In unprecedented times, Yale University Athletics is rallying together as One Bulldog Nation. While the health and safety of everyone must be at the forefront of every decision, Yale Athletics celebrates the outstanding accomplishments that our winter postseason-qualifying teams and spring programs have made this season. This week we begin honoring the outstanding senior classes of our teams that had their seasons cut short. Next up is lightweight crew.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Two weeks away from the start of the racing season, the Yale lightweights were preparing to face off with the Naval Academy in their first dual of the semester. As we all know now, the Bulldogs were faced with an abrupt end to their season before it even began. As the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread across the country and the world, the Ivy League made the decision to cancel all spring sports.
Not only was this a great loss for the Elis as a whole, it was especially heartbreaking for the 10 seniors on the Y150. This sudden end to their athletic careers, however, does not take away from the legacy that the members of the class of 2020 leave behind.
Overall, this class is remarkable for its unity, size and overall team achievement, best exemplified by the 2019 Jope Cup at the Eastern Sprints. The Jope Cup personifies the over-riding desire of all Yale lightweights: to help get their teammates on the podium as the best team in the league. The Class of 2020 was determined to repeat the feat this spring.
As first years, the class of 2020 participated in a racing season that saw successful performances in the first, second and third varsity eights during the regular season, with the varsity finishing 7-1 against its opponents. At the EARC Sprints, the 2V won silver and the 3V won gold. After finishing sixth at the Sprints, the varsity went on to earn a bronze medal at the IRA National Championship, ranking third in the country.
As sophomores, the Y150 kept a strong regular season record, with the varsity eight finishing 6-2 against league opponents. At the EARC Sprints, the first-ever Y150 4V medal was won, with the help of several members of the class of 2020.
As juniors, the class of 2020 began to settle into a leadership role on the team and helped their teammates to an outstanding 2019 campaign. The 2V, 3V and 4V all went undefeated in the regular season. At the EARC Sprints, the 1V, 2V, 3V and 5V4 each took home silver medals, alongside gold in the 4V. The class of 2020's final complete racing season ended with the squad taking home the Jope Cup for overall team points.
A double major in environmental studies and economics in Saybrook College,
James Ash (Tiburon,Calif.) has made a major impact on the Y150 since his first year. Ash has been a staple of the varsity with repeated regular season wins over league opponents. Further, Ash was in the 2017 4+ that won a gold medal at the 53rd Head of the Charles Regatta, setting a course record.
Aaron Bosgang (Port Washington, N.Y.), a film and media studies major in Timothy Dwight College, was part of the undefeated 2017 3V that went on to win gold at the EARC Sprints. As a junior, he was the stroke seat of the undefeated 4V during the regular season and led his crew to a gold medal at the Sprints.
Gavin Boyd-Goodrich (La Honda, Calif.) is an economics major in Timothy Dwight College, and plans to continue his rowing career coaching post-graduation. As a first year, Boyd-Goodrich was also part of the gold-winning 3V in 2017. His sophomore year, he rowed in the first varsity eight throughout the regular season, with many wins over league opponents. As a junior, he was in the undefeated 3V, ultimately taking home a silver medal at the EARC Sprints.
Quentin Geczy (Melbourne, Australia), an economics major in Trumbull College, overcame injury in his early years to race in the fourth varsity eight his sophomore year, defeating Navy. His junior year, he helped lead his crew in the fourth varsity eight to an undefeated regular season, culminating in a gold medal at the EARC Sprints.
Silver Käsper (Pärnu, Estonia), an economics major in Ezra Stiles College, returned this year determined to compete after a year abroad. As a first year, Käsper stroked the fourth varsity eight. In 2018, he helped the fourth varsity eight with wins over Columbia, Penn, Dartmouth and Harvard, and ultimately finished the season in the third varsity eight.
William Langhorne (Pensacola, Fla.) is an English major in Pauli Murray College. As a walk-on to the Yale lightweights, Langhorne picked up rowing quickly, rowing in the fifth varsity eight throughout the regular season his first year. As a sophomore, he rowed in the fourth varsity eight, winning a bronze at the EARC Sprints. He continued showing leadership in the fourth varsity as a junior, ultimately taking home a gold medal.
Daniel Santiago Saldarriaga Arango (Orlando, Fla.), an architecture major in Jonathan Edwards College, began his career at Yale as two-seat of the third varsity eight that won gold at the EARC Sprints. As a sophomore, he rowed in the second varsity eight and raced in the straight four at the IRA National Championships. As a junior, Saldarriaga showed leadership in the fourth varsity eight, going undefeated during the regular season and bringing home a gold medal at the Sprints.
Gabi Seo (Chicago, Ill.) came to the Y150 with no prior rowing experience and picked up the skill of coxing remarkably quickly. A cognitive science major in Berkeley College, Seo was quickly boated her first year in the third varsity eight, bringing home a gold medal at the EARC Sprints. Her sophomore and junior years, she coxed the second varsity eight, ultimately winning a silver medal her junior year.
Duncan Moore (Albany, Ga.), a statistics and data science major in Morse College, has been a member of the first varsity eight since his first year. In 2017, Moore was the coxswain of the first varsity eight that placed third at the IRA National Championships. He continued in the varsity his sophomore year, accruing wins over Navy, Harvard and other league opponents. As a junior, he coxed the varsity eight to a silver medal at the EARC Sprints. Moore was also selected as a 2018-19 Academic All-Ivy honoree. As the Commodore of the 2020 campaign and first-ever coxswain selected for this position, Moore showed remarkable leadership up to and through the season cancellation. From training younger coxswains to constantly keeping the team on point, Moore has left an unmistakable legacy.
Brian O'Donnell (Marlboro, Mass.), the captain of the 2020 campaign, is a history major in Silliman College. O'Donnell spent three consecutive championship seasons in the first varsity eight. His first year, he helped bring home a bronze medal at the IRA National Championships. As a sophomore, O'Donnell was a part of the 4+ that won a gold medal at the 53rd Head of the Charles Regatta, setting a course record. His junior year, he rowed in the varsity eight that placed second at the EARC Sprints, helping the team bring home the Jope Cup. As the elected captain of the Y150, the members of the squad had hand-picked O'Donnell to lead them to victory in the 2020 season. O'Donnell's determination and leadership will be characteristics sought to be emulated by future captains for years to come.
