FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's rowing program celebrates the career of its eight seniors, honoring the class of 2020 for their dedication to its team, its coaches, and the University community. The senior class includes Liam Creegan, Barak Davidi, Christopher Lamberti, Alyssa McNally, Seamus O'Brien, Charlie Riordan, Matthew Sutter, and Garrett White. The seniors took a moment to reflect on their careers while the coaching staff and teammates also added their views on the contributions made by member of the Class of 2020.



                Winters in New England are not always kind to spring student-athletes as they try to prepare and at times compete during the month of March. It was something that the men's rowing team faced four years ago when they stayed in the harsh New England climate rather than head south for warmer temperatures. In the end, it was the perfect place for senior Liam Creegan to find his passion.
                "I will never forget the spring break of my freshman year," Creegan said. "At first, hearing that we were going to have to stay on campus doing two practices a day in the freezing cold for an entire week sounded terrible. But in hindsight, it was one of the most fun experiences I have ever had. Being a freshman, the week solidified so many relationships that have since grown into amazing friendships today. Still to this day, we still talk about and reminisce about the crazy snowstorm and traditions we did."
                While one could not pin point that experience as the only reason for the success Creegan enjoyed during his four-year career, the week set the foundation for his career with Fairfield rowing. During his career, Creegan had many highlights but none more significant than his run on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.
                "One of the most memorable highlights is when I earned bronze in the Quad at the Dad Vail Regatta in 2018," Creegan said. " I will never forget the adrenaline and the excitement of the race from the first strokes to the finish line. The energy from my fellow teammates eagerly watching from the stands was palpable ad seeing the culmination of my boat's hard work in such an amazing way is something I will never forget."
                His dedication and work ethic is something that is noticed by his teammates, serving as inspiration for everyone.
                "Liam is an incredibly hardworking and resourceful friend who I am always glad to be around," teammate Brendan Smith said. "I know he will do great things in life."
                The coaching staff also saw his potential and saw his development through his four years on the water.
                "Liam was relentless once he saw the potential in himself," Head Coach Casey Fuller said. "Once realizing how fast he could be, he worked on his technique every chance he had. Last year, he was the most improved athlete on the men's team."
                An improvement that started in the teeth of a New England snowstorm.



                Barak Davidi joined the men's rowing program as a transfer student-athlete who quickly made the transition to becoming a member of the squad. He gained the respect of his teammates with his work ethic which translated into results each time he took to the water.
                "Barak is one of the nicest guys I've ever met," teammate John Fee said. "He is a great leader and was a great addition to the team. I appreciate everything Barak did for the team."
                Davidi's inquisitive nature set an example for his teammates as he constantly sought ways to get better by asking questions and working toward improving his skills and his performance.
                "Barak was never shy or scared to ask questions that ultimately helped everyone on the team," Head Coach Casey Fuller said. "I was always happy that he spoke up and asked questions. Also, Barak never had to be told what to do more than once. He always worked hard when no one was watching."
                In addition to his leadership, Davidi also was a consistent contributor to the team's success in races, including breaking the 6:30 mark and setting a personal best in the Fall.
                "Coming in, I didn't understand what it would take to get to that time," Davidi said. "Breaking the 6:30 mark and setting a career record in my senior year was a personal highlight for me."
                He also excelled in the classroom where he earned Dean's List status throughout his academic career.
                "Attending the annual Dean's List dinner was always rewarding for me," Davidi said.
                With his career completed, Davidi looks back and sees how being part of the rowing program has left its mark on his life and will continue to help him when he moves beyond the Fairfield campus.
                "Joining the Fairfield rowing program as a transfer student meant I had a supportive community to aid in the transition," Davidi said. "Throughout the years, rowing was an opportunity to develop, work as a team, and mentor incoming teammates."



                National rankings have a way of gaining attention regardless of what the number may be. So when Fairfield's lightweight 8 earned the number 14 spot in the national poll, the program earned some much deserved recognition. Christopher Lamberti was part of that boat.
                "Rowing bow seat in the lightweight eight when it was ranked and medaling bronze in the Quad at Dad Vails in 2018 are two of my personal highlights," Lamberti said. "These are the most meaningful to me because I am not fast on the erg by any standards or the strongest in the weight room. So, being able to accomplish things on the water were the most meaningful to me."
                Success on the water does not always tie to the physical attributes of any one crew, but often time works more on how they work as a unit when skimming across the water. Hard work and positivity can produce just as many results as the physicality of the sport, two things that Lamberti possessed as much as anyone in the program.
                "Chris always came to practice ready to work and always contributed a positive spirit to the team even during the grueling winter months," Coach Fuller said. "Individually, he always looked to go above and beyond to get faster."
                His desire to work hard so that he could get better was not lost on his teammates.
                "Chris was the best partner I could ask for," teammate Michael Botttega said. "He always helped me to push and keep up with your work ethic. Thank you for all the good times."
                Now that the competition has ended, Lamberti will make the transition from student-athlete to life outside the Fairfield community where he will use the many skills that he collected as a rower.
                "Working through real struggles and also celebrating great success is what has shaped me and has given me the best mindset to achieve success in life post-grad," Lamberti said. "The kind of family that is built from tough competitive atmospheres, such as Fairfield rowing, is unbreakable since everyone across the board is pushing themselves to their physical and psychological limits and that is done not as individuals but as a group."                
 

 
                Dad Vails is one of the premier events on the spring rowing schedule. For Alyssa McNally, the event means even more as the weekend provided her with some of her richest memories as a member of the men's rowing program.
                Under her guidance as the coxswain, the lightweight 8 captured first place in its heat at Dad Vail during her first season with the program. She followed up by guiding the varsity 8 to a sub 6:00 run one year later at the 2019 event. The time represented the fastest varsity 8+ to complete the Dad Vail course.
                "The lightweight 4 was my first varsity boat and it was an incredibly motivated and supportive group," McNally said. "The men in the eight worked incredibly hard all season and I had the privilege of pushing them to new limits."
                Teammates pushing each other is critical especially in a team-oriented sport such as rowing. McNally's ability to gain the best out of her teammates did not go unnoticed by members of the boats she guided when in the water.
                "I believe Alyssa had been exactly the kind of coxswain this team needs," teammate Mike Pagliaro said. "She always does what needs to be done and is not afraid to motivate the guys on the team to better themselves. Her winning attitude and expertise has set a high standard for future coxswains."
                "Alyssa was one of the best additions this team ever made," Coach Fuller said. "Her background as a rower made her, in my opinion, the best coxswain Fairfield Men's Rowing ever had."
                Pushing others may have been a quality that earned McNally the respect and admiration from her coaches and teammates. That same quality also had an effect on her, sending her to personal affirmation.
                "I have learned so many lessons in my time in this program that you could never learn in a classroom," McNally said. "This sport and program taught me about sacrifice, hard work, discipline, accountability, courage, and leadership. The lessons I've learned from being part of the Fairfield rowing program have made me a better person and I would not trade the hours I spent with this team for anything in the world."
 

                Not knowing anyone so early in the academic year, freshman Mike Greene sat by himself in the Quick Center auditorium, waiting for the start of the annual preseason student-athlete meeting. His solitude quickly came to an end when Seamus O'Brien spotted him in the crowd.
                "I was nervous as I sat in the Quick Center," Greene said. "Seamus saw me, introduced himself and brought me over to Lars (Erickson) and Alyssa (McNally) and the rest is history. Seamus brought the team together. He embodied the 'team first' mentality and is greatly responsible for the team chemistry we built this year."
                O'Brien seemed to embrace the family concept when it came to rowing and his teammates. It was that sense of chemistry that helped him make an impact off the water as well as in the boat.
                "The closest connection I can give is that Fairfield Rowing means family,' O'Brien said. "I will always remember Fairfield Rowing as a program that molds its student-athletes into impactful people in whatever they do."
                As a graduating senior, O'Brien may be looking beyond the water at this point of his life. But he understands that his outlook is much better after his experience with the rowing team. His success on the water and in the classroom stems from his feeling of family which seems to be a central theme for him and his teammates.
                "I will miss the camaraderie during practice and after as well as we all have breakfast together," O'Brien said. "There are few things that will be more special than the family I made on this team."
                The family that he has made was instrumental in coming together as a crew in competition. O'Brien was part of a boat that competed and succeeded in national competition, racing at the Dad Vail Regatta followed by the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships during his sophomore season.
                "Those events are so meaningful to me because we were racing successfully against the best competition," O'Brien said. "To top it off, I found out that I would be a captain at that time. We were having the most fun as a team training for those races."
                He was not the only one who saw his chance to serve as captain as an opportunity for the rowing team. Head Coach Casey Fuller saw the impact that the leadership position had on O'Brien.
                "From day one as captain, Seamus built on the progress that previous classes established and helped take the team to the next level," Coach Fuller said. "He was a leader that the team needed during his two years as captain."
                 Leadership as a captain doesn't just happen in a boat, on the water, during competition. It also happens in an auditorium when a teammate needs it the most.
 


                Out of the corner of his eye, Charles Riordan could see the competition. It's a view that the senior will miss as a member of the Fairfield University men's rowing team.
                "There's no experience like when you're in a boat flying through the water at full race pace with your teammates right there next to you working just as hard. The cox is yelling and you can see the rival boat out of the corner of your eye," Riordan said. "It's pure adrenaline. I will miss the intense competition alongside my best friends."
                Riordan and his teammates have battled the best in the region and the nation over the years which provided him with the ultimate competitive rush. He points to the Dad Vail Regatta, a national competition that sends the Stags against the best of the best.
                "My personal highlight would probably be my boat breaking six minutes during our final at Dad Vails in 2019," Riordan said. "Vails was meaningful because although it wasn't the outcome we wanted, we knew we had left it all out on the race course. To achieve something like that with the whole boat after a season of hard work is gratifying and makes you excited for the future."
                The future was not a given for Riordan earlier in his career as back problems plagued him on and off over the years. But it was his persistence that kept him on the water and in the purview of the coaching staff.
                "Charles is the comeback kid," Head Coach Casey Fuller said. "Throughout his career, he suffered from back issues. After recovering, Charlie worked his way up from being unable to row at all to one of the top rowers in the program."
                His hard work and positive outlook was also noticed by his teammates as he worked through his issues and became a major contributor to the program.
                "Charlie is one of the hardest workers on the team," teammate Jack Moynihan said. "He went out of his way to make sure everyone was comfortable and felt like they were family on the team."
                For Riordan, the bond felt by his teammates is just as strong for him towards them.
                "The people I met have become my best friends, hopefully for life," Riordan said. "The work has shown me how a person can push themselves further than they think possible and redefined for me what it's like to chase a goal and be part of a team."
                It was a chase he saw coming out of the corner of his eye.



                The rigors of being a student-athlete can be daunting at times whether it be in the classroom or in competition. So it's always helpful to have a teammate to pick you up when you need it most.
                "Being a part of Fairfield rowing means everything to me," senior Matt Sutter said. "It gave me structure and a group of friends that I bonded with and will be in contact with for the rest of my life."
                Sutter's achievements both academically and athletically have been many during his time at Fairfield University. Whether it was Fall or Spring, he always seemed to be in the mix when the Stags were making runs during some of the region's and nation's most competitive events.
                "Finishing fourth at the Dad Vails during my sophomore year was a huge highlight for me," Sutter said. "Being able to place that high at such a prestigious was an amazing experience. It was amazing to share that with my teammates."
                Sutter shared more than just those moments of triumph with his teammates. His leadership was evident to many of the underclassmen by the way he reached out to the newcomers and brought them into the fold.
                "Matt was a great model for us (freshmen) this year," said teammate Alex Beckwith. "He's a great guy and is really driven. He always made an effort to talk and get to know all of the underclassmen this year and I'll definitely miss him being around."
                Part of being a leader is not just telling teammates what to do but showing just how it's done. The technicality of rowing makes it imperative that skills be developed and honed which only comes through individual effort. Sutter always seemed to be ready to do just that, something that was noticed by teammates and coaches alike.
                "Matt was one of the most coachable rowers on the team," Head Coach Casey Fuller said. "He went out and achieved every ambitious fitness goal that we discussed."
                It's that camaraderie that will be missed most by Sutter.
                "I will miss being able to hang out with all of my Fairfield rowing brothers at the boathouse each and every day," Sutter said.
                It's a sentiment that will be echoed by his teammates and coaches.



                   Clichés have been around the sports world for decades. Among those adages is a phrase that states to be the best you must compete against the best. But every once in a while, these common statements hold true which is the case when you talk about the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships.
                  "One of the biggest highlights of my career was the special opportunity to row at the IRA National Championship," senior Garrett White said. "The competition brought the fastest crews in the nation together. It was a team goal of ours to complete in the IRA. I'll never forget the electric and exciting atmosphere at the regatta. It was an incredible experience."
                  White was at the center of the lightweight four entry that enjoyed success throughout the 2018 season which culminated in the program's IRA appearance. His participation in the venture was no surprise to Head Coach Casey Fuller, who also represented the Stags as a member of the varsity 4 boat that competed in that same competition.
                  "Garrett transferred to Fairfield midway through his sophomore year and immediately bought into the culture of the team," Coach Fuller said. "Since then, he continually contributed to the overall team success, no matter which boat he was in each year."
                  White's transfer helped bolster a strong team and provided a base level for the program's success over the past couple of seasons. His mark was apparent to many of teammates as soon as he joined the Stags.
                  "From the moment he transferred, Garrett made an immediate impact," teammate Tom Cole said. "Being stroke seat for three years was no easy task but he welcomed it every day. He was a great teammate and was always a great locker room guy. I enjoyed being around him."
                  Just as his teammates appreciated his presence, White is also grateful for the family atmosphere that surrounds the team.
                  "The Fairfield rowing program and its members are like my second family," White said. "It's an incredible group of individuals pushing each other on the water and in the classroom. Being a part of the program was a special and unique experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. It helped me grow and thrive in all areas of my life, making me into a better version of myself. I also want to thank the Fairfield athletic department for their support over the years. Once a Stag, always a Stag."
                  It's a sentiment that is unique unlike the clichés that encompass the world of sports.