PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots women's rowing program added three recruits as Lauren Formigli, Lillyane Landers and Grace Reily-Simmons have each signed a National Letter of Intent, announced head coach Pasha Spencer. Formigli (Capital Crew), Landers (Olympia Area Rowing) and Reily-Simmons (Lake Oswego Rowing Club) will join the UP rowing program as freshmen in August of 2017
 
"It is great to see such interest and enthusiasm for our growing program from recruits and club coaches on the West Coast," said Spencer. "People can see what we're creating here, and it will be exciting to work with athletes who are willing to build this together.
 
"I am thrilled about the athletic ability and commitment of this incoming class," Spencer added. "There is a tremendous amount of talent and potential, and I'm looking forward to helping these three achieve their goals at the next level."
 
Formigli comes to Portland from Capital Crew in Sacramento, Calif. A four-year rower, she turned in an outstanding senior fall season under Capital Crew's new varsity coach Sarah Puddingcombe. By the end of the fall season, Formigli earned a seat in Capital's varsity eight and won a gold medal at the Head of the Lake Regatta in Seattle, which Coach Spencer says, "is a great accomplishment." Formigli's impact on the team was also recognized in the spring of 2016 when she was awarded Oarswoman of the Year.  
 
"I was already impressed with Lauren's technique on the water, but it was the steady improvement on her erg tests that showed she was also motivated to do her best," said Spencer.
 
Landers, a native of Olympia, Wash., has had a successful basketball career at Olympia High School and started rowing at Olympia Area Rowing her sophomore year. 
 
"Lillyanne has everything she needs to make an immediate impact on our team's speed," Spencer said. "I appreciate the time her coaches Richard Hull and Kiirsten Flynn have put into laying a foundation of solid rowing skills with her being a two-sport athlete. We are excited about putting her in the engine room and letting her competitive instinct 'go'."
 
Reily-Simmons is originally from Auckland, New Zealand, and started rowing at Lake Oswego Rowing Club when she moved to Portland with her mother, Sandi Reily, a year ago. As a novice rower, she won a gold medal in the quad at the NW Junior Regional Championships on Vancouver Lake. This fall Reily-Simmons held 5-seat in the varsity women's eight coached by Kim Janci at Lake Oswego Rowing Club.


"Grace will have an immediate positive impact on our team," said Spencer. "She has demonstrated great potential with her erg results, she is fluid on the water, and a positive and engaging person. I am excited to see how she develops in the sport as she connects her positive outlook to her potential speed. The best part of coaching is seeing the fire lit inside of our student-athletes."