Rowing Adds 14 Signees

CLEMSON, S.C. – Head coach Stephen Frazier Wong and the rowing staff added 14 student-athletes during the early signing period. Joining the Tigers in the fall of 2018 will be Carley Boyd, Isabella Dudley, Ellison Greenhalgh, Katherine Hadley, Hannah Grace Hayes, Pepper Kolman, Katherine Konieczny, Ellie Loehrer, Meghan McLean, Chloe O’Brien, Sam Palmer, Alexandria Thull, Victoria Trovato and Olivia Whitesides.

“It is always exciting when someone commits to Clemson, so it was a great thrill having 14 such conversations leading up to this last signing period,” said head coach Stephen Frazier Wong. “This is our largest class of recruits so far, and I can’t wait for them to step on campus in late August of 2018. Our team keeps getting faster and more invested in the process of building championship habits, and I know that this infusion of energy from a class of this size and caliber will be a dynamic addition on our journey to ultimate success.” 

Carley Boyd (Callahan, Fla. • West Nassau High School • Jacksonville Rowing Club • Coach: Bob Schumacher) medaled in races during the 2016 & 2017 FRSA North District Championships and US Rowing Southeast Regional Championships and qualified for the 2017 US Rowing Youth Nationals. Her older sister, Whitney, was a member of the University of Alabama’s rowing team. Her parents are Joe and Bridget Boyd, and she intends to major in Health Science.

Isabella Dudley (Medfield, Mass. • Medfield High School • Community Rowing Inc. • Coach: Skye Elliot) played basketball and soccer for her high school before she started rowing in her junior year, and she already has experience at the Head of the Charles. Her team also rowed in the New England Regionals last spring and earned the team points trophy. Her parents are Stuart and Kari Dudley, and she intends to major in Business.

Ellison Greenhalgh (Gladwyne, Pa. • Harriton High School • Coach: Kumari Lewis) was a team captain on both her high school rowing and swimming teams and holds school records in two swimming events. She helped her team to top four finishes in multiple events in the most recent fall season, including the Four at the Steve Neczypor Memorial Regatta, the Four at the Cooper Cup Regatta, the Four at the PRSA Championship, the Stotesbury Cup Regatta and the SRAA Nationals. Her father rowed collegiately at Drexel University. Her parents are Skott and Elizabeth Greenhalgh, and she intends to major in Bioengineering.

Katherine Hadley (Atlanta, Ga. • St. Francis High School • Atlanta Junior Rowing Association • Coach: Jordan Smith) placed second at Southeast Regionals 2016 in Women’s Lightweight Eight, third at Southeast Regionals 2017 in Women’s Varsity Eight, and competed at US Rowing Youth Nationals in 2016 and 2017. She was also selected for USRowing Women’s High Performance Team and placed first in the top Eight at Club Nationals. Her parents are Bryan and Carrie Hadley, and she intends to major in Health Sciences or Engineering.

Hannah Grace Hayes (Maryville, Tenn. • Maryville High School • East Tennessee Rowing Organization • Coach: Allen Eubanks) has competed in her team’s varsity Eight since 2014, when she earned the team’s Outstanding Oarswoman award and Athlete of the Year. Since then, she has competed in US Rowing Club Nationals in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and also attended the Southeast Juniors Camp in 2015 and 2016. Her parents are Doug and Deann Hayes, and she intends to major in Language and International Health.

Pepper Kolman (Leysin, Switzerland • The Hun School of Princeton // Leysin American School in Switzerland • Coach: Nic Bourne) was a competitive club swimmer for eight years before turning to rowing in her junior year of high school. She earned her team’s Most Valuable Rower award and holds many swimming records at both of her high schools. Both of her parents swam at the collegiate level for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and her sister, Patricia Jean, rowed at Duke University. Her parents are Amy and Mark Kolman, and she intends to major in Business.

Katherine Konieczny (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. • Grosse Pointe South High School • Detroit Women’s Rowing Association • Coaches: Renee Adams & Kerry Shaffer) has been a captain on her club team for the last two years and will continue to be one until she comes to Clemson. She has competed in regattas like the US Rowing Club National Championships, the Midwest Junior Championships, the Independence Day Regatta and the Royal Canadian Henley, with finishes in the top three in each of those events. She also was a conference All-Academic team member for cross country during her latter three years of high school. Her parents are Michael and Michelle Konieczny, and she intends to major in Engineering.

Ellie Loehrer (Victoria, Minn. • Chanhassen High School • Twin Cities Youth Rowing • Coach: Rebecca Newman) has been rowing for a little over a year, but already has experience in premier events such as the Head of the Charles as well as the NWIRA and Head of the Rock. Her Four boats have placed as high as first at the NWIRA, with a third-place finish at the Head of the Rock. She also competed nationally in DECA for her high school, and she played soccer prior to getting into rowing. Her father played football collegiately at South Dakota State University. Her parents are Scott and Leslie Loehrer, and she intends to major in Business.

Meghan McLean (Maitland, Fla. • Winter Park High School • Coach: Michael Vertullo) was a part of her school’s team that won Florida state championship titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017, with her boats winning two golds and a bronze medal in Women’s Eight. She also helped her team make it to the finals at SRAA Nationals in all three seasons thus far, with a best of second place in 2017. Additionally, she represented the southeast region at the Youth Regional Challenge during the 2017 World Rowing Championships in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida this past September, and her Eight boat was the fastest in their heat. Her mother ran cross country collegiately at Florida Southern College. Her parents are Jo Ellen and Colin McLean, and she intends to major in Health Science.

Chloe O’Brien (Atlanta, Ga. • Walton High School • Atlanta Junior Rowing Association • Coach: Jordan Smith) competed in the U.S. Rowing Youth Nationals in both 2016 and 2017 as well as the Head of the Charles in the same years. She was also a part of boats that had top five finishes in the 2016 & 2017 Head of the Hooch, the 2016 Southeast Regionals and the 2017 Independence Day Regatta. She is also a team captain this year. Her parents are Ian and Leslie O’Brien, and she intends to major in Language and International Health.

Sam Palmer (Fort Mill, S.C. • Fort Mill High School • Charlotte Youth Rowing Association • Coaches: Byron Walthall & Nancy Teaff) is a team captain and was part of a Women’s Youth Quad that finished fourth at the Southeast Regionals this past May. Her mother, Audra, played volleyball at the collegiate level at West Virginia University, and her father, Steve, played football at the United States Naval Academy. Her brother, Vann, played lacrosse at Piedmont College in 2015-16. She intends to major in Genetics.

Alexandria Thull (Vero Beach, Fla. • Sebastian River High School • Sebastian River Rowing • Coach: Tom Lange) is the first female to commit to a Division I rowing program in her team’s history. She was part of the Varsity Quad that finished second at the Head of the South this year as well as boats that finished first at district competitions in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Her older brother, Nicholas, currently rows at Temple University. Her parents are Kurt and Lynda Thull, and she intends to major in Biology.

Victoria Trovato (Sewickley, Pa. • Quaker Valley High School • Three Rivers Rowing Association • Coach: Matt Grau) has been part of boats that have placed in the top ten of the varsity four for the past three years at the Head of the Charles, including a win in the event last year. Her Eight was invited to the 2016 US Rowing Youth Nationals. She attended the 2015 US Rowing Junior National Team Development Camp and is a four-year letterwinner for rowing and a two-year letterwinner for basketball. Her father played football at Clarion University, and her sisters, Sarah and Katie, rowed for the University of Michigan and the University of Texas, respectively. Her parents are Jim and Julie Trovato, and she intends to major in Marketing.

Olivia Whitesides (Greenville, S.C. • Mauldin High School • Axis Elite Volleyball Academy • Coaches: Val Thoms & Joe Dierickx) has been a captain of and right side hitter on her high school’s volleyball team that was regional champions in 2016 and 2017. With her leadership, they also finished third in the state this past season, and it was the first time they had made it that far in the playoffs. Her parents are Heather and Phil Justice, and she intends to major in Art with a concentration in photography.