Madison Sieloff, senior at Trenton High School, signed her National Letter of Intent and the Big 10 Tender for Women’s Rowing team at Rutgers University on Nov. 9. Rutgers is a Big 10, NCAA Division 1 University located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Women’s Rowing has been a sport at Rutgers since 1974. Rutgers is the nation’s eighth oldest university and is celebrating its 250th anniversary this month. Madison plans to study business.
In 2014, Madison Sieloff co-founded the Trenton High School varsity crew with friend Emily Kemp. Madison has served as a varsity coxswain and a captain since the team’s formation. Even though crew is the newest varsity sport in Trenton, the team has had great success in its first two years of competition.
Last spring, Trenton’s Women’s Lightweight 4+ placed third at the Scholastic Rowing Association of Michigan Championship Regatta in Grand Rapids. This boat consisted of Madison Sieloff (coxswain), and rowers Alessandra Danyo, Blake Livernois, Lauren Truitt and Grace Krawczyk.
The crew also succeeded in international competition last year. The Trenton High School Varsity crew was one of over 120 North American teams who competed at the Canadian Secondary Schools Rowing Association Regatta located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Trenton’s Women placed sixth in the 63 Kg 8+ finals race. This boat consisted of Madison Sieloff (coxswain), and rowers Alessandra Danyo, Blake Livernois, Lauren Truitt, Grace Krawczyk, Sarah Cullen, Laura Stapleton, Katelyn Matusik, and Megan McNeely.
Trenton’s crew has grown much faster than anyone expected, with more than 50 students participating in its second year of competition in spring 2016. Sieloff said she is thankful for the amazing support from her family, teammates, coaches, crew families, the Wyandotte Boat Club, everyone from Trenton Schools, and the Trenton community.
“Everyone has been so supportive since we started crew,” Sieloff said. “We knew from the beginning that having rowing at Trenton High would be great for our community.”
Madison thanked Head Coach Bob Olszewski, a retired Trenton High mathematics teacher and rower for more than 50 years, who came out of retirement to become the Head Coach of Trenton High School’s Varsity Crew.
“Coach Olszewski has sacrificed so much over the last few years so that we could be successful.” Sieloff remarked. “Coach O. has not only taught us how to row, he has taught us how to be a hardworking team dedicated to be the best we can be!”
Madison also thanked Coach Rod Lively and the other coaches for dedicating so much of their time to the student athletes.
“Trenton’s Crew is more than a team of athletes. It is a community of families who have joined together to provide maximum opportunities for Trenton High students.” Madison said. “I am thrilled to attend Rutgers University and be a member of its Women’s Rowing team. I love rowing and could never have imagined how much it would change my life.”