Meet the Current Team
COACHES
GRANT LANSER
Head Varsity Coach
Coach Grant rowed for the University of Georgia for four years, where he won the lightweight single at Head of the South in 2017 and 2018, won the 8+ at ACRA Henley, and placed 3rd in the lightweight 4+ at Head of the Hooch in 2019. He started coaching for Emory Crew in the fall of 2021, in addition to being a nurse at Emory Hospital.
CONNOR CLERKIN
Novice Coach
Coach Connor rowed at Emory for four years (21C). His Men’s Varsity 4+ won SIRAs in 2019 and placed second in 2018. While on the team, he also served as the Men’s Captain and on the Executive Board as Secretary. Connor began coaching in the fall of 2022, and he also works remotely for a pro-democracy NGO based in D.C.
SARAH BAKER COOMBS
Assistant Coach
After rowing and coxing in high school, Coach Sarah coxed for Duke University’s NCAA Division 1 Women’s Rowing team. She won silver at the ACC Women’s Championship in 2013 and was selected as a CRCA Scholar Athlete and All-ACC Academic Honor Roll. She worked for Emory for five years and graduated with her MBA in 2020 before joining our coaching staff in the fall of 2021.
EXEC
ANGEL HAILEMARIAM
President
Hometown: Tallahassee, Florida
Major: Chemistry
Grad year: 2024
Position: Starboard
ELLIE SWEENEY BENZON
Vice President
Hometown: Saratoga Springs, New York
Major: Psychology, Pre-Physical Therapy
Minor: Quantitative Sciences
Grad year: 2025
Position: Starboard
GIANNA SCHULP
Secretary
Hometown: Garrett Park, Maryland
Major: Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Linguistics
Grad year: 2025
Position: Port/Starboard
MITIK MERCHANT
Treasurer
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Major: Biology and Computer Science
Grad year: 2024
Position: Coxswain
THE BOARD
BASIL HABIBALLAH
Assistant Treasurer
Hometown: Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Major: Biology
Grad year: 2026
Boat position: Starboard
CHARLIE RAGONA
Equipment Chair
Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island
Major: Economics/Psychology
Grad year: 2026
Position: Starboard
DAVID CHI
Fundraising Chair
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Major: Business, concentration in strategy and management consulting
Grad year: 2024
Position: Port
CHRIS JAVIER
PR Chair
Hometown: New York, New York
Major: Biology
Grad year: 2025
Position: Down because that’s where the water is (Port)
RISHIKESH KRISHNAN
Recruitment Chair
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Major:
Grad year: 2026
Position: Port
ROSTER
Ally Hom
Varsity Coxswain
Allee Bourgeois
Novice Rower
Amelia Lawler
Varsity Rower
Angel Hailemariam
Varsity Rower
Basil Habiballah
Varsity Rower
Billy Martin
Varsity Rower
Cambre Brewster
Novice Rower
Camilla Brown
Varsity Rower
Charlie Ragona
Varsity Rower
Chris Javier
Varsity Rower
David Chi
Varsity Rower
Ellie Sweeney Benzon
Varsity Rower
Esther Fu
Novice Coxswain
Ethan Bends
Varsity Rower
Gianna Schulp
Varsity Rower
Jack Rutherford
Novice Rower
James Park
Varsity Rower
Jani Carr
Varsity Coxswain
Joshua Chang
Varsity Rower
Justin Ross
Varsity Rower
Kate Siegel
Varsity Rower
Katie Forrest
Varsity Rower
Laura Wang
Novice Rower
Luke B
Novice Rower
Luke Zhang
Novice Rower
Manoela Dos Santos
Varsity Rower
Mitik Merchant
Varsity Coxswain
Nick Huang
Novice Rowing
Rishikesh Krishnan
Varsity Rower
Space Lutterodt-Clottey
Novice Rower
Wyatt Besnoy
Novice Rower