Madeline Eck being congratulated by her Amherst teammates.

Rye High School Basketball star <<Madeline Eck>> was named the NESCAC Rookie of the Year at Amherst College. Eck, a freshman, is the sixth Amherst player to win the distinction. She averaged 7.4 points per game.

Eck’s team went on to win the NCAA Division III Championship Title game by beating Tufts 52-29 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Eck scored 11 points in the championship game.

Leon Chambers wearing one of the three gold medals he earned at the 2017 Aon Sydney International Rowing Regatta.

<<Leon Chambers,>> who rowed for RowAmericaRye throughout high school, won three gold medals in the 2017 Aon Sydney International Rowing Regatta the week of March 27. Chambers now rows with the Sydney University Boating Club. He won in the U-23 Lightweight Single Sculls, the U-21 Quadruple Sculls, and the U-21 Interstate Eights Championship.

“The singles race was very exciting,” Chambers told the paper. “After 500 meters I was way back in sixth place, but I pulled into first at the 1500 meter mark.”

He explained that the Australians have a different race strategy than he was used to in the U.S. “They start extremely quickly, and thereby hope to discourage those who don’t keep up. But I chose to race the why I was trained in America, and this time it worked out!”

One of the things Chambers prefers about rowing in Australia is that you compete in multiple events at the National Championships. “I competed in four different ones, whereas in America I prioritized just one.” He added, “In the Eight, we raced for our respective States (there are six in Australia, not 50), so a lot of pride is at stake.”

Chambers, who trains five hours a day, acknowledged that, “University life for athletes is unforgiving for those who don’t!”

— Melanie Cane