Meet the Team
Crew Connection was founded by Sholto Carnegie and Jack Gosden-Kaye. Our story began during our college years at Yale and Cal, where we watched athletes come through the recruiting system year after year, and saw exactly what separated the ones who succeeded. We learned from the coaches what characteristics they were looking for and how getting the right athletes builds a winning team. After graduating, Sholto was training for the Olympics and Jack was coaching crews into Henley Royal Regatta finals. We'd already begun advising young athletes informally, and quickly realized how little information existed about a system we knew inside out. So we founded Crew Connection.
In 2026, Sam Baum joined the team. Former Associate Head Coach at Cal Berkeley and Yale's recruiting coordinator, Sam spent over a decade making the recruiting decisions at two of America's most successful programs. His arrival means Crew Connection now offers what we believe is the deepest recruiting expertise available anywhere.
Sholto Carnegie
Co-Founder - Yale Class of 2018
Hi, I’m Sholto. I graduated from Yale University in 2018 with a degree in Economics and won a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Having gone through the U.S. college recruiting process myself, I understand the challenges athletes face - the highs, the lows, and everything in between. My goal is to help make your journey smoother, more informed, and ultimately successful.
I'm passionate about the values of the American educational system and believe in the power of balancing excellence in the classroom with performance on the water. I’m here to help make those opportunities accessible to as many young rowers as possible.
Jack Gosden-Kaye
Co-Founder - Berkeley Class of 2019
Hi, I'm Jack. I graduated from UC Berkeley in 2019 with a PPE degree and competed as a Cal All‑American varsity rower - winning the Pac‑12 Championship, earning multiple IRA medals, setting a Head of the Charles course record, and capturing gold for Great Britain in the Men’s 8 at the 2018 World University Rowing Championships.
I then completed an MSc in Economics at VU University Amsterdam while racing for A.S.R. Nereus during COVID‑19. Returning to Hinksey Sculling School to coach crews into Henley finals reminded me that helping others discover their own strengths can be just as thrilling as standing on the podium. I’m passionate about continuous improvement and love showing young athletes how far that mindset can take them - on the water and beyond.
Sam Baum
Head of Crew Connection in the U.S. - Former Cal Berkeley & Yale Coach - Penn 2009 Graduate
Hi, I'm Sam. I'm a former Associate Head Coach at Cal Berkeley and spent seven seasons coaching Yale's heavyweight programme and I've been part of national championship–winning staffs at both. At Yale we won back-to-back IRA national titles, including the first in the programme's history, plus four consecutive Eastern Sprints championships. At Cal, I helped the varsity eight capture the 2022 IRA national championship.
As Yale's recruiting coordinator, I sat inside the Ivy League recruiting room: evaluating athletes from around the world, making the calls on who we brought to campus, and seeing exactly what it takes to get recruited. I'm bringing that expertise to Crew Connection to support athletes through this exciting journey to US college rowing.
My favourite part of coaching has always been the mentorship and development of athletes across their years in university. I'm excited to help young rowers reach that point in their careers, and to guide them through every challenge along the way.
Our team has a track record of excellence and success both on the water and in the classroom.
All of our team members are recent graduates from Ivy League schools and elite institutions, including UC Berkeley. They have competed at the Olympics or World Championships, bringing home medals. Our mentors have succeeded at the highest levels of rowing and college admissions, giving our athletes confidence and helping them focus on what matters most.