USC Rowing Announces Eleven Incoming Freshmen

LOS ANGELES – The USC women's rowing team welcomes the addition of eleven talented freshmen to the 2023-24 roster, head coach Josh Adam announced on September, 1st 2023.

The Trojans' first-year players include Michaela Banta (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Beach High School), Lauren Donnelley (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa High School), Ellen Ariathurai (Chicago, ILL./Albert G. Lane Technical High School), Maeve Clifford (New York City, N.Y./Middlesex School), Belle Bordier (Riverside, Conn./Greenwich High School), Sasha Henry (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge and Latin School), Martina Scarpello (Palermo, Italy/Liceo Classico G.), Chloe Amling (Canterbury, Australia/Strathcona Girls Grammar School), Regan Mary Cronin (River Forest, ILL./Oak Park and River Forest High School), Kiki George (Malvern, PA./Villa Maria Academy High School), and Abbie Diemer (Chicago, ILL/Lane Tech College Prep).

"This class is going to be spectacular," Head Coach Josh Adam said. "They are the inheritors of a program that is resilient and ready to race for championships. We expect every single one of these women to come in and compete for seats with upstanding character. I can't wait to see what they achieve."

Banta—a rower for Newport Aquatic Center—has made numerous appearances in regattas across the nation. She competed in the 2021 San Diego Fall Classic placing first in both the varsity eight and the varsity four regattas. In 2022, Banta returned to Mission Bay for the San Diego Crew Classic, placing second in the varsity eight. Banta rowed in the 2022 USRowing Youth National Championship and placed fifth in the second varsity eight. She participated in the 2022 USRowing Youth Summer National Championship and placed fourth in the varsity eight.

Donnelley rowed for Marina Aquatic Center where she competed in many regattas. In 2021, she competed in the San Diego Fall Classic, placing third in the youth four. Donnelley also made an appearance at the 2021 San Diego Crew Classic, placing eighth in the youth eight. She also raced in the 2021 USRowing Southwest Regionals four placing second, then hit the water at the 2021 USRowing Youth Nationals, placing sixth in the youth four.

Ariathurai rowed for the Chicago Rowing Foundation, competing in numerous regattas during her stint. In 2021, she competed in the Midwest Junior Rowing Championships varsity eight and varsity four regattas, placing first and third respectively. In 2022, Araithurai returned to the Midwest Junior Rowing Championship to take first and third in the second varsity eight and second varsity four respectively. She also made an appearance at the USRowing Youth National Championship, racing in the second varsity eight and finishing in thirteenth place.

Clifford rowed for her high school, Middlesex High School, and holds the record for fastest two-kilometer erg time. She competed in the 2022 New England Interscholastic Rowing Championship, placing fourth in the varsity four. Clifford participated in the Craftsbury Sculling Camp in the summer of 2021, as well as participated in the OARS Summer Program in 2021 and 2022.

Bordier rowed in the Greenwich Crew in her home town of Riverside, Conn. In 2019, she competed in the Head of the Fish Regatta, placing first in the novice eight. She raced in the 2021 USRowing Northeast Youth Championship, placing third in the women's U17 eight. In the USRowing Youth National Championship she placed second in the women's U17 eight, and finished the year at the USRowing Summer National Championship placing second in the women's U17 four as well as placing first in the women's U17 eight. Border did the same USRowing circuit in 2022, placing first at the Northeast Youth Championship in the Women's Youth second varsity eight, then at the Youth National Championship she placed second in the women's second-varsity eight and finally placing fifth at the Youth Summer National Championship in the women's pair as well as placing sixth in the women's four.

Henry, hailing from Cambridge, Massachusetts, rowed for Community Rowing Inc. In 2021, she competed in the 2021 USRowing Summer National placing sixth in the U17 eight. In 2021, Henry competed in the NE Jr/HS Championship, placing first in the second varsity eight. Henry also competed in the 2022 Northeast Youth Championship, placing third in the women's youth eight. In the same year she raced in the USRowing National Championship, placing sixth in the second varsity eight. She returned to the NE Jr/HS Championship in 2022 placing first in the varsity eight.

Scarpello rowed for the Societa Canottieri in Palermo, Italy where she was a member of the Italian Junior National Team in 2021 and 2022. In 2021, she competed in the European U19 Rowing Championship, placing sixth in a pair. Scarpello also competed in the 2021 Italian U19 Rowing Championship, placing first in the pair. Moving on to 2022, she competed in the World Rowing U19 Championship and placed second in the pair. In the 2022 European U19 Rowing Championship Scarpello placed second in the pair. In the 2022 Italian Rowing Championship she placed third in the four.

Amling rowed for Strathcona Varsity Team in Melbourne, Australia where she was dubbed the Rower of the Year for 2021 and 2022. In 2021, she competed in the Australian Rowing Championship, placing seventh in the schoolgirls four. Amling returned to the Australian Rowing Championship in 2022 and placed second in the four. In 2022, she rowed in the World Junior Rowing Championship and placed ninth in the varsity eight.

Cronin, a rower for the Chicago Rowing Foundation since 2021, has been extremely successful in her rowing career. In 2021 She competed at the Head of the Hooch Competition in 2021 and placed first in the novice A girls boat. In 2022, she competed in the American Youth Cup and placed first in the second varsity eight. Later that year Cronin placed first at the Midwest Junior Rowing Championship as well as second in the second varsity four.

George has rowed for Whitemarsh Boat Club and has competed in numerous regattas. In 2020, she competed in the USRowing Virtual Mid-Atlantic Youth Regional Championship, placing third in the Women's U17 pair. In 2021 Geroge returned to the competition to take place in the four placing first in the four. She also competed in the 2021 USRowing Youth National Regatta, placing first in the four. George also raced in the 2022 USRowing Summer National Championship and placed first in the U19 eight.

Diemer, a rower for Chicago Rowing Foundation, placed first at the 2021 Cincinnati Invitational Regatta in the second varsity eight. She also placed first at the American Youth Cup I in the Open eight. Diemer also placed second at the Midwest Junior Rowing Championship in the varsity eight. She competed in the USRowing Youth National Championship, placing second in the varsity eight. She was invited to the 2022 USRowing U19 National Team Selection camp.

In 2023, USC made its second of back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Championships and finished in 16th place with 42 team points. Under sixth-year head coach Josh Adam, the Women of Troy claimed a fourth-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships and had junior Zoe McCutheon named to the All-Conference Team. The Trojans swept crosstown rival UCLA in the annual rivalry dual to open the spring and improved to 20-1 all-time in head-to-head meetings with the Bruins. USC was ranked for much of the season in the Pocock CRCA Poll and finished the year ranked 16th in the country.

For more information on the USC women's rowing team, a complete schedule, and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/rowing. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow the team on Instagram and on Twitter @uscwomensrowing.

Players Mentioned

Chloe Amling

Ellen Ariathurai

Michaela Banta

Belle Bordier

Maeve Clifford

Regan Mary Cronin

Abbie Diemer

Lauren Donnelley

Sasha Henry

Martina Scarpello