ADAMS TWP — Mars High School senior Kelly Cesare will continue her rowing career in college after being recruited by the University of Rhode Island.

"Rowing is an excellent sport that not many people know about," said Cesare, 18, of Evans City.

Cesare first became interested in the sport when she and her mother attended a Three Rivers Rowing Association program. Cesare decided to stick with the sport, rowing with Three Rivers Rowing Association, Steel City Rowing Club and, most recently, Row Pittsburgh Crew Team.

Row Pittsburgh, established in November, offers students whose home schools do not have rowing or crew teams an opportunity to participate in the sport.

As a member of Steel City Rowing Club, Cesare took second place in the 2x and third in the 1x at the Head of the Occoquan in Virginia and placed fourth in the 4x at the Independence Day Race in Philadelphia.

Other accomplishments include: fourth place in the 2x in the 2007 World Trials; second place in the 4x and third place in the 2x in the 2007 Midwest Regionals; and third place in the JV Lightweight Division of the 2007 North Allegheny Indoor Erg Race.

"Rowing is one of the hardest sports that I've ever done," said Cesare, who has participated in cross country, basketball and softball. "But it all pays off in the end."

Cesare was recruited for rowing by a four colleges, but decided on the University of Rhode Island in Kingston.

"The university's team is a Division I varsity sport and competes in the Atlantic 10 in the highest level of collegiate competition," said Jessica Lizzi, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Rhode Island women's rowing team.

In addition to rowing, Cesare is a member of National Honor Society, AFS Club and the Mars Gifted Support Program at Mars High, where she also has participated in chorus and school musicals.

Cesare, who is fluent in Portuguese, has served as a mentor/translator for non-English speaking students from Brazil in both the Mars and Seneca Valley school districts.

Cesare first learned Portuguese while spending two summers living with host families in Brazil. Since then, she has kept up with the language through correspondence and a private tutor.

At the Rhode Island, Cesare plans a dual major in chemical engineering and Spanish/Portuguese.