UCONN MEN'S CREW NOVICES '25-'26 PART 1

This fall has been one of the strongest novice seasons we have had in a long time, and a lot of that comes from the energy and commitment our newest rowers brought from day one. Our novices put together an undefeated season, medaling at every race and beating multiple division classified teams along the way. Some came in with rowing backgrounds, but most were trying the sport for the first time, and all of them now hold their own on the water and add a lot to the team’s culture. Below is the first set of eight novice spotlights, sharing who they are, what brought them here, and how crew has shaped their time at UConn so far. There will be more coming soon for the rest of our novices and our amazing novice coxswains.

Greg Meindl

Stroke seat of the Open 4+ at Wormtown Chase

Greg came to UConn Men’s Crew with alpine skiing experience and a drive to stay in competitive sport, and he talks about how the intensity of skiing overlaps with rowing even though the two are completely different. He says the biggest challenge is pushing through the pain when his body wants to stop, but being on the team has given him a community, a social circle, and something meaningful to focus on outside of academics. His favorite memory so far is winning his novice four, and his friends and family have been fully behind him since the start.

Cameron Kubinsky

Cameron (2nd from the left) winning Gold at the Head of the Housatonic

Cameron always wanted to try rowing after watching his cousin race at Head of the Charles, and joining UConn Crew gave him a chance to step away from his old sports of swimming and running and learn something new with a true team dynamic. He says the hardest adjustment has been learning to move slow to go fast, since every sport he did before rewarded speed over control. Staying competitive has shaped his college routine, and the daily practice schedule keeps him grounded. Winning gold in his novice four, especially in the boat that everyone jokes about, stands as his proudest moment so far, and his family loves every photo he sends home.

Jacob Tierney

Jake as 3 seat of the Silver medal winning Novice 8+ at Wormtown Chase

Jacob found crew through curiosity and the club sports fair, bringing with him backgrounds in wrestling and volleyball that already taught him to appreciate technical sports. He likes that rowing challenges him with countless small details that all matter at once, and he says the team has become a major part of his college life by giving him friends and a new skill to work on every day. His favorite moments come from the simple joking around at practice, and his friends and family have been nothing but supportive of his new sport.

Nick Harootunian

Nick (Leftmost) with the Novice 8+ that won Bronze at the Head of the Housatonic

Nick joined because he was drawn to the grit of the sport and the idea that if he could wake up every morning for practice in college, he could handle anything in life. He had never competed in a sport before but loved the team environment and the idea of pushing himself daily, especially after hearing stories from his cousin who rowed at the Olympics. Nick says the most difficult part is fixing his form and constantly wondering if he is doing it right, but the team has given him close friends and more activity than he ever would have had on his own. His first race stands out as the moment everything clicked, and his family thinks it’s awesome that he is doing something so intense.

Yogahari Natarajan Jegadeeswaran

Yoga (Leftmost) posing with the Novice 4+ that won Gold at Wormtown Chase

Yoga came back to rowing after some encouragement from old teammates, UCMC recruiting, and a final push from his mom, and he now balances both crew and the UConn karate team. He likes that the team stays competitive without losing its sense of camaraderie, even when everyone is fighting to move up boats. The toughest part for him is getting through the middle of a row when he questions why he’s doing it, but pushing past that moment is something he finds meaningful. Being on the team forces him to stay organized, keep a real sleep schedule, and stay ahead in classes because of the early mornings. His favorite memories come from regattas and walking around with teammates after racing, and he says there is a general respect for the sport from everyone who hears about the 5 am practices.

Tyler Brown

Ty (3rd from the left) with the Novice 8+ that won Bronze at Head of the Riverfront

Ty joined because of Adi and Christian, coming in from soccer and tennis which he says don’t compare much to rowing. The toughest thing for him is dealing with constant tiredness and the early wakeups, but being on the team has helped him meet new people and experience competition in a new way. His favorite moments are race days, and though he keeps his answers simple, he says his friends and family think the sport is cool.

Peter Morenus III

Peter in 2 seat of the Gold winning Novice 4+ at Wormtown Chase

Peter joined crew via the EO pipeline, through a friend dragging him in, and because he wanted something active to do with people just as unique as him. He previously tried baseball and skiing but says nothing matches the family element of crew, especially when most of the team studies the same major. His biggest obstacle has been the cardio wall, since he used to get exhausted even after warmup, but now he pushes through with the help of the team. Rowing has given him a strong support network (along with sleep deprivation), and his favorite moment so far has been winning at the Hous. His family loves that he continues the sport, especially since his mom used to bring food to EO regattas.

Alex McPherson

Alex in 4 seat of the Bronze winning Novice 8+ at Head of the Riverfront

Alex joined because rowing looked interesting and felt like the perfect blend of strength, cardio, and technique, and he came in with a background in football that taught him how important full team effort is. He says timing with the rest of the crew has been the hardest part, especially locking in with stroke seat, but being part of this team has made his whole college experience better. He jokes that he has no social life outside crew, yet he still loves every part of it. His favorite memories include finishing the long race at the Hous and serving as grill master afterward, which made him feel like he played a big role in taking care of the team. His family thinks rowing fits him perfectly and his friends are always curious to hear about it.

These eight novices have already made their mark on the team, and it has been great watching them grow from their first strokes on the ergs to lining up at their first races. Their stories are only part of what makes this year’s novice class special, and there is still more to share. In the next newsletter, we will introduce the rest of our novices along with our dedicated novice coxswains, who keep the boats moving and the team grounded. We are excited to keep highlighting the people who make UConn Men’s Crew what it is.