Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Princeton Welcomes Impressive Group Of 12 Into Class Of 2015
June 10, 2011 | Women's Swimming and Diving
With 10 Ivy League championships in the last 12 years, the Princeton women's swimming & diving team knows that it has a constant target on its back. Head coach Susan Teeter has consistently brought in talented classes to continue building the program's tradition, and she feels good about the incoming Class of 2015.
A talented group of 12 swimmers and divers, who combined to bring a wide range of records, championships and national qualification times to Princeton, will try to help the Tigers to a third straight league title next winter.
They won't need to look hard for inspiration, as Princeton got huge contributions from the Class of 2014, including individual Ivy champions Lisa Boyce and Andrea Kropp and runner-up Maureen McCotter, to defeat Harvard in a wire-to-wire championship run.
Bio information for each of the 12 can be found below:
FREE - Ciardiello, Jones, Loht, Meyer
DISTANCE - Iriondo, Loht, Meyer
BACK - Ciardiello, Wang
BREAST - Liang, Slear, Yu
FLY - Ciardiello, Gelb, Yu
IM - Liang, Gelb, Slear
DIVING - Craycraft, Rodrigues
Courtney Ciardello
Top Times - 200 free: 1:50.30; 500 free: 4:54.56; 100 back: 56.37; 200 back: 2:00.85; 100 fly: 55.31; 200 fly: 2:02.84.
Before Princeton - Olympic Trial qualifier in 200 back ... 2010 Westchester County Swimmer of the Year recipient ... three-time all-state and all-section selection ... 2010 New York state championship runner-up in the 100 fly ... two-time Scholastic All-America honoree ... four-time Junior National qualifier and Open National qualifier ... Journal News Athlete of the Season honoree ... Rye High School team MVP ... ConED Award recipient ... teaches swimming for Badger Sports Camps ... member of the National Honor Society.
Personal - born July 23, 1993 ... daughter of Gary and Susan Ciardello ... both parents work as actuaries ... enjoys traveling, going to the beach and reading.
Margaret Craycraft
Before Princeton - won three conference championships for Milford High ... holds six-dive pool and school records (284 points) ... earned first-team All-Ohio as a senior ... qualified for Senior Nationals and AAU Nationals ... lettered one year in swimming.
Personal - born July 10, 1993 ... daughter of Kenneth and Susan Craycraft ... father is an attorney ... third of nine children; has two older siblings, Abigail and Carroll, and six younger siblings: Beatrice, Graham, Harris, Olivia, Molly Jane and Harry ... enjoys photography ... interested in studying visual arts with a concentration in photography.
Elizabeth Gelb
Top Times - 100 fly: 57.62; 200 fly: 2:06.08; 200 IM: 2:08.71; 400 IM: 4:33.63.
Before Princeton - All-America and two-time USA Swimming Academic All-America honoree ... all-state and all-conference honoree ... winner of Michigan state high school championships, USS Michigan state titles and summer club championships ... part of record 200 medley and 400 free relays at Huron High School ... has coached youth swimming multiple years.
Personal - born June 18, 1993 ... daughter of Douglas Gelb and Karen Kluin ... father is a neurologist; mother is a speech pathologist ... has a younger sister Molly ... enjoys traveling, learning languages and outdoor activities ... may study math or international relations.
Damaris Iriondo
Top Times - 200 free: 1:49; 500 free: 4:53; 1650 free: 16:49.
Before Princeton - qualified for USA National Youth Team, Junior Pan-Pac Team and Zone Select Camp ... recipient of Most Inspirational Swimmer, team MVP and Coaches Award winner for St. Thomas Aquinas High ... qualified for Open Nationals and Junior Nationals ... holds high school record in 200 free and several club records ... captain for both high school and club team.
Personal - born April 22, 1983 ... daughter of Alberto and Rose Marie Iriondo ... father is a carpenter; mother is a waiter ... has an older brother Hibai; brother swam two years at Florida State ... enjoys working out and going to the beach ... may study chemistry at Princeton.
Silken Jones
Top Times - 50 free: 23.45; 100 free: 51.87; 200 free: 1:48.44; 500 free: 4:47.13.
Before Princeton - CIF SS Division I champion in 200 and 500 free ... three-time league champion in 50 free ... four-time Junior National qualifier ... U.S. Open qualifier in 2009 ... qualified for Zone Select Camp in 2007 ... holds 200 and 500 free record for San Clemente.
Personal - born Dec. 16, 1992 ... daughter of Michael and Tiffany Jones ... father is a medical engineer and entrepreneur; mother is a housewife and part-time landscape architect ... enjoys reading, creative writing, drawing and painting ... may study Mechanic and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton.
Sarah Liang
Top Times - 100 breast: 1:01.50; 200 IM: 2:00.51.
Before Princeton - two-time CIF-CCS champion in the 100 breast ... holds Palo Alto High and CIF-CCS record in 100 breast ... co-captain for club program ... invited to Western Zone Select Camp.
Personal - born Feb. 22, 1993 ... daughter of Shiuh-Ming Liang, who works in bioinformatics ... has a younger brother Matthew ... interested in reading, photography and art ... may study psychology at Princeton.
Claire Loht
Top Times - 200 free: 1:50.01; 500 free: 4:49.00; 1650 free: 16:42.00.
Before Princeton - six-time Pennsylvania state medalist for Red Land High School ... five-time district champion ... PIAA district record holder ... holds eight high school records, including six individual (100, 200, 500 fly; 100 back; 100 fly; 200 IM) ... team co-captain.
Personal - born Oct. 23, 1992 ... daughter of Mark and Paula Loht ... father is a systems consultant; mother is a safety manager ... has an older sibling Taylor ... cousin Paige Endsley swims at Columbia ... enjoys reading, running and playing the piano ... may study chemistry at Princeton.
Theresa Meyer
Top Times - 200 free: 1:52.43; 500 free: 4:55.59; 1000 free: 10:05.51; 1650 free: 16:54.62; 200 back: 2:05.48.
Before Princeton - won three North Carolina state championships for Durham School of the Arts (2010: 200 IM; 2011: 200 free, 500 free) ... co-MVP in state championship meet as a senior ... three-time conference MVP ... NISCA Academic All-America honoree ... All-America in 500 free ... undefeated in dual competition last two years ... four-time conference champion in 200 and 500 free; won inaugural regional championship in both events as a senior ... holds nine school records, including six individual (200 free, 500 free, 200 IM, 100 fly, 100 back, 100 free) ... two-time team captain ... three-time North Carolina Open Water champion ... Southern Zone Open Water champion ... lettered in cross country ... class valedictorian ... Team America Rocketry Challenge team finalist (2011) ... National Honor Society member ... four-time Durham County Superintendent's Award recipient ... Advanced Placement Scholar with Honors.
Personal - born Aug. 15, 1993 ... daughter of Christopher and Mary Ann Meyer... father is a computer scientist; mother is a nurse practitioner ... enjoys reading, baking and playing the piano and guitar ... may study computer science at Princeton.
Jenna Rodrigues
Before Princeton - won 32 individual state medals as a gymnast for Westfield High; joined diving program late in high school career ... state champion once and state runner-up once ... eight-time county medalist and two-time floor exercise champion ... tied school records in vault and beam ... also competed in volleyball and qualified for GEVA High Performance program for top 30 girls in region.
Personal - born Oct. 6, 1992 ... daughter of Wallace and Lori Rodrigues ... father owns a building company; mother is a pre-school teacher ... has four younger siblings: Kayla, Zackary, Carly Rae and Kobi ... enjoys gymnastics, volleyball, acting and creative writing ... may study economics, finance and American studies at Princeton.
Cara Slear
Top Times - 100 breast: 1:04.3; 200 breast: 2:19.4; 200 IM: 2:06.3; 400 IM: 4:27.2.
Before Princeton - swam the breast and IM events for St. Mary's High in Annapolis and the Naval Academy Aquatic Club ... qualified for NSCA Junior Nationals and 2010 Speedo Champions Series.
Personal - born Sept. 30, 1993 ... daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Slear.
Shirley Wang
Top Times - 100 back: 55.03; 200 back: 1:58.02.
Before Princeton - four-time All-America honoree ... three-time regional champion and four-time Texas state finalist ... placed as high as third for Plano Senior High ... qualified for both Junior and Senior Nationals ... holds school records in 200 medley and 400 free relay ... team co-captain.
Personal - born Aug. 30, 1993 ... daughter of Charles Wang and Lin Gu ... father is a software engineer; mother is a part-time receptionist ... has an older sibling Jessie ... enjoys baking and reading ... may study economics or business at Princeton.
Emily Yu
Top Times - 100 breast: 1:03.90; 200 breast: 2:17.37; 100 fly: 55.52; 200 fly: 2:08.33.
Before Princeton - helped Walnut to 2010 CIF Division II title and four league championships ... holds high school records in 100 breast and fly; part of record-setting 200 medley and 200 and 400 free relays ... placed in CIF championships ... two-year team captain.
Personal - born Dec. 21, 1993 ... daughter of Chung and Valerie Yu ... father is a rocket engineer; mother is an account manager ... has a younger brother David ... enjoys reading and gardening.