at the Canadian Henley in the U19 4+ for West Side Rowing Club.

Hanig on Finlayson: "Tara is an incredibly hard worker. What really made Tara stand out in the recruiting process was her maturity in how she set goals for herself, pursued and achieved them with both diligence and tenacity, then set new and even loftier goals. She is always striving to improve herself and her team. We're really excited to see what Tara can accomplish at BU and beyond as she has national team aspirations."


 
Georgia Caras
Hometown: Wilmette, Ill.
Previous Club: New Trier High Sschool
BEFORE BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Coxed for coach Rose Marchuk at New Trier High School, perennially one of the top teams in the Midwest and SRAA. During her senior year, she earned the coxswains seat in the lightweight 8+ that won the SRAA national championship and followed that up with a silver medal at USRowing Youth Nationals. Caras won New Trier's "Silver Oar Award" in the spring of 2016, which recognize the student-athlete that is an incredible benefit to the team in terms of both boat speed and leadership.

Hanig on Caras: "Georgia has solid racing instincts, and is an intuitive coxswain who has the leadership qualities we look for in that role. She has many tools in her coxing toolbox that were especially evident this spring in winning the SRAA Lightweight 8. Her crew also earned a come-from-behind silver medal in the Lightweight 8 at Youth Nationals. She's a great fit at BU, and we're really excited to see her continue to develop and guide her crews to big performances."


 
Samantha Fischer
Hometown: Maple Plain, Minn.
Previous Club: Long Lake RC

BEFORE BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Rowed for Long Lake RC competing primarily in sculling events. This past fall, raced the 1x at Head of the Charles Regatta and has garnered some solid results with her club especially in the Midwest. Also competed in track and cross country in high school.
 
Hanig on Fischer: "Sam knows what it means to work hard and prioritize her goals from balancing work on her family's farm, rowing, and school. Her two main values are honesty and hard work, which make her a perfect fit at BU. We're excited to see her continue to develop and she'll be a great contributor as a Terrier."

 
Maia Adley
Hometown: Milton, Mass.
Previous Club: Milton High School

BEFORE BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Rowed for both Milton High School and Neponset Rowing Club. This past fall she competed in the Youth 4+ at Head of the Charles Regatta and earned her clubs first ever guaranteed bid by placing top half in the event, she also capped off her senior year with a bronze medal in the Varsity 4+ at the MPSRA State Championship Regatta. She is also an accomplished multi-sport endurance athlete, having served as captain of the Milton swim team, and qualified for the Massachusetts state championship in both the 200 & 400 meter freestyle relay events this year. 
 
Hanig on Adley: "Maia is a solid multi-sport endurance athlete that we're really excited about. She's already showed some solid speed on the water while continuing to compete in swimming on a high level. What's really exciting is that she's just starting to touch her potential as a rower and we're really looking forward to her development at BU."

 
Shannon Gallup
Hometown: Petaluma, Calif.
Previous Club: North Bay RC
BEFORE BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Joins BU from North Bay Rowing Club in Petaluma, Calif. This past spring, made program history by being the first female athlete from NBRC invited to the USRowing Youth National Championship Regatta. At Youth Nationals, placed 11th overall in the 1x, having learned to scull just 5 weeks prior. Raced in the grand finals of the Southwest Regional Championship in the 1x, 2-, 4+, and 8+.
 
Hanig on Gallup: "Shannon is an incredibly competitive and versatile athlete. She earned a spot in the 1x B final at Youth Nationals this year after only having sculled for 5 weeks, which is a true testament to her athleticism and competitive drive. She's the first female from her club to ever qualify for Youth Nationals, and we're excited for her to bring that fearlessness to BU."

 
 
Caitlyn Federico
Hometown: Bristol, R.I.
Previous Club: St. Mary Bayview
BEFORE BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Coxed the St. Mary Bayview V8 this past year with notable placements at the Head of the Charles, Textile River Regatta, and NEIRA.
 
Hanig on Federico: "Caitlyn has the organization and initiative we look for in coxswains, and emerged as a leader with her high school program this past year. She really goes after her goals and is a great teammate. We're excited to see her continue to develop and lead here at BU."