Max KlischiesChattanooga Junior Rowing's Max Klischies and Kathryn Zeglen will be putting their oars in the water for NCAA Division I programs.
Zeglen, who is home-schooled, signed a national letter of intent this week to row for New Hampshire. Klischies, a senior at Ooltewah High School, has accepted an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Maryland and will be on its crew team. He has a national ROTC scholarship.
Klischies has been with CJR only since December 2016 but got a lot of attention for his erg times on indoor rowing machines. Among other options, he passed up a presidential scholarship along with an athletic grant at San Diego to stay committed to Navy.
"He's just a natural athlete," CJR director Jack Fish said. "In his second season with us, his erg times are what everybody who's talked to him is crazy about. He's almost a lightweight, but his times are up there with someone 30 pounds heavier.
"He's smart and likable and a hard worker, and he's great at managing time and setting priorities."
Zeglen, the youngest of seven siblings in a swimming family, has been with CJR about four years, Fish said.
"She has just gotten better, gotten better, gotten better, and she's turning in times that make her attractive," he said. "She's put in the work."
Zeglen's "specialty" is the 4 quad, "but I've rowed everything," she said.
Rhode Island wasn't the only school that showed interest, she added, "but it was the only one I really considered."
Fascinated by the New England region, she acknowledged, she visited the campus for the first time early last month when March Madness was at its peak for the URI basketball Rams.
Contact Ron Bush at rbush@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6291.