Princeton Announces Class Of 2021 For Men’s Swimming & Diving

After naming three new captains for the 2017-18 season, the Princeton men’s swimming and diving team announced the names of the nine newcomers (eight swimmers and one diver) it is welcoming into the Class of 2021 this fall. Head coach Rob Orr, diving coach Drew Livingston, and assistant swim coach Mike Joyce are excited to welcome this group to the University and add them to a new foundation that the program is building upon. You can read about the full group below.

Christian Berry

Sprint Free • Memphis, Tenn. • Memphis Univ. School

Before Princeton — won the Tennessee state championship in the 50 free … 10-time All-America honoree … helped Memphis University School to state team title … finalist at both Summer and Winter Junior Nationals … holds his high school and club (Memphis Thunder Aquatic Club) records in both the 50 and 100 free … team captain … student-athlete representative to Southeastern Swimming LSC … recipient of the Al Wright Christian Character Award in Athletics for his high school … Scholastic All-American … Dean’s Scholar … member of the National Honor Society … top times include: 20.42 (50 free); 45.18 (100 free).

Personal — born Aug. 1, 1998 … son of Michael and Karen Berry … has two siblings, Sheridan and Charlotte … enjoys golfing … intends to study Operations Research and Financial Engineering with a certificate in Finance.

Coach Orr: “Christian has been a high school state champion in Tennessee in the sprint events and relay events numerous times. Both his high school and club teams in Memphis have had much success at the state level with him as a leader. We look forward to him bringing those leadership qualities to our team in the fall. Christian could be a relay candidate from the very beginning.”

Joshua Brown

Sprint Free/IM/Breast • Kobe, Japan • St. Mary’s International

Before Princeton — had five top-two finishes in 2016 Singapore National Championships, including wins in the 100 free and 200 IM … placed fourth in the 100 free at the 2016 Japan National Championships … qualified for the 100 free in the 2017 Japan Open … holds high school team records in the 50 breast, 100 breast, 200 breast, and both the 200/400 medley and free relays … served as team captain … class valedictorian … top times include (all in meters): 22.96 (50 free); 49.33 (100 free); 1:01.90 (100 breast); 2:15.04 (200 breast); 2:02.57 (200 IM).

Personal — born June 29, 1999 … son of Jason and Yoshiko Brown … interested in space and spaceflight … enjoys music and technology … undecided on course of study at Princeton.

Coach Orr: “Joshua is an incredible and versatile sprinter from Japan. All of Joshua’s current listed times are either in long-course meters or short-course meters and thus he will be very new to short-course yard swimming. Joshua will bring a lot of international experience and raw speed to our team. We look forward to watching him develop as he learns the NCAA and Ivy format. We also look forward to helping him achieve his goals on the international scene.”

Mark Forese

Free • New Canaan, Conn. • St. Luke’s School

Before Princeton — competed at YMCA SC and LC Nationals between 2014-17 … won Fairfield County 50 free title … served as captain for New Canaan YMCA Caimans … Dartmouth Junior Book Award recipient … earned Science, French and Latin Departmental Distinctions … member of the Cum Laude Society … top times include: 21.3 (50 free); 46.9 (100 free); 1:43.7 (200 free); 52.3 (100 back); 53.5 (100 fly).

Personal — born Feb. 11, 1999 … son of Jennifer and James Forese; father is a member of the Princeton Class of 1985 … has three older brothers: Jack, Tommy, and Bobby; Jack was a YMCA SC national champion in the 50/100 free and swam at Duke … has multiple extended family members who attended Princeton … enjoys skiing, biking, and classic rock music … considering multiple areas of study at Princeton, including chemistry, physics, and engineering.

Coach Orr: “We’re lucky Mark will be joining us next year. Mark is a sprint/middle freestyler from Connecticut. As Mark continues to train and learn at the collegiate level we are confident he will become a potential relay candidate and have a decorated career as a member of our team. Mark most recently was a finalist at this past year’s YMCA National Championship Meet in Greensboro.”

Corey Lau

Breast • Minnetonka, Minn. • Minnetonka

Before Princeton — won three individual Minnesota state titles, and led Minnetonka to 2017 team title … swam the breast leg of the national public school record-breaking 200 medley relay … hold Minnesota Class AA state record, as well as five high school and four club records … five-time sectional champion … competed at 2016 Olympic Trials … 2016 US Open finalist … multiple-time finalist at several Junior/Senior Nationals events … six-time NISCA All-America … voted team’s Hardest Worker as a junior and senior … NISCA Academic All-America … three-time USA Swimming All-American … graduated Summa Cum Laude … top times include: 100 breast (54.81); 200 breast (2:00.91).

Personal — born Feb. 19, 1999 … son of Simon and Crystal Lau … has an older brother Colin, who swam for Carleton … enjoys ultimate frisbee, basketball, and water skiing … plays the cello … undecided on course of study at Princeton.

Coach Orr: “We’re excited for Corey to be joining our team. Corey has competed at the highest level within USA Swimming as a two-time Olympic Trials qualifier in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke. This past year Corey and his high school team in Minnetonka broke a national high school record with Corey swimming the breast leg of the relay. His experience from these two meets will set him up nicely for collegiate swimming.”

Charles Leibson

IM/Free/Breast • Cincinnati, Ohio • St. Xavier

Before Princeton — five-time All-America honoree … earned first-team all-state honor … holds Cincinnati Aquatic Club record in the 200 IM and 500 free … part of Ohio record-setting 200 medley and 200 free relays … part of 2016 NISCA high school national champion … team captain in both water polo and swimming … earned first-team all-state honors and captain of the 2017 state champion water polo team … won Scholar-Athlete Award for both swimming and water polo … Academic All-America honoree … top times include: 200 IM (1:48.72); 200 free (1:38.86).

Personal — born Nov. 5, 1998 … son of Darrell and Ann Leibson … enjoys golf and skiing … undecided on course of study at Princeton.

Coach Orr: “Charles was a bit of a sleeper in this past recruiting class. We feel as though Charles is just getting going in his swimming career and we’re anxious to watch his development both physically and mentally within the sport. Charles reigns from one of the nation’s best high school swim teams at St. Xavier in Ohio. While at St. Xavier, Charles was a team captain and state champion. His versatility and athleticism will allow Charles to be used in a wide variety of events.”

Arthur Markley

Distance Free/Fly • Lancaster, Pa. • J.P. McCaskey

Before Princeton — five-time individual sectional champion for the Lancaster Aquatic Club … three-time Summer Junior National qualifier … 2015 USA Swimming National Select Camp invitee and participant … holds multiple club records, including 500/1000/1650 free … 2017 Lancaster Aquatic Club Sportsmanship Award winner … three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American … National Honor Society and Language Honor Society member … National Merit Scholarship winner … IB Diploma Program candidate … top times include: 1650 free (15:18.80); 1000 free (9:12.92); 500 free (4:28.67); 200 free (1:40.99); 200 fly (1:50.95).

Personal — born Nov. 28, 1998 … son of Chris and Dorothy Markley ’88 … has a younger brother George … has multiple family members who attended Princeton, including mom (Dorothy ’88), grandfather (John May ’56), and cousin Caroline Barry ’15 … plays the cello for the school orchestra … intern/volunteer at the Lancaster General Research Institute working with Familial Hypercholesterolemia … undecided on course of study at Princeton.

Coach Orr: “Arthur comes to us from nearby Lancaster. While training with the Lancaster Aquatic Club (LAC), Arthur developed into one of the nation’s top distance freestylers. Arthur’s coaches at LAC give him high praise as his work ethic is superb. With guys like Arthur joining our program we expect the daily training environment to become even further competitive.”

Levy Nathan

Middle/Distance Free • Highland Park, Ill. • Highland Park

Before Princeton — Rookie of the Meet at the Long Course Discovery Student Loans Senior Championships (2015) … placed third in the 500 free at the Illinois state final … swam fourth-fastest 200 free in Illinois during senior season; placed fifth in the 200 free state final as a junior … invited to the 2017 Olympic Training Center Camp … holds school records in the 100, 200, and 500 free; also part of record-setting relays … two-time team captain … placed second in the United States for DECA Virtual Business Challenge … National Spanish Honor Society member … top times include: 200 free (1:39.25); 500 free (4:25.93); 1000 free (9:21.26); 1650 free (15:34.34).

Personal — born Aug. 31, 1999 … son of Helene and Jordan Nathan … has three older siblings: Reeven, Sophie, and Chase; Reeven swam at Amhert and is an All-American triathlete … enjoys scuba diving, comic books, and fishing … intends to study Chemical and Biological Engineering at Princeton.

Coach Orr: “Levy is both a middle and distance freestyler from Highland Park. He continues to drop significant time in all of his freestyle events. We feel Levy will immediately impact our freestyle training groups as he can swim both the middle and distance events well. Levy completed this past short course yards season at his Illinois high school state championship meet, where he swam times that impressed many.”

Sam Tartar

Free/IM • Gaithersburg, Md. • Georgetown Prep

Before Princeton — nine-time NISCA All-American (five individual, four relays) … two-time first-team All-Met selection by the Washington Post … named Most Outstanding Swimmer for the Washington Metropolitan Prep School league … led team to conference title … holds Montgomery County Swim League record in 200 medley relay … finalist at Junior National … Zone Select Camp invitee … team captain … Scholastic All-American … earned Scholar-Athlete honors for Potomac Valley … top times include: 45.52 (100 free); 1:38.53 (200 free); 4:27.31 (500 free); 1:49.99 (200 IM); 3:55.84 (400 IM).

Personal — born Sept. 26, 1998 … son of Kenley and Susan Tarter … volunteers for KEEN of Washington, A Wider Circle, Bethesda Cares, and Red Wiggler Farm … will be traveling to Southeast Asia this summer to work with a sports camp serving refugee youth … enjoys playing the drums, sailing and boating … undecided on course of study at Princeton.

Coach Orr: “Sam is coming to us from one of the nation’s most notable club teams in Nations Capital Aquatic Club (NCAP). While at NCAP Sam trained alongside Olympian Katie Ledecky on a daily basis. We’re excited for him to bring that level of training to our team next year. Sam’s versatility allows us to be flexible with where we will use him in both dual meets and championship styled meets. Sam was our first “commit” this past year. He’s going to do great things for PUCSDT.”

Colten Young

Diving • Coto deCaza, Calif. • Crean Lutheran

Before Princeton — two-time state champion … won Academy League and CIF three times apiece … four-time club national champion … represented USA Diving at the Junior Worlds in Penza, Russia (2014), as well as at a youth competition in Germany (2016) … invited to compete at World Trials this summer … holds the California state record and the Academy League record … team captain … a member of the USA Diving’s High Performance Squad Tier II three times … Elite Scholar-Athlete honoree … National Honor Society member … Distinguished Scholar.

Personal — born April 17, 1999 … son of Roger and Kerry Young … has an older sibling Madison, who was an All-America diver at Georgia Tech … cousin Lindsey Ensign Olson ’09 was an All-Ivy League volleyball player at Princeton … has played the piano since he was four and has completed Level 10 of the Certificate of Merit for piano … enjoys going to the beach … undecided on course of study at Princeton, but considering either the psychology or business fields.

Coach Livingston: “Colten has been mentored by one of the nation’s elite coaches, Hongping Li. He comes to Princeton from Southern California with a plethora of national level success on both springboards and platform. However, we are most excited about the character and work ethic Colten will bring to our team. Colten will be an immediate contributor to PUCSDT’s conference and national success.”