Photo by: Sarah Smith
Spartans Welcome Six Experienced Rowers Following National Signing Day
11/17/2022 3:31:00 PM | Women's Rowing
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State rowing welcomed six experienced rowers to the program following National Signing Day, head coach Kim Chavers announced Thursday.
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"We're so excited to be adding these six early signees to the roster next fall," head coach Kim Chavers said. "Through the whole recruiting process these athletes demonstrated the values we expect of Spartan rowers, and I believe that they'll transition seamlessly into the culture here. Additionally, each of them bring a depth of experience at the junior level that we know will translate to Division I racing. We're confident that these athletes will help us continue to climb the rankings nationally and within the Big Ten."
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Katherine Delaney | 5-10 | Carmel, Ind. | Carmel
A native of Carmel, Indiana, Katherine Delaney was born in the winter of 2004 to her parents Sarah and William Delaney. She has one younger brother, named Michael, who is three years her junior. Delaney currently attends Carmel High School and participates in rowing club commitments with the Indianapolis Rowing Center. As a leader of her club rowing program, Delaney guided her boat to a third-place finish at the Head of the Ohio Regatta in Pittsburgh during the 2022 slate, achieving that feat as a member of the first varsity eights. Delaney is a standout student-athlete in and out of the classroom, highlighted by her active membership in the National Honor Society. While at Michigan State, Delaney has plans to study Public Relations and graduate in the spring of 2027.
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Georgina Hedberg | 5-9 | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | Stuartholme School
Born and raised in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Georgina Hedberg is the daughter of Tiffany and Christian Hedberg. Hedberg is the middle of three children, with her older brother Angus and younger sister Lucy, with each sibling separated by two years. Hedberg participates in her secondary school's rowing program at the Stuartholme School in Brisbane under the direction of coaches Emma McCarthy and Richard Paterson. She participated in rowing during her first few years at Stuartholme, but broke out in her grade 11 and grade 12 seasons. This season, she serves as the Captain of Boats, rowing in the open first 8, at the Met West Regional Open women's quad and placed 3rd at the state championships. Hedberg is interested in studying finance or journalism at Michigan State, and plans to pursue a career in one of those fields upon graduation.
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Diana Jonasova | 6-0 | Prague, Czech Republic | Business Academy Dusni
A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Diana Jonasova was born in the spring of 2004 and is the daughter of Michaela Kubinova and Michael Velisek. The oldest of four children, Jonasova has a younger brother named Mathias and two younger sisters named Adriana and Elodie. She is pursuing her secondary education at Business Academy Dusni in Prague, and participates in club rowing with Rowing Club Blesk in Prague. A four-year member of the Czech Youth National Team, Jonasova is one of the most experienced international rowers in the 2022 fall signing class. She has taken home six National Championships of the Czech Republic across multiple disciplines, and has helped guide her country's program to multiple podium finishes on the European stage. Jonasova plans to study marketing at Michigan State University and graduate in the spring of 2027, with hopes to pursue a career in business upon the conclusion of her rowing career.
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Jillian Lynch | 5-4 | Absecon, N.J. | Mainland Regional
The daughter of Jerry and Bonnie Lynch, Jillian Lynch was born in the fall of 2004 in Absecon, New Jersey. She has three older siblings, including two brothers named Jack and Jared and one sister named Jules. Lynch attends Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, New Jersey, and is a part of the Viking Rowing Club in Atlantic City. As a member of her high school rowing program, Lynch led her team to a second place finish in the Atlantic County Championship in the Girls JV8+ category, also taking third at the Philadelphia City Championship in the varsity fours. She helped her team reach the semifinals at the Stotesbury Regatta in 2022 as well as a second place effort at the Garden State Regatta in the 2V8 category. At Michigan State, Lynch plans to study Chemical Engineering and graduate in the spring of 2027 with plans to become a pharmaceutical researcher upon graduation.
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McKenna Reardon | 5-9 | Wynnewood, Pa. | Lower Merion
McKenna Reardon was born in the summer of 2005 and is the eldest child of Jake and Cathy Reardon. She has one younger brother, Cole, who is two years her junior. Both of her parents were collegiate athletes, with her father Jake attending Marist College as a rower, while her mother Cathy was a diver at West Chester University. Currently attending Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, she manages her rowing club commitments with the Fairmount Rowing Association. At Lower Merion, Reardon has helped guide her team to multiple top-three finishes at the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, Cooper Cup Regatta, and City Championships. With Fairmount Rowing, Reardon led her boat to a first-place finish in the Philly Youth fours and a sixth-place effort out of 43 boats in the Canadian Royal Henley Regatta. Reardon expects to graduate from Michigan State in 2027 with a degree in kinesiology, with hopes to become a strength and conditioning coach.
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Ugne Rudaityte | 6-0 | Vilnius, Lithuania | Vilniaus Jezuitu Gimnazija
Born and raised in Vilnius, Lithuania, Ugne Rudaityte joins the Spartans as one of the most decorated athletes in European Rowing over the past few years. The daughter of Vilius Rudaitis and Lina Rudaitiene, she was born in the winter of 2004 and has one older brother, Jonas. Currently completing her studies at Vilniaus Jezuitu Gimnazija, Rudaityte has spent the past few years representing Lithuania on an international stage. Rudaityte took first place at the Lithuanian U19 Championships in both 2019 and 2020, also taking second in the 2020 U16 Championships. In the 2022 European Rowing U19 Championships, Rudaityte garnered a top-10 finish at the event. Anticipating graduation in the spring of 2027, she plans to study Interior Design at Michigan State with plans to become an interior designer upon the conclusion of her rowing career.
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FOLLOW THE SPARTANSÂ
Visit MSUSpartans.com for more information on Michigan State rowing. Fans can keep up to date with the Spartan rowing program on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_Rowing.Â
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"We're so excited to be adding these six early signees to the roster next fall," head coach Kim Chavers said. "Through the whole recruiting process these athletes demonstrated the values we expect of Spartan rowers, and I believe that they'll transition seamlessly into the culture here. Additionally, each of them bring a depth of experience at the junior level that we know will translate to Division I racing. We're confident that these athletes will help us continue to climb the rankings nationally and within the Big Ten."
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Katherine Delaney | 5-10 | Carmel, Ind. | Carmel
A native of Carmel, Indiana, Katherine Delaney was born in the winter of 2004 to her parents Sarah and William Delaney. She has one younger brother, named Michael, who is three years her junior. Delaney currently attends Carmel High School and participates in rowing club commitments with the Indianapolis Rowing Center. As a leader of her club rowing program, Delaney guided her boat to a third-place finish at the Head of the Ohio Regatta in Pittsburgh during the 2022 slate, achieving that feat as a member of the first varsity eights. Delaney is a standout student-athlete in and out of the classroom, highlighted by her active membership in the National Honor Society. While at Michigan State, Delaney has plans to study Public Relations and graduate in the spring of 2027.
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Georgina Hedberg | 5-9 | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | Stuartholme School
Born and raised in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Georgina Hedberg is the daughter of Tiffany and Christian Hedberg. Hedberg is the middle of three children, with her older brother Angus and younger sister Lucy, with each sibling separated by two years. Hedberg participates in her secondary school's rowing program at the Stuartholme School in Brisbane under the direction of coaches Emma McCarthy and Richard Paterson. She participated in rowing during her first few years at Stuartholme, but broke out in her grade 11 and grade 12 seasons. This season, she serves as the Captain of Boats, rowing in the open first 8, at the Met West Regional Open women's quad and placed 3rd at the state championships. Hedberg is interested in studying finance or journalism at Michigan State, and plans to pursue a career in one of those fields upon graduation.
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Diana Jonasova | 6-0 | Prague, Czech Republic | Business Academy Dusni
A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Diana Jonasova was born in the spring of 2004 and is the daughter of Michaela Kubinova and Michael Velisek. The oldest of four children, Jonasova has a younger brother named Mathias and two younger sisters named Adriana and Elodie. She is pursuing her secondary education at Business Academy Dusni in Prague, and participates in club rowing with Rowing Club Blesk in Prague. A four-year member of the Czech Youth National Team, Jonasova is one of the most experienced international rowers in the 2022 fall signing class. She has taken home six National Championships of the Czech Republic across multiple disciplines, and has helped guide her country's program to multiple podium finishes on the European stage. Jonasova plans to study marketing at Michigan State University and graduate in the spring of 2027, with hopes to pursue a career in business upon the conclusion of her rowing career.
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Jillian Lynch | 5-4 | Absecon, N.J. | Mainland Regional
The daughter of Jerry and Bonnie Lynch, Jillian Lynch was born in the fall of 2004 in Absecon, New Jersey. She has three older siblings, including two brothers named Jack and Jared and one sister named Jules. Lynch attends Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, New Jersey, and is a part of the Viking Rowing Club in Atlantic City. As a member of her high school rowing program, Lynch led her team to a second place finish in the Atlantic County Championship in the Girls JV8+ category, also taking third at the Philadelphia City Championship in the varsity fours. She helped her team reach the semifinals at the Stotesbury Regatta in 2022 as well as a second place effort at the Garden State Regatta in the 2V8 category. At Michigan State, Lynch plans to study Chemical Engineering and graduate in the spring of 2027 with plans to become a pharmaceutical researcher upon graduation.
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McKenna Reardon | 5-9 | Wynnewood, Pa. | Lower Merion
McKenna Reardon was born in the summer of 2005 and is the eldest child of Jake and Cathy Reardon. She has one younger brother, Cole, who is two years her junior. Both of her parents were collegiate athletes, with her father Jake attending Marist College as a rower, while her mother Cathy was a diver at West Chester University. Currently attending Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, she manages her rowing club commitments with the Fairmount Rowing Association. At Lower Merion, Reardon has helped guide her team to multiple top-three finishes at the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, Cooper Cup Regatta, and City Championships. With Fairmount Rowing, Reardon led her boat to a first-place finish in the Philly Youth fours and a sixth-place effort out of 43 boats in the Canadian Royal Henley Regatta. Reardon expects to graduate from Michigan State in 2027 with a degree in kinesiology, with hopes to become a strength and conditioning coach.
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Ugne Rudaityte | 6-0 | Vilnius, Lithuania | Vilniaus Jezuitu Gimnazija
Born and raised in Vilnius, Lithuania, Ugne Rudaityte joins the Spartans as one of the most decorated athletes in European Rowing over the past few years. The daughter of Vilius Rudaitis and Lina Rudaitiene, she was born in the winter of 2004 and has one older brother, Jonas. Currently completing her studies at Vilniaus Jezuitu Gimnazija, Rudaityte has spent the past few years representing Lithuania on an international stage. Rudaityte took first place at the Lithuanian U19 Championships in both 2019 and 2020, also taking second in the 2020 U16 Championships. In the 2022 European Rowing U19 Championships, Rudaityte garnered a top-10 finish at the event. Anticipating graduation in the spring of 2027, she plans to study Interior Design at Michigan State with plans to become an interior designer upon the conclusion of her rowing career.
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FOLLOW THE SPARTANSÂ
Visit MSUSpartans.com for more information on Michigan State rowing. Fans can keep up to date with the Spartan rowing program on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_Rowing.Â
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