Princeton Women Bring Talent, Versatility Into Class Of 2020

Head coach Susan Teeter and associate head coach Suzanne Yee knew that the Princeton women’s swimming & diving team would have a tough time replacing the production and character of the Class of 2016, but they feel good about the 12 incoming Tigers who will comprise the next Princeton freshman class.

“We are looking forward to the fall and welcoming the Class of 2020 onto campus,” Yee said. “We are fortunate to get a wealth of talent and experience in our swimmers and divers.  Many of the women knew long before their official visit that Princeton was their number one choice, and that commitment to being a part of the Tiger family is something that makes this team special year after year.”

The class brings in multiple competitors at every stroke, many of whom have significant experience in major national competitions. Several of the swimmers are ranked among the Top 200 by collegeswimming.com, while the trio of divers includes a state champion, an All-American and one of Ireland’s top competitors.

You can read about each member of the incoming class below.

Free – Chong, Slattery
Distance – Hillebrand, Mannion, Peterson
Back – Chong, Garcia
Breast – Choi, Slattery, Zhou
Fly – Garcia, Wang, Zhou
IM – Choi, Chong, Wang, Zhou
Diving – Lewis, Lin, McManus

Isis Choi
IM/Breast • Irvine, Calif. • Woodbridge

Before Princeton — invited to both Summer and Winter Junior Nationals … won league titles in 100/200 breast, as well as 200/400 IM; best time in 200 breast would have finished sixth at 2016 Ivy Championships … part of record-setting 200 medley and 400 free relays … earned High School All-America and Scholar-Athlete honors … three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-America … AP Scholar with Distinction.

Personal — born Dec. 29, 1997 … daughter of Michael and Leslie Choi … has an older brother Johnathan … enjoys reading, hiking and baking … considering studying in multiple areas of sciences at Princeton.

Christina Chong
Back/IM/Free • Danville, Calif. • San Ramon Valley

Before Princeton — holds Olympic Trials cuts in the 100 and 200 back … competed in the 100/200 back and 1000 free in the 2016 US Open … held Winter Junior Nationals cuts in 100/200 back and 200 IM … competed in the Fina World Cup Series in Hong Kong (2014) and Doha, Qatar (2015), as well as several Summer/Winter Junior Nationals …  holds 200 IM high school record and 100 back club record … earned top-five finish in 200 IM in California state championships; had several top finishes at league/sectional meets … three-time NISCA All-America and three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-America … four-time North Coast Section California Intercollegiate Federation Scholar-Athlete.

Personal — born Sept. 13, 1998 … daughter of Adrianna and William Chong … has a younger sister Isabelle … enjoys being outdoors, snowboarding and yoga … considering studying neuroscience while completing requirements for medical school.

Gianna Garcia
Fly/Back • Danville, Calif. • San Ramon Valley

Before Princeton — qualified for Winter Senior Nationals and competitor in both Summer and Winter Junior Nationals … won multiple league titles in 100 fly and placed in top two in 100 back … holds lifetime best times in the 100/200 fly and 100/200 back that would have finished in the Top 8 at 2016 Ivies … placed in the top three in both 100 back and 100 fly at North Coast Section Meet … competed for Pacific Swimming in the North American Challenge Cup … two-time team MVP and two-time All-East honoree … 10-time All-America honoree … holds multiple individual and relay records for both her high school and club teams; holds league record in the 100 fly … team captain … won the 2013 Alcatraz Swim Women’s Championship (open water swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco’s Aquatic Park) … AP Scholar … National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar … USA Swimming Scholastic All-America … NCS and CIF Scholar-Athlete … received San Ramon Valley Scholar-Athlete Award, Renaissance Award and Academic Booster Club Certificate of Accomplishment.

Personal — born Oct. 16, 1998 … daughter of Celia Zarate0Garcia and Julian Garcia … has a younger brother Miles … enjoys traveling, baking and reading … plans to study cognitive science at Princeton.

Carrie Hillebrand
Distance • Charleston, SC. • Wando

Before Princeton — won a regional title in the 500 free … two-time team captain … swam all distance events … AP Scholar with Honor … AP Academy Scholar … Vice President and international competitor for the Wando DECA Business Club … member of the Spanish National Honor Society … Mu Alpha Theta.

Personal — born July 24, 1998 … daughter of Macon and Barry Hillebrand … has an older brother Ben, who swam at the College of Charleston … enjoys the beach and running … considering studying Operations Research and Financial Engineering.

Katrin Lewis
Diving • Evergreen, Colo. • Evergreen

Before Princeton — won 2016 4A Colorado state championship … competed at 2015 Summer Nationals and the 2016 Synchro Nationals … holds Evergreen high school records for both 6 and 11 dives … captain of the Mile High Dive Club … National Honor Society member.

Personal — born Oct. 19, 1998 … daughter of Brent Lewis and Karin Wollschlaeger … has a younger brother Braden … enjoys playing the violin, traveling, hiking … considering studying foreign and public policy in the Woodrow Wilson School.

Mimi Lin
Diving • Foster City, Calif. • Palo Alto

Before Princeton — earned All-America honors in diving … won the 2015 CCS championship and placed in the top three in states … three-time league champion … competed in the 2015 Senior Nationals; multiple-time qualifier in Junior Nationals … competes in one-meter, three-meter and platform events … team captain for both diving and gymnastics … won a state championship in gymnastics … recipient of the President’s Award.

Personal — born Feb. 2, 1998 … daughter of Jenny Tsao … has an older brother Benjamin … enjoys volunteering (specifically fostering dogs), dancing and glassblowing … considering studying psychology among multiple fields at Princeton.

Lily Mannion
Free/IM • Boston, Mass. • Buckingham, Browne & Nichols

Before Princeton — competed at Winter Junior Nationals … posted several Top-10 finishes in New England Championships … set team records in 500, 1000 and the mile, as well as the 400 IM … earned multiple Citations of Honor at Buckingham, Browne & Nichols.

Personal — born May 27, 1998 … daughter of Tristin and Marty Mannion; father graduated in the Class of 1981 … has four siblings: Caley, Sean, Macey and Natalie … volunteers at Boston Children’s Hospital over the summer, as well as at a local elementary school … studies multiple languages … enjoys traveling … undecided on course of study at Princeton.

Natasha McManus
Diving • Dublin, Ire. • Mount Anville Secondary School

Before Princeton — represented Ireland at the 2016 Diving World Cup/Olympic qualifier, as well as the 2016 European Diving Championships … won Irish Open Nationals and finished as runner-up at the 2015 British Diving Championships … competed at the multiple World and European Diving Championships, as well as the 2015 European Games; placed 10th on the 3-meter board at the 2015 European Games … served as the Irish representative/Flag Bearer at the Opening Ceremonies of the World Cup … prior to diving, was a member of the Irish Development Squad in gymnastics and competed internationally.

Personal — born Feb. 26, 1998 … daughter of Jenny and Terry MacManus … has an older brother Daniel and an older sister Gaby … both mother and uncle dove internationally for South Africa; sister represented her province, Leinster, in swimming … enjoys cooking, reading and running … undecided on course of study.

Lauren Peterson
Distance Free • Leawood, Kan. • Blue Valley North

Before Princeton — multiple-time qualifier for USA Swimming Futures … held records for the Country Club Swimming Association of Kansas City … two-time member of the USA Swimming Scholastic All-America team … ranked as top swim recruit in Kansas by collegeswimming.com … member of the National Honor Society, the National Latin Honor Society, and the National Junior Classical League … AP Scholar.

Personal — born May 2, 1998 … daughter of Charles and Sheri Peterson; father was a captain of the Columbia swim team and an All-Ivy honoree in the 400 IM … has a younger sister Kelly and a younger brother Sam … has played the viola in orchestra for eight years, and served as manager for the orchestra … member of the National Junior Classical League … considering studying the humanities at Princeton.

Meghan Slattery
Free/Breast • Bayport, N.Y. • St. Anthony’s

Before Princeton — two-time team MVP and league MVP … three-time league champion in both the 50 free and the 100 free … two-time Suffolk County champion in the 100 free … NCSA Junior National qualifier … selected to theNewsday All-Long Island First Team … holds both the league and school record in the 50 free, as well as the school record in the 100 free … team captain … USA Swimming Scholastic All-America … recipient of the 2015 NYS Federation Swimming Scholar-Athlete Award and the Federation Swimming Sportsmanship Award … lettered two years in cross country … Valedictorian … Samsung American Legion National Scholarship recipient … American Legion Auxiliary Empire Girls State participant … AP Scholar with Distinction … National Merit Commended Student; Stonehill College Book Award … Franciscan Spirit Award … English, Foreign Language, Math, and National Honor Society member.

Personal — born April 11, 1998 … daughter of James and Mary Slattery … has two younger brothers, Brendan and Eamonn, and a younger sister Grace … enjoys running, reading and singing … served as president of her high school Leadership Team … considering studying in Operations Research and Financial Engineering.

Jocelyn Wang
IM/Fly • Chandler, Ariz. • Chandler

Before Princeton — won nine state championships, including high school title in the 200 IM … qualified for Olympic Trials … helped club team win Junior Nationals team title once and Sectionals twice … holds 200 IM, 100 free, 100 fly and 100 back high school records … team captain … National AP Scholar … recipient of the Chandler High Math Award.

Personal — born March 18, 1998 … daughter of Deanna Chang … enjoys travelling, scrapbooking and baking … undecided on course of study at Princeton.

Elaine Zhou
Breast/Fly • Academic Magnet • Charleston, S.C.

Before Princeton — three-time league champion in the 100 fly … has a lifetime best 200 fly time that would have made the 2016 Ivy championship final … three-time SC Coaches Association of Women’s Sports Player of the Year … qualified for Winter Nationals and Speedo Junior Nationals … holds multiple individual and relay records for high school … captain for both high school and club teams … member of the National Honor Society and the National Spanish Honor Society … three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-America … AP Scholar Award recipient.

Personal — born Dec. 16, 1997 … daughter of Youxun and Wei Zhou … enjoys drawing and music … considering a major in premed at Princeton.