Rowing Roster

Coaching Staff

Kyle Barnhart - Novice Men's Coach

Kyle Barnhart '14 - Interim Head Coach, Varsity Men's Coach

Email: [email protected]

Coach Kyle Barnhart joined the Grand Valley coaching staff in 2021 and is currently the interim head coach and varsity men’s coach. During the 2022-23 season, he led the Varsity Men’s 4+ to a second place finish and the Varsity Men’s 4x to a third place finish at the ACRA National Championship. In the 2021-22 campaign, as the novice men’s coach, he led the Novice Men’s 8+ to a silver medal at the Dad Vail Regatta and a fourth place finish at the ACRA National Championship. Prior to GVSU, Barnhart spent six years as the junior program head coach at the Grand Rapids Rowing Club.

Barnhart began rowing in high school and was a four-year coxswain at Grand Valley State University. During his time at GVSU, he coxed the Women’s Varsity 8+ to a gold medal at the 2013 Dad Vail Regatta, helping to secure the women’s team points trophy, and a win at the ACRA National Championship, cementing the team’s 6th consecutive team points title. That same year they also competed at the Henley Women’s Regatta, advancing to the final round before finishing runner-up to Oxford University. In 2014 he coxed the Men’s Varsity 8+ to a win at the San Diego Crew Classic, a 5th place finish at the Dad Vail, and a bronze medal at the ACRA National Championship. His career at GVSU also included two top ten finishes at the Head of the Charles.

Barnhart is the Assistant Director for Alumni Engagement in GVSU’s Alumni Relations office where he has worked since 2017. He is married to Rhiannon McHenry Barnhart, a 2015 alumnae and former coxswain who won three national championships and the Head of the Charles in her time with the Lakers. They live in Grand Haven with their dog, Maple.

 

McKenzie Sandel - Novice Women's Coach

McKenzie Sandel '22 - Assistant Coach, Varsity Women's Coach

McKenzie Sandel first fell in love with rowing in 2011 when she joined a youth rowing camp conducted by Grosse Ile and the Wyandotte Boat Club. From that moment forward, she knew that rowing was what she wanted to pursue for the rest of her life.

In 2013 McKenzie joined her High School's rowing team (Grosse Ile) eventually earning a spot in the top lightweight four which was undefeated in the US for almost four years. In addition to the traditional spring racing season, McKenzie spent her summers racing for the Wyandotte Boat Club and was a volunteer coach for the middle school youth rowing camp. Coaching was one of the greatest highlights of McKenzie's rowing career. She said, "Watching the athletes fall in love with rowing the same way I did is so rewarding. This experience will be something they take with them for the rest of their lives, and I am glad to be a part of it."

In 2017 McKenzie continued her rowing career at Grand Valley State University, where she studied entrepreneurship and marketing. During McKenzie's freshman year, she walked onto the university's rowing team and earned a seat in the top Varsity 8+. While rowing she became a multi–ACRA National Champion and set three world records as well as three American records for completing erg marathons. McKenzie also held multiple leadership titles such as Team Captain, Trustee, Rent-A-Rower Coordinator, and President. In 2019 during McKenzie's collegiate career, she earned a spot on the U23 Vesper rowing team and raced in the varsity open quad, eight, and lightweight eight. 

McKenzie is excited to dive deeper into the world of coaching so that she can give back to a community that gave her so much. She hopes to empower other rowers to be their best, believe in themselves, and become the leaders they are meant to be.

Rebecca Kelley '22 - Novice Women's Coach

Originally from upstate New York, Rebecca first started rowing in 2011 on the Burnt Hills middle school team and continued rowing through high school. After graduating, she came to GVSU and majored in clinical exercise science. During her time at GVSU, she placed 2nd in the Novice Women's 8+ at the Dad Vail Championship in 2019 and won two ACRA National Championships, in the Novice Women’s 8+ in 2019 and the Varsity Women’s 8+ in 2022. Prior to joining the GVSU staff in 2024, Rebecca spent two years as the co-head coach of the junior program at the Grand Rapids Rowing Club. She is excited to be back with the Laker Navy and hopes to bring up the next class of novice women and watch them fall in love with the sport.

Beka Gair '24 - Novice Men's Coach

Beka began rowing in 2015 at the Grand Rapids Rowing Club. She went on to row for GVSU while majoring in behavioral neuroscience and serving in leadership roles with the team. In 2022, Beka competed in the Women’s 2nd Varsity 8+ brining home gold at the Dad Vail Championship and the ACRA National Championship. In 2023 she had a top ten finish in the Women’s Varsity 4+ at the Head of the Charles. As she moves from athlete to coach, Beka is excited to remain involved, gain new perspectives on the sport, and share her knowledge with new rowers.


Executive Board

President: Bryce Drobnick

Vice President: Daniel Zawodny

Treasurer: Brendan Butterfield

Trustees: Reece Thurston, Amelia Paulin, & Connor Wolfe

Secretary: Alyssa Cassie

Facilities Manager: Josh Scotto

Academic Chair: Arley Wagley

Clothing Coordinator: Josef Scheifer & Michael Jeromsky

Social Media Chair: Kyle Emmerson & Valley Duddles

Rent-a-Rower Coordinator: Aiden Miller


Men's Roster

Varsity Men

Athlete Name

 Class

Hometown

Aiden Miller

Senior

Greenville, MI

Brendan Butterfield

Senior

Northville, MI

Bryce Drobnick

Senior

Saline, MI

Connor Wolfe

Junior

Byron Center, MI

Daniel Zawodny

Senior

Grand Rapids, MI

Evan Becker

Senior 

Commerce Township, MI

Izak Sahutske

Senior

Gross Pointe, MI

Josef Schiefer

Junior

Auburn Hills, MI

Joshua Scotto DiVetta

Senior

Northville, MI

Kyle Emerson

Senior

Saline, MI

Mateo Vrooman

Senior

Grand Rapids, MI

Micah Hammond

Senior

Grand Haven, MI

Michael Jeromsky

Junior

Northville, MI

Miles Przybylski

Junior

Temperance, MI

Nikolai Stroemme

Sophomore

Evergreen, MI

Robbie Negrilla

Senior

Clarkston, MI

Ryan Morren

Junior

Allendale, MI

Ryan Strait

Sophomore

Macomb, MI

Sean Antone

Senior

Grand Haven, MI

Stephen Warner

Junior

Rochester, MI

Tyler Jacobs

Sophomore

Ann Arbor, MI

Novice Men

Athlete Name

Class

Hometown

Alexander Tjoelker

Freshman

 

Jack Boquette

Freshman

Traverse City, MI

Jake Keller

Freshman

Brighton, MI

Lucas Fridsma

Freshman

Grand Rapids, MI

Michael Kotov

Freshman

Hancock, MI

Ross Thompson

Sophomore

Brandon, MI

Sam Eliacostas

Freshman

Lockport, IL

Sean Bonene

Junior

Lansing, MI

Taha Ibrahim

Freshman

Grand Rapids, MI

Women's Roster

Varsity Women

Athlete Name

Class

Hometown

Alex Clark

Junior

Grandville, MI

Alyssa Cassie

Senior

Sandwich, IL

Amelia Paulin

Senior

South Lyon, MI

Arley Wagley

Sophomore

Niles, MI

Ellie Mulder

Junior

Grand Rapids, MI

Rachel Speare

Junior

Southgate, MI

Fiona Patrick

Junior

New Hudson, MI

Reece Thurston

Sophomore

Grand Rapids, MI

Sydnee Ochs

Sophomore

Whitecloud, MI

Valley Duddles

Sophomore

Sand Lake, MI

Novice Women

Athlete Name

Class

Hometown

Abrianna Carpenter

Freshman

Allegan, MI

Aliyah Springer

Freshman

Hamilton, MI

Alyssa Henry

Junior

Bibraltar, MI

Audrey Brokenshire

Sophomore

Troy, MI

Brianna Artis

Sophomore

East Lansing, MI

Ella Duffy

Freshman

Rockford, MI

Emma Harris

Freshman

Wyandotte, MI

Hannah Maudlin

Freshman

Wyandotte, MI

Jada Owen

Freshman

Hudsonville, MI

Jillian Webb

Freshman

Temperance, MI

Jodi Davis

Sophomore

Holland, MI

Luci Stein

Freshman

Jenison, MI

Sawyer Buening

Sophomore

Indianapolis, IN

Shannon Preston

Freshman

Rockford, MI

Sophia Tawney

Freshman

Rockford, MI



Page last modified October 9, 2024