DiGiovanni and Levy Named 2023 USRowing Under 23 Athletes of the Year

USRowing is pleased to announce that Mia Levy (Des Moines, Iowa/Yale University) has been selected as this year's USRowing Under 23 National Team Female Athlete of the Year and Jack DiGiovanni (Pittsford, N.Y./Brown University) has been named the 2023 USRowing Under 23 National Team Male Athlete of the Year.

Selected by the athletes and coaches of the team that competed at the 2023 World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, DiGiovanni and Levy will be recognized during the Head of the Charles. More details to come.

DiGiovanni, a two-time national team member, returned to cox the U23 men's eight in Plovdiv. His crew held the Germans off by less than a second to capture silver for the second year in a row.

"I am so honored to receive U23 Athlete of the Year this year. This year's team was full of amazing athletes and people, so it feels special to be recognized by a group of people I truly admire," DiGiovanni said. "Competing for the U.S. the last two summers has been a life-changing experience for me. The feeling of winning a medal for your country, and so much hard work paying off, is like no other.

"I have been so blessed to have the best people alongside me on this journey -- my boatmates from both years, as well as coaches Jesse Foglia and John Graves, who both taught me so much and believed in me. Having teammates from Brown by my side both years was incredibly special and an experience I will never forget. The support from my coaches at Brown and my family and friends has been unwavering -- thank you all."

A first-time under 23 national team member and three-time national team rower overall, Levy won a gold medal as a member of the women's eight. The crew won by open water over Germany, finishing more than four seconds ahead of the field.

"I am incredibly honored to be selected as the 2023 U23 Female Athlete of the Year. My favorite thing about the experience was the chance to meet and bond with such amazing athletes from other schools," Levy said. "Our team dynamic was fantastic; my teammates were hard working and brought such positive energy to the boat. Even though many of us are rivals throughout the school year, we were able to rally behind a common goal, and I was able to make some deep friendships that will last long after this summer. Our coaching staff was also a huge part of our team dynamic. Sarah Trowbridge coaching inspired and motivated me to push myself in this sport because of her contagious energy and amazing athletic journey.

"I also owe a huge thank you to my home team, Yale Women's Crew, and my coaches, Will Porter, Jamie Snider, and Kristen Wilhelm. In my time at Yale, I have transformed as an athlete because of the guidance of these coaches and the work ethic and spirit of my awesome teammates. I was so honored to not only represent the United States at worlds, but also YWC; my home team has given me so much and has a cherished place in my heart.

"As for the experience of competing at Worlds, it was truly inspiring to be around so many high-level athletes from around the world. USRowing had an incredible set-up that allowed us to stay fueled, cool, and healthy so that we could perform at our best. Brett Gorman, Wendy Wilbur, athletic trainer Reiko Takahashi, and our selection camp intern, Jenny Cook, were huge factors in our performance and put in so much work to keep things running smoothly. I am so thankful for this experience."

USRowing would like to thank Filippi Lido, the Official Boat Supplier for the U.S. Senior, Under 23, and Para Rowing National Teams. Under the agreement, Filippi is providing USRowing a fleet of boats for international competitions including the World Rowing Cup regattas, World Rowing Under 23 Championships, World Rowing Championships, Olympic Games, and Paralympic Games, as well as a domestic training fleet for the USRowing Training Centers.