Bronx, N.Y - Head Coach Ted Bonanno and the rest of the Fordham rowing coaching staff is thrilled to announce the incoming recruiting Class of 2024, consisting of six domestic and two international student athletes.
 
"With the addition of these eight strong new recruits we are excited to expand upon this year's already increased depth," Assistant Coach Jenn Thomas said. "The skill and speed this class is bringing to the program is unmatched, but I'm most excited for the impact this group of women will make both on and off the water."
 

Annabelle "Belle" Baulch is a graduate of Somerville House in South Brisbane, Queensland. Belle started rowing at St. Hilda's School for Girls in Perth, Western Australia, and followed her coach Samara Quinlan to Somerville House. At Somerville House, Belle was also on the cross country and Aussie Rules Football squads. Somerville House races in the Brisbane School Girls Rowing Association. Their Open VIII received the 2nd trophies in 2017 and 2018. She raced in the Open VIII in 2018 and 2019 and the First Quad in 2017. In 2019, the Open VIII saw a second place finish at St. Hilda's School and Lourdes Hill College Regatta and a fifth place finish at Brisbane State High School and St. Peter's Lutheran College Regatta. In 2018, the Open VIII was second at Head of the River and Brisbane State High School and St. Peter's Lutheran College Regatta, third at All Hallows School & Somerville House Regatta and Stuartholme School and Brisbane Girls Grammar School Regatta, fourth at St Hilda's School and Lourdes Hill College Regatta and St. Aidan's Anglican Girls School & St. Margaret's Anglican Regatta.  Belle is ready to bring her experience to the States and continue her rowing career at the University level.  
 
 

Olivia Caponga is a graduate of Jericho High School in Jericho, New York, and rowed for four years under Grant Maddock at Syosset Rowing Club. This fall, Olivia saw action with Syosset at Head of the Housatonic, Head of the Schuylkill, and Long Island OAR Regatta. In 2018, Syosset took their first women's crew to Head of the Charles with Olivia racing in six seat in their Women's Youth 8+. 
 
 

Brooke Gould is a graduate of Bedford High School in Bedford, New Hampshire, where she was a four year letter winner in both rowing and swimming, and captain of both squads. Brooke started rowing in eighth grade and rowed as a novice her freshman year. She was seven seat in the varsity 8+ since sophomore year, which finished second at New Hampshire Championships this fall. Bedford had strong finishes at the Textile River Regatta and Lowell Invitational which are two of the junior showcase regattas in the Northeast. Bedford has also had perennial success at Sleigh Cup in Hanover, New Hampshire, which is viewed as New Hampshire state championships. Last summer Brooke was invited to Evergreen Rowing Camp hosted by Dartmouth University. This year, Bedford returned to the Head of the Charles Regatta after a four year hiatus with Brooke at seven seat, the only public school Women's Youth 8+ from New Hampshire. Brooke holds the 2K record at Bedford, winning the Hollis Brookline Winter Warmer last February, and was looking forward to a fast spring. 
 

 

Maja Gunz is a graduate of Greschwister Scholl Gymnasium in Dusseldorf, Germany, and rowed for eight years under Marc Stallberg at Ruderclub Germania Dusseldorf. Rowing in primarily small boats, Maja saw success in the 1X, 2- and 4X on both the German and European levels. Maja raced the lightweight single at Dortmund Head to wins in 2017 and 2018. In 2018 Maja raced both the U19 1X and 4X to wins at German National Championships. As a result of these successes, Maja was honored as Dusseldorf Junior Athlete of the Year in 2018. At the 2019 German National Championships, Maja finished second in the U23 Lightweight 2-, qualifying for the European Championships in Ioannia, Greece. At Euros, Maja finished second behind Belarus. Maja is excited to continue her rowing career in the States.
 
 

Elli Lewis is a graduate of Grant High School in Portland, Oregon, and rowed for four years under Nick Haley at Rose City Rowing Club. During her four years with Rose City they brought a Women's Youth 8+ to USRowing Youth Nationals each year. Elli saw fourth and sixth place finishes at Northwest Regional Championships in 2019 and third and fourth place in 2018, finishing as the top program from Oregon in each event. In 2018 Elli finished ninth in a field of twenty at the San Diego Fall Classic, placing third for second varsity 8+s. Last spring, Elli saw second and third place finishes at Brentwood International Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia. Elli was invited to attend the U19 Northwest Olympic Development Camp in Ashland, Oregon last summer. This fall, at San Diego, Elli finished seventh in a field of thirty at the Fall Classic, second for 2V8+s. Elli made huge gains this fall and winter and was looking forward to a very competitive spring season with Rose City.  
 
 

Ella Mundel is a graduate of the German International School in Boston. Ella rowed for four years under Skye Elliot at Community Rowing Inc. CRI is a Northeast and National powerhouse, bringing crews to Youth Nationals each year since Elliot took over in 2016. Ella saw success with CRI at Head of the Fish and other regional level regattas.  

 

Eleanor Rodde is a graduate of Roosevelt High School in Seattle, Washington, and rowed for six years under Andrea Buch at Pocock Rowing Center. During her time at Pocock they brought crews to Youth Nationals each year  with Eleanor racing her freshman and junior years. As a freshman in 2017, Eleanor raced the lightweight double to a C final finish. In 2019, she raced in the open weight event, racing to a C final finish. Eleanor rowed in the varsity 8+ and 4+ at Northwest Youth Championships in 2018. As a junior in 2019, Eleanor finished second in the 2V8+ at Northwests. She prioritized the 2X at that race, continuing on to Youth Nationals in that event. Eleanor traveled with the team to San Diego for the Fall Classic in 2018, finishing fourth. That spring, Eleanor saw a first place finish at the Husky Open, hosted by the University of Washington. This fall, Eleanor rowed three seat in the Pocock Women's Youth 4+ that finished thirteenth in a field of eighty five at the Head of the Charles Regatta. Coming back home to Seattle, they finished just behind local rivals from Holy Names and Mt Baker at Head of the Lake. Rowing year round with Pocock, Eleanor also participated in their intensive summer camps each year. After missing the last race of the fall, Eleanor was anxious to get back to some fast racing this spring.
 
 

Elizabeth "Libby" Weldon is a graduate of Duxbury High School in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and rowed for four years under Betsy Davenport at Duxbury Bay Maritime School. During her four years, DBMS was the Massachusetts Public School Rowing Association Runners Up for the Kendra Bauer Girls 4+ Points Trophy in 2017 and 2019 and winners in 2018. In 2016, 2018 and 2019 DBMS won the Dale Wickenheiser Girls 4+ Points Trophy at MPSRA Fall Championships, and were Runners Up in 2017. Libby raced in the First Varsity 4+ for Duxbury at New England Interscholastic Rowing Association Championships in 2019, the oldest rowing conference in the nation. They finished in the Petitie Final, for the first time in program history. This past summer Libby was invited to attend Ready Set Row Development Camp at the Brooks School, racing at Club Nationals in Ohio. This fall, Libby saw a first place finish at MPSRA Fall Championships and second place at Textile River Regatta, just six seconds behind rivals Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.  Libby bowed the DBMS Women's Youth Four that finished in the top third at Head of the Charles Regatta. Libby was looking forward to continuing the rivalry with Cambridge Rindge and Latin this spring at MPSRA and NEIRA.
 
The Rams will be graduating seven this year, with the fifth-year extension two seniors have already committed to return for the 2020-2021 campaign. With the loss of the spring championship season, the Rams are hungry for what will without a doubt be one of the most exciting years in the program's history.  With six walk-ons moving up to varsity, the 2020-2021 squad will also be the biggest Fordham has seen. They'll return to action this fall at Head of the Housatonic.