Princeton University Athletics
Photo by: Michael Webb
Princeton Announces Class of 2024
May 04, 2020 | Women's Water Polo
PRINCETON, N.J. – The Princeton women's water polo team has announced the Class of 2024.
Meera Burghardt
Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Harvard Westlake
Harvard Westlake: Senior captain that also led the team in scoring three straight years (2018-20) … Named Division II Player of the Year as a senior and was first-team Mission League … Division II All-CIF and first team Mission League as a junior … Named Mission League MVP as a sophomore along with Division III All CIF … Second team Mission League … Team MVP three times … Squad won the Mission League all four years … CIF SS Division III runner up in 2018 … CIF SS Division II title in 2020 … School honor roll all four years.
Personal: Daughter of Aparna Voleti and Joe Burghardt … Has one brother.
Kaila Carroll
Greenwich, Conn.
Greenwich High School
Greenwich: A senior captain that was named MVP … First-Team All-American in 2019 and Honorable Mention in 2018 … Led the team in scoring … Member of the National Honor Society … Math Honor Society … Girl Empowerment Club.
Club/ODP: National Team Selection Camp in 2019 … Youth National Squad in 2019 … USA Water Polo National Academy Team … North East Zone, International Futures National Team selected to go to Hungary 2018 … National Selection Camp from 2015-17 … Played for Greenwich Aquatics … 16U squad was 17th in 2017 … 18U team was 10th in 2018 and 17th in 2019.
Academic: Academic All-American Outstanding Honors in 2018 and 2019 … High Honor.
Personal: Daughter of Dzwinka and Tom Carroll … Has twin brothers and a sister.
Grace Houlahan
Laguna Beach, Calif.
Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach: Second-team All-American and second-team All-League in 2018 … Earned team's Most Valuable Defender … Team was four-time League Champions, earned three State titles and three Division I CIF crowns … Also lettered in Swimming and Diving … Academic All-American … Scholar Athlete.
Personal: Daughter of Katie and Mike Houlahan … Has two siblings.
Delainey Whelan
Long Beach, Calif.
Woodrow Wilson High School
Woodrow Wilson High School: Senior captain … Four-time Moore League first team … First-Team All-CIF … Moore League MVP as a senior … Press Telegram Dream Team in 2019 … Three-time Moore League Champions … CIF Division III title in 2018 … Earned team award for Best Defensive Player as freshman … Most Improved Player as sophomore … Coach's Award as a junior … Also swam … Held the Moore League JV record for the 50 and 100 freestyle … School record holder (varsity) for the 200 medley … Member of the National Honor Society … President and founder of the Environmental Awareness Club.
Academic: Earned school's department award in Math and Science … California Scholarship Federation …. Honor Society members for three years … Gold Seal Bearer candidate … AP Scholar … Academic High Honors … Gold W Award.
Personal: Daughter of Wendy and Gregg Whelan … Father swam at Alabama.
Kayla Yelensky
Stamford, Conn.
Greenwich Academy
Greenwich Academy: A two-time captain that was the team highest scorer three times … New England Championship All-Tournament MVP three years … GA Team MVP Award as a junior … New England All-American squad three times … Team was three-time New England Champion … Also played volleyball and swam … Named Greenwich Aquatics MVP twice and school MVP three times … Member of the DREAM Club … Honor Roll
Club/ODP: Member of a U.S. national team for four years … 2018 Tournament MVP in Hungary.
Personal: Daughter of Faina and Alex Yelensky … Has one brother … Father played water polo at UMass.
Princeton finished the 2020 season at 8-3 overall and on a six-game winning streak. The Tigers had two All-Americans in Amy Castellano and Laura Larkin.
Meera Burghardt
Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Harvard Westlake
Harvard Westlake: Senior captain that also led the team in scoring three straight years (2018-20) … Named Division II Player of the Year as a senior and was first-team Mission League … Division II All-CIF and first team Mission League as a junior … Named Mission League MVP as a sophomore along with Division III All CIF … Second team Mission League … Team MVP three times … Squad won the Mission League all four years … CIF SS Division III runner up in 2018 … CIF SS Division II title in 2020 … School honor roll all four years.
Personal: Daughter of Aparna Voleti and Joe Burghardt … Has one brother.
Kaila Carroll
Greenwich, Conn.
Greenwich High School
Greenwich: A senior captain that was named MVP … First-Team All-American in 2019 and Honorable Mention in 2018 … Led the team in scoring … Member of the National Honor Society … Math Honor Society … Girl Empowerment Club.
Club/ODP: National Team Selection Camp in 2019 … Youth National Squad in 2019 … USA Water Polo National Academy Team … North East Zone, International Futures National Team selected to go to Hungary 2018 … National Selection Camp from 2015-17 … Played for Greenwich Aquatics … 16U squad was 17th in 2017 … 18U team was 10th in 2018 and 17th in 2019.
Academic: Academic All-American Outstanding Honors in 2018 and 2019 … High Honor.
Personal: Daughter of Dzwinka and Tom Carroll … Has twin brothers and a sister.
Grace Houlahan
Laguna Beach, Calif.
Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach: Second-team All-American and second-team All-League in 2018 … Earned team's Most Valuable Defender … Team was four-time League Champions, earned three State titles and three Division I CIF crowns … Also lettered in Swimming and Diving … Academic All-American … Scholar Athlete.
Personal: Daughter of Katie and Mike Houlahan … Has two siblings.
Delainey Whelan
Long Beach, Calif.
Woodrow Wilson High School
Woodrow Wilson High School: Senior captain … Four-time Moore League first team … First-Team All-CIF … Moore League MVP as a senior … Press Telegram Dream Team in 2019 … Three-time Moore League Champions … CIF Division III title in 2018 … Earned team award for Best Defensive Player as freshman … Most Improved Player as sophomore … Coach's Award as a junior … Also swam … Held the Moore League JV record for the 50 and 100 freestyle … School record holder (varsity) for the 200 medley … Member of the National Honor Society … President and founder of the Environmental Awareness Club.
Academic: Earned school's department award in Math and Science … California Scholarship Federation …. Honor Society members for three years … Gold Seal Bearer candidate … AP Scholar … Academic High Honors … Gold W Award.
Personal: Daughter of Wendy and Gregg Whelan … Father swam at Alabama.
Kayla Yelensky
Stamford, Conn.
Greenwich Academy
Greenwich Academy: A two-time captain that was the team highest scorer three times … New England Championship All-Tournament MVP three years … GA Team MVP Award as a junior … New England All-American squad three times … Team was three-time New England Champion … Also played volleyball and swam … Named Greenwich Aquatics MVP twice and school MVP three times … Member of the DREAM Club … Honor Roll
Club/ODP: Member of a U.S. national team for four years … 2018 Tournament MVP in Hungary.
Personal: Daughter of Faina and Alex Yelensky … Has one brother … Father played water polo at UMass.
Princeton finished the 2020 season at 8-3 overall and on a six-game winning streak. The Tigers had two All-Americans in Amy Castellano and Laura Larkin.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Water Polo
ATT/UTL
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