BUZZARDS BAY, Mass -- At the end of every sports season, traditionally prior the final regular season home game, we honor our senior student-athletes for their contributions to their respective programs prior to playing their final home game at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. With the current global climate and spring seasons being cancelled our seniors had the opportunity to walk on the field with their family taken away from them. In honor of our seniors we would like to take the time to recognize them and their time as a Buccaneer.

While most sports at the Academy just have a fall or spring season crew competes in both seasons with four to five events in each portion of their season and the New England Rowing Championships in Worcester, Mass capping off their season in early May. Unfortunately, the crew team was only able to compete in the fall as their spring season was cancelled in full a week before it was scheduled to begin. The team was scheduled to compete in races at Johnson & Wales in Providence, R.I., UMass Lowell, Endicott College in Beverly, Mass and at home on Great Herring Pond in Plymouth, Mass.

With the majority of the crew competitions taking place off campus the team does not get their own senior day. But, with this spring ever changing and our crew program being one near and dear to the Maritime community, we wanted to take the time to recognize our outstanding crew seniors on the spring roster.

"Interestingly, all four of the seniors leaving us this spring were walk-ons," said head crew coach Alex Machi. "None of them had rowed before coming to the Academy and now they are four-year members of the team with two of them remaining with the team as assistant coaches. I cannot say enough about these student-athletes."

We begin with McKenzie Hartman, a Marine Science, Safety and Environmental Protection major from Sudbury, Mass. A captain of the women's crew team, Hartman is described as a hardworking, consistent, dedicated, supportive team member. "She always brings a calming influence and a steady hand in the midst of chaos," said head coach Alex Machi. "When teammates are down Kenzie finds a way to elevate the mood. She earned her captaincy by encouraging younger rowers, expressing appreciation for anyone when they performed well, and always gave maximum effort every day on the water."

Next is Ethan Logan. The Vernon, Conn native and Marine Transportation major has served as a coxswain for the men's team since his freshman year. He earned the respect of his teammates and coaches from the start with his quick grasp of the technical aspects of the job as well as demonstrating his ability to motivate his rowers during practice and in competition. "It is often said that, pound for pound, a skilled coxswain is the most valuable person in the rowing shell. Ethan proved that to myself and the rest of the coaching staff very early in his career. Ultimately, he showed just how much he learned as a rower when he joined the coaching staff in the spring of 2020. There is no one who knows him who wouldn't sign on to a ship if Ethan is the skipper," said Coach Machi.

Our third senior is Marine Science, Safety and Environmental Protection major Timothy O'Neill. From Block Island, R.I. Tim has always shown sound decision making and quiet leadership throughout his career with the Maritime crew. During his years rowing with his teammates, Tim often steered the men's squad away from the "rocks and shoals" that can wreck a young team and was always making a big contribution in every boat he rowed in. "Tim's intelligent guidance and unparalleled work ethic is why he was elected men's team captain and, like his former coxswain and friend, Ethan Logan, his accomplishments at the Academy will be hard to match," said Machi.

Last and certainly not least is Patria 'Cat' Swan. From Ashland, Ohio, the Energy Systems Engineering major is "probably one of the best known, well respected, and beloved cadets on the Academy campus today," said Coach Machi. "Not surprisingly, her teammates feel the same way about her." Cat is described as a fierce competitor who inspires those around her to work harder. She is largely responsible for the tremendous camaraderie and success felt by the members of the Maritime women's crew.

Congratulations to all of you on outstanding careers as Buccaneers. From all of us in the Department of Athletics, your coaches, and teammates, thank you for your hard work and dedication to Buccaneer Athletics and the Academy as a whole. Your achievements on and off the track will always be remembers. Good luck to all of you on your future endeavors.