SHELTON, Conn. – The Fairfield University men's and women's rowing programs opened the 2026 Fall season successfully with both teams picking up first-place finishes at the Head of the Housatonic on Saturday. The men's varsity 8 and novice 8 both finished first at the regatta, while the women's varsity 4 earned gold.
The Stags placed four boats in the collegiate 8+, three of which placed in the top seven of the final listings. Fairfield won the event with a time of 13:46.54 behind the efforts of Grant Retelny, Luca Tarricone, Owen Chandria, Luca Mellado, Sean Rhatigan, William Talay, Corde Catalano, Braeden Gibbons, and coxswain Maddy Gross.
Fairfield's C boat was next in line with a sixth-place finish, taking the distance in 14:26.24. The boat was comprised by Christian Johnson, Spyros Baris, William Liakouras, Tim Stoeber, Lucas Lesser, James Hamilton, Joey Stumm, Hayden Lyons, and coxswain Brynn Holibaugh. The B boat's placement was spot below in seventh with a time of 14:30.54. The entry included Eamon Tonna, James Penzak, Ean Ray, Vinny DiPalo, Zalan Kovacs, Sam Elliott, Maxim Tsavaris, Connor Carroll, and coxswain Cedric Wysocki.
The D boat rounded out the Fairfield competitors with a 16
th-place finish as Max Benestead, Dillon Fall, James Casper, Alex Manich, Brian Peknic, Charlie Schumacher, Josh Van Buren, Andre Cordella, and coxswain Max Cona.
The women's four earned the top spot in its event based on clocking in at 17:31.25 with the boat consisting of
Victoria Conrad, Molly Squire,
Leyla Ziemba,
Zuzanna Janusz, and coxswain Grace Tyzska. The second varsity four garnered sixth place with a time of 18:06.01 as
Sasha Atencio,
Shawn O'Brien,
Sophia Savage,
Cailey Chechitelli, and coxswain
Petra Mayers representing the Stags.
The men's four secured third place and ninth place with their two entries in the race. Owen Chandria, Luca Mellado, Sean Rhatigan, William Talay, and coxswain Mohammed Bardi worked together for Fairfield's top time of 15:34.20 which finished only behind Yale's two shells. Fairfield's B boat completed the race in 16:23.13 behind the efforts of Maxim Tsavaris, Luca Tarricone, Corde Catalano, Braeden Gibbons, and coxswain Maddy Gross.
Fairfield's women secured four of the top 10 spots in the collegiate 8, beginning with
Maya DiMiceli,
Maggie Choksi,
Lucia Pozgay,
Maddie Dudley,
Sophia Moore,
Scout Lewis, Scatlett Steele,
Grace O'Brien, and coxswain
Leah Murphy.
The A boat, which was comprised by
Sasha Atencio,
Shawn O'Brien,
Sophia Savage,
Cailey Chechitelli,
Victoria Conrad, Molly Squire,
Leyla Ziemba,
Zuzanna Janusz, and coxswain Grace Tyzska, crossed the line seventh in 16:08.05.
The C entry took ninth place based on its time of 17:41.06 with Jill Segel,
Grace Polatsek,
Alexis Gedgard,
Clair Jennings,
Sofia Tufano,
Ainsley Hoekzema,
Lauren Hoppe,
Catherine Martin, and coxswain Anna Zandier. The D shell secured 10
th place by taking the distance in 17:51.08. The boat included Luci Greisman,
Annabelle Langlais,
Mia Sorrentino,
Kaitlyn Fleming,
Raquel DeLeo, Caity Gregitis,
Jayra Liriano,
Caroline Warywoda, and coxswain
Elizabeth Feulner.
