University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Welcomes Fall Signing Class
November 20, 2017 | Women's Rowing
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The UNC rowing program has signed five high school athletes to letters of intent during the fall signing period. Future Tar Heels set to join the program in the fall of 2018 are Alessandra De Vito, Charlotte Melgard, Lara King, Amanda Perez and Chloe Todd.
"The goal this fall was quality over quantity," UNC assistant coach Anthony Brock said. "This class is a little smaller than our others, but that was the plan all along – we know we will add some outstanding athletes to this class come the April signing period and also with our walk-on pool next fall. We're very pleased about these five signees and think they're going to help our program continue to grow and also fit in really well with our team. They have excelled academically and athletically during their high school careers and we expect them to continue to do so at UNC.
"At the same time, we continue to recruit for our spring class – these five will be great keystones to build the rest of the class around, and we'll work to find spring signees who fit with the personalities and abilities of these five. We know there are talented student-athletes out there who would be a good fit for our program and we look forward to signing more of them in the spring."
De Vito is from Newton, Mass., and attends the Winsor School, where she has been a member of the varsity team since her freshman year. She has been on Winsor teams that won the New England Championship in 2015, 2016 and 2017, and in a boat that finished 11th at the Head of the Charles this fall. She also is a member varsity swim team, head of the Model United Nations, and head of her school's peer mentoring program.
Melgard is from Winnetka, Ill., and rows for New Trier High School, where she also plays for the varsity ice hockey team. She has raced at Scholastic Nationals, the Head of the Charles, and Youth Nationals, where she placed second in lightweight 8+ in 2017 for the best finish in New Trier history. As a senior, she captains the team.
King is from Sarasota, Fla., and is in her seventh year as a coxswain at Sarasota Crew. She placed 15th this year at the 2017 Head of the Charles in the women's youth 8+ and took home three gold medals at the 2017 Head of the Oklahoma, racing in both women's eights and women's fours. She attends Florida Virtual School, where she is active in volunteer work and is a three time Scholar-Athlete Award winner.
Perez is from Ridgewood, N.J., and rows for Ridgewood High School. She started the sport the summer before her freshman year and is in her fourth year on the team. In 2017, she placed second in the varsity 4x at the Philadelphia City Championship and third at the SRAA National Championship. In the varsity 2x, she placed second at the Head of the Schuylkill. In addition to rowing, she is an artist and pianist and serves as president of the National Art Honor Society.
Todd is from Mooresville, N.C., and attends Lake Norman High School. She is in her third year coxing for Charlotte Youth Rowing after starting with North Carolina Community Sailing and Rowing Club as a freshman. She is in her second year as head coxswain and in 2014 won the Top Bolt Award for being an essential team member. At Lake Norman, she is a member of National Honor Society, Beta Club and Key Club and volunteers with visually impaired and physically disabled athletes.
The 2017 fall signees on why they chose UNC:
Alessandra De Vito:
"I do not think there is any community with the spirit, unity, and pride quite like Carolina. I realized that I wanted to attend Carolina when I was walking across campus and was greeted by girls from the rowing team and just random people walking by. That is something I am definitely not used to in Boston. I instantly felt welcomed and respected by each person I met, and I noticed that even in a competitive academic and athletic environment, the students are able to not only challenge one another, but also support each other's goals. "
Lara King:
"The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill combines top-notch academics, incredible support for Olympic sports, and an athletic leadership program. These opportunities coupled with a first-rate rowing program that is aimed at building a legacy, brought me to realize that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is exactly where I want to be to take my education and skills to the next level. I have worked hard to get to this moment and am so excited, honored, and grateful for the opportunity to wear Carolina Blue! Go Heels!"
Charlotte Melgard:
"When I had the opportunity to visit Chapel Hill for the first time this summer, I immediately knew I wanted to be a Tar Heel. The community of people I met was incomparable. Not only were the students driven in both their academics and athletics, but they were beyond kind and welcoming. I knew I wanted to contribute further to this incredible, hardworking community."
Amanda Perez:
"After researching and visiting many colleges, Carolina stood out as the place I wanted to be. The school has great energy and it is a place that affords the opportunity to study a broad range of courses. I look forward to developing academically, contributing to campus life and making an impact on the team!"
Chloe Todd:
"I have wanted to attend Carolina ever since I was a little girl. UNC offers many amazing opportunities both in academics and in athletics. As soon as I set foot on campus, I knew it could be home for me and I am so excited to be a part of such an amazing community."
"The goal this fall was quality over quantity," UNC assistant coach Anthony Brock said. "This class is a little smaller than our others, but that was the plan all along – we know we will add some outstanding athletes to this class come the April signing period and also with our walk-on pool next fall. We're very pleased about these five signees and think they're going to help our program continue to grow and also fit in really well with our team. They have excelled academically and athletically during their high school careers and we expect them to continue to do so at UNC.
"At the same time, we continue to recruit for our spring class – these five will be great keystones to build the rest of the class around, and we'll work to find spring signees who fit with the personalities and abilities of these five. We know there are talented student-athletes out there who would be a good fit for our program and we look forward to signing more of them in the spring."
De Vito is from Newton, Mass., and attends the Winsor School, where she has been a member of the varsity team since her freshman year. She has been on Winsor teams that won the New England Championship in 2015, 2016 and 2017, and in a boat that finished 11th at the Head of the Charles this fall. She also is a member varsity swim team, head of the Model United Nations, and head of her school's peer mentoring program.
Melgard is from Winnetka, Ill., and rows for New Trier High School, where she also plays for the varsity ice hockey team. She has raced at Scholastic Nationals, the Head of the Charles, and Youth Nationals, where she placed second in lightweight 8+ in 2017 for the best finish in New Trier history. As a senior, she captains the team.
King is from Sarasota, Fla., and is in her seventh year as a coxswain at Sarasota Crew. She placed 15th this year at the 2017 Head of the Charles in the women's youth 8+ and took home three gold medals at the 2017 Head of the Oklahoma, racing in both women's eights and women's fours. She attends Florida Virtual School, where she is active in volunteer work and is a three time Scholar-Athlete Award winner.
Perez is from Ridgewood, N.J., and rows for Ridgewood High School. She started the sport the summer before her freshman year and is in her fourth year on the team. In 2017, she placed second in the varsity 4x at the Philadelphia City Championship and third at the SRAA National Championship. In the varsity 2x, she placed second at the Head of the Schuylkill. In addition to rowing, she is an artist and pianist and serves as president of the National Art Honor Society.
Todd is from Mooresville, N.C., and attends Lake Norman High School. She is in her third year coxing for Charlotte Youth Rowing after starting with North Carolina Community Sailing and Rowing Club as a freshman. She is in her second year as head coxswain and in 2014 won the Top Bolt Award for being an essential team member. At Lake Norman, she is a member of National Honor Society, Beta Club and Key Club and volunteers with visually impaired and physically disabled athletes.
The 2017 fall signees on why they chose UNC:
Alessandra De Vito:
"I do not think there is any community with the spirit, unity, and pride quite like Carolina. I realized that I wanted to attend Carolina when I was walking across campus and was greeted by girls from the rowing team and just random people walking by. That is something I am definitely not used to in Boston. I instantly felt welcomed and respected by each person I met, and I noticed that even in a competitive academic and athletic environment, the students are able to not only challenge one another, but also support each other's goals. "
Lara King:
"The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill combines top-notch academics, incredible support for Olympic sports, and an athletic leadership program. These opportunities coupled with a first-rate rowing program that is aimed at building a legacy, brought me to realize that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is exactly where I want to be to take my education and skills to the next level. I have worked hard to get to this moment and am so excited, honored, and grateful for the opportunity to wear Carolina Blue! Go Heels!"
Charlotte Melgard:
"When I had the opportunity to visit Chapel Hill for the first time this summer, I immediately knew I wanted to be a Tar Heel. The community of people I met was incomparable. Not only were the students driven in both their academics and athletics, but they were beyond kind and welcoming. I knew I wanted to contribute further to this incredible, hardworking community."
Amanda Perez:
"After researching and visiting many colleges, Carolina stood out as the place I wanted to be. The school has great energy and it is a place that affords the opportunity to study a broad range of courses. I look forward to developing academically, contributing to campus life and making an impact on the team!"
Chloe Todd:
"I have wanted to attend Carolina ever since I was a little girl. UNC offers many amazing opportunities both in academics and in athletics. As soon as I set foot on campus, I knew it could be home for me and I am so excited to be a part of such an amazing community."
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