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A great team in the extra mile.
ARION is comprised of up to 16 athletes, up to 3 coaches, and the entire SRA community.
Showing up for one another.
Recognizing the roller-coaster journey that is elite rowing, ARION strives to embrace the idea of good friends in the extra mile. We believe gains live in that extra mile and should be a fun adventure. Having friends alongside us—pushing, carrying, and relying on us—enhances the experience. ARION rowing is a team experience, and we consider our team to include everyone on the journey with us.
Our themes on this journey are gratitude and vulnerability. In all things, we are grateful for the community behind us, the friends alongside us, and the competitors who push us. With so much to be grateful for, we are also willing to be vulnerable and put our best selves out there without an excuse or a safety net. We practice, train, and race—vulnerable to failure, frustration, or whatever is thrown our way—and are grateful that our team is by our side.
We believe our best selves are not achieved if parts of us are held back and left unexamined. We also believe our team is at its best when we are grateful and vulnerable with each other.
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Meet Coach "Cat" Catalano
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The ARION program is coached by Eric "Cat" Catalano. Cat has coached inside the USA Jr Development system and has also taken trials boats to World Championships. Most recently, Cat assisted the US team at the 2023 World Championships and the 2024 Olympics with the women's sculling squad. Cat began coaching the fledgling club of Saratoga Rowing Association in 1998 and helped bring the club to national attention as a high school program. Following a brief stint at Harvard/Radcliffe in 2004-2007, Cat returned to SRA as the executive director and head coach. In 2016, following the Olympic Trials, Cat started the ARION program.
Cat is a frequent presenter at coaching conferences on teaching technique and rigging. He believes that the best experiences are found when the challenges and skills are appropriately balanced from the middle school rowers all the way to the Olympians, and his coaching philosophy is "teach, train, select," both in order and emphasis.
Cat coaches on "themes" to the group as a whole, and gives individual coaching to athletes within the theme of the practices or if specific technical changes for that individual are on the verge of a breakthrough. Best success is found under Cat's coaching by the athlete who can direct and hold focus, is willing to the the mental work of making changes and willing to be patient but persistent as some changes take time. It also helps to catch him outside of practice time when you can. He stays pretty busy, but he loves sharing knowledge/insight and brainstorming when asked.
The ARION Team
Lauren O'Connor
Hometown: Belleville, WI College: University of Wisconsin - Madison Major(s): Biology, Environmental Sciences Teams: 2023 Worlds 4x Career Highlights: 2022 Lottman Challenge Winner, 1st 2022 Summer Nationals 2x, 1st 2022 Green Mountain Head Personal: Loco or Leo is our resident midwestern dad and she embodies this with her love of a local Wisconsin cheese, building shelves, and driving the trailer on our winter trips. She is known for her pre-practice lizard time, which may be the secret to her speed. On the water, you can spot Lauren sporting a bright colored boat, with her recently switching from a spicy pink to a fresh teal blue single. Don’t let the colorful boat fool you, she is an epic competitor and may have a chill exterior, but will definitely come after you on race day. She was voted most likely on ARION to win the Hunger Games and has a knife tat to prove how tough she is. Lauren is the epitome of good vibes and always brings a fun and appropriately chaotic energy to the group.
Savannah Brija
Hometown: Lemont, IL College: Ithaca University Major(s): Clinical Health Studies/DPT Teams: 2022 Worlds 4x Career Highlights: 1st place 2022 Summer Nats W1x and W2x Personal: Dr. Savannah, better known as Sav, is our resident PT specialist and dinosaur enthusiast. Sav radiates confidence and has never been one to let barriers hold her back. Though she is an artist, plant lover, and has a yoga corner, she is also the first one many would call to back them up in a fight. Sav is the first to engage in a little bit of verbal sparring and you’d be hard pressed to find a challenge she won’t accept. She is also a firm believer that a little rage rowing can take you a long way, sometimes all the way to the National Team.
Hannah Paynter
Hometown: Lyme, CT College: Princeton University Major(s): Psychology, Teacher Prep (Social Studies), African American Studies US Teams: U23 W4x 2019, Senior Spare 2022, 2023 Pan Am Games (2-,4-,W8+, Mixed 8+) Career Highlights: Ivy League Champions 2018 & 2019 Personal: Hannah is the self-proclaimed hype-train who lives up to the hype. As a classic Enneagram 7, she brings the energy and excitement to any situation, often through the form of her beautifully crafted Instagram reels. Her bold personality is reflected in her love of bright colors and fun fashion choices. Hannah is always the one to spend extra time on the small things, whether that be the warmup and cooldown or creating a detailed plan for a trip. She embodies the just go for it energy and encourages others to do the same.
Karina Feitner
Hometown: Cummington, MA College: Ithaca College Major(s): Psychology US Teams: Career Highlights: 2nd 2018 NCAA, B Final 2023 Winter Speed Order, 2nd 2022 Canadian Henley W1x, 8th 2022 Head of the Charles W Champ 1x Personal: The embodiment of a true teammate, Karina is someone everyone is proud to have on their side. She is always there to check in and seems to know what everyone needs, all while being an incredibly strong competitor and athlete herself. She is calm, confident, and takes all the chaos of rowing in stride, which might be why she makes such an incredible bow seat. Karina is never one to shy away from hard work, both in rowing and around the boathouse. Whether she’s throwing down on the water or at a trivia game (one of her fav past-times), she’s a fierce competitor and always giving 110% of what she’s got. And if it’s trivia on musicals, you better hope she’s on your team.
Veronica Nicacio
Hometown: Vancouver, WA College: University of Portland Major(s): Biology B.S US Teams: 2023 Pan Am (W2x, W4x, W8+) Career Highlights: 3rd Club Nationals Women’s 2x 2022, 1st Women’s 1x Dash Canadian Henley 2022, 1st Women’s 2x Canadian Henley, 1st Women’s 4x Canadian Henley Personal: Veronica, aka “Ronnie”, is a great example of the fact that size does not represent power. If the World Championships was a 500 dash you can guarantee this girl would get the gold. Our high rate queen, Veronica never fails to go big, which is an approach she applies in her daily life as well. Whether that’s through her cooking, which often looks as though she’s feeding a small army, or her unending patience and kindness towards others. Don’t let the kindness fool you though, this girl isn’t afraid to give some sass when necessary. That being said, anyone who has met Veronica would likely agree that she is living up to her goals of being an incredible role model for her younger siblings and becoming a better rower every day.
Lauren Miller
Hometown: Saint Cloud, MN College: University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Major(s): Undergrad: Neuroscience, Art Minor; Masters: Business Administration US Teams: 2023 Pan Am (W4-, W8+) Career Highlights: 2nd Club W1x HOTC 2022 Personal: Miller, L. Millz, Father Mills, Miller Lite; all of these names reference the one and only Lauren Miller. She is best known for her ability to crush low rate pieces and her job in corporate America all in the same day, after consuming approximately a liter of coffee (exact amounts consumed are unknown). Lauren puts most of us and all of corporate America to shame with her organization and work ethic. If ever a spreadsheet is needed she will have one color coded and ready to go. Same goes for a workout buddy, if you ever need someone to get you through a hard erg workout she will be a strong, steady presence beside you. Miller brings determination and consistency to everything she does, including cooking where she will consistently put eggs on anything and everything she eats. Level-headed, but with a strong competitive side, Lauren Miller brings an energy to the team that makes every workout better.
Katy Flynn
Hometown: Churchville, NY College(s): Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute(Undergrad), University of Virginia(Masters/PhD) Major(s): Electrical and Mechanical Engineering US Teams: 2019 U23 W4x Career Highlights: 1st 2019 ACRA & Dad Vail W1x Personal: It is difficult to put an icon such as Katy Flynn into words, but this is our attempt. Katy is humble and kind, with a wicked competitive side and resilience few possess. Often referred to as the brains of the group, she managed to train full time while also working towards a PhD in Engineering. That being said, we do believe that she has consumed enough coffee that it is now in her bloodstream. Katy operates under the premise that this is nothing that she cannot learn how to do and anyone who has met her would wholeheartedly agree with that. Whether it’s sculling, sweeping, erging, or creating an entirely new invention, Katy takes on every challenge with a growth mindset. Katy Flynn is someone who will succeed at whatever she puts her mind to, both in rowing and in her daily life, and she inspires the rest of us to do the same.
Audrey Boresen
More coming soon! Check back to this link for updates.
Are you an aspiring Olympian?
Apply today and join the team!
ARION has a running application process and is interested in finding the right athletes who will fit with the program socially as well as in capacity for work and potential to compete at the international level.
Email eric.catalano@saratogarowing.com for more information.
Believe in our mission? Consider donating!
We're grateful for the support of community partners like you. Donations enable us to compete internationally, purchase needed equipment (boats, uniforms, oars) and so much more.
