Males’s Swimming and Diving Welcomes Class of 2029

NEW YORK — The Columbia males’s swimming and diving program and head males’s swimming coach Jim Bolster, together with head diving coach Scott Donie, introduced the addition of eight newcomers forward of the 2025-26 season.

The class of 2029 hails from 4 totally different US states and three totally different international locations, and consists of six swimmers and two divers. 

Details on this season’s incoming class are under. Fans can entry the entire 2025-26 Columbia males’s swimming & diving roster by clicking this hyperlink.

 

Kevin Kong – Fy. – Backstroke/Sprint Freestyle – 6-1 – SEAS – Vancouver, British Columbia / National Sport School / UCSC

Prior to Columbia: Bronze at Canadian age group nationals in 100m Backstroke, chosen as a card athlete for Canada (Grade 9) … Participated on the World Championship Trials in 2023, a number of appearances at finals, chosen as a carding athlete for Canada (Grade 10) … Participated within the Canadian Olympic Trials and made finals, helped the highschool group win a number of medals and a trophy at BC Provincials (Grade 11) … Participated in World Champs Trials and made a number of remaining appearances (Grade 12) … Participated in a number of worldwide and nationwide choice swim meets, together with Mel Zajac, Ontario Junior International, and Olympic Trials … Swam for UCSC.

Personal: Was one in every of 44 individuals on the earth to attain full marks on the AP microeconomics examination that yr … Hobbies embrace vehicles, motion pictures, Brawl Stars, and Clash Royale … Favorite sports activities reminiscence consists of going beneath 24 in 50 free for the primary time.

“The addition of Kevin to our backstroke and sprint free corps will be significant,” Head Coach Jim Bolster stated. “One of our weaker events in the 24-25 season, Kevin’s strengths in both the 100/200 back will have an immediate impact on both our front line strength and our depth. His freestyle speed will make him a valuable addition to our sprint relays.”

 

Ethan Zhang – Fy. –  Freestyle – 6-2 – CC – Carmel, Indiana / Carmel High School

Prior to Columbia: Scholar Athlete all 4 years, USA Swimming Scholastic All-American (2022–23 and 2023–24) … All-America Swimming in NISCA for Carmel High School (2023–24) … Summer Junior Qualifier (2023–24 and 2024–25) … Winter Junior Finalist (2024–25) … National Merit Commended Student … AP Scholar with Distinction … AP Capstone Diploma.

Personal: Has beforehand skilled with an Olympian … Hobbies embrace pickleball and fishing … Favorite sports activities reminiscence consists of getting his first winter junior reduce main off a relay.

“A strong freestyler, Ethan has great range from the 100 through the very best 500 events and will really add a strong bunch to our dual meet and championship meet teams,” Bolster stated.

 

Brian Lee – Fy. – Butterfly – 5-10 – CC – Quebec, Canada / Phillips Academy Andover / Shanghai American School Puxi

Prior to Columbia: A recipient of the LCM 2023 New England Swimming Award (Top 10 Swimmer) … St George’s Linguistic Achievement Award … Community Outreach Volunteer … Environmental Trash Pickup Volunteer … Competed internationally at Shanghai American School Puxi (4 years).

Personal: Can communicate 4 languages … Hobbies embrace tennis, water polo, studying, portray, taking part in the drums, and the trumpet … Favorite sports activities reminiscence consists of reaching a time of 1 minute 47 seconds within the 200 yard Butterfly.

“With his butterfly expertise, Brian will make us a very talented and deep team in the fly events,” Bolster stated. “He can swim both the 100/200 events and will be called upon to have his most value in the longer races.”

 

Nathan Jacobbe – Fy. – IM/Fly/Free – 5-10 – CC – Allen, Texas / Allen High School / Metroplex Aquatics

Prior to Columbia: 3x Scholastic All-American … Winter Junior Nationals Finalist … Competed in TYR Pro Series and Junior Nationals … 3x Texas State Finalist … 4x Swimmer of the Year … Coach Brent Mitchell Award Recipient … District 5-6A Team Champions (2025) … 200 and 400 Free Relay District Champion (2025) … District Championship Swimmer of the Meet (2025) … Second Team All State (2025) … 5x District Champion … Swam for Metroplex Aquatics (2022–2025).

Personal: 2x AP Scholar with Distinction (2024, 2025) … AP Scholar with Honor (2023) … 4x Honor Roll … Be the One Character Award Recipient … Hobbies embrace swimming, chess, poker, mountaineering, kayaking, fantasy soccer … Favorite sports activities reminiscence consists of qualifying a relay for the state championship meet for the primary time in seven years, and profitable a group district championship for the primary time in seven years.

“Nathan is a strong middle distance freestyler, butterflyer and 400 IMer,” Bolster stated. “We look forward to the talent and depth he will lend to our middle distance ranks.”

 

Bingxiang Qin – Fy. – Breast/Free – 6-0 – CC – Liaoning, China / The Bolles School / Bolles School Sharks

Prior to Columbia: National Honor Society (eleventh grade) … President’s List (ninth–twelfth grade) … National Japanese Honor Society (tenth grade) … 2024 Northeast Florida Scholastic Art Awards Honorable Mention (eleventh grade) … 2025 Northeast Florida Scholastic Art Awards Honorable Mention (twelfth grade) … 2025 Northeast Florida Scholastic Art Awards Silver key (twelfth grade) … Swam for Bolles School Sharks.

Personal: Helped set up the primary Chinese New Year Gala at his highschool and was the primary director … Hobbies embrace portray and taking part in the piano … Favorite sports activities reminiscences have been throughout a journey meet that occurred on the identical weekend as his faculty’s Homecoming as his coach and his spouse deliberate a enjoyable night time of dinner and video games and stuffed with laughter and dancing.

“Bingxiang is an extremely versatile swimmer who will be a force for us in the 200/500 free events, the 100/200 breast races and the 400 IM,” Bolster stated. “It is hard to know exactly where he will swim every meet, but that is the beauty of his versatility.”

 

Derek Hitchens – Fy. – Free/Back – 5-10 – CC – Irvine, California / Northwood High School / Irvine Novaquatics

Prior to Columbia: 4x Charter Oak Award Recipient … 14x Scholastic All-American … 2x Athletic Award Recipient … 2024 Scholar-Athlete Award … 2021 Sportsmanship Award … 2x Irvine Unified School District Meet MVP Award … 7x High School Record Holder … 2-time CIF Champion … 3x Orange County Record Holder … 2025 Orange County Register Swimmer of the Year … Led group in factors in profitable 2025 High School State Championship … 2x Swim Team Captain … Swam for Irvine Novaquatics.

Personal: Assisted within the means of baptism at Saddleback Church, serving to inform individuals of the importance in addition to the following steps of their religion … Loves his household … Hobbies embrace taking part in basketball, volleyball, golf, different actions, watching anime, studying comics, touring, and doing new issues … Favorite reminiscence consists of profitable the California State Championships his senior yr of highschool.

“We are excited to have Derek with us this coming year,” Bolster stated. “He will be competitive in a wide range of events and will make immediate contributions at the dual meet and championship level meets. He has the potential to be one of the top first year swimmers in the league.”

 

Mackenzie Lu – Fy. – Diving – 5-4 – CC – Victoria, British Columbia / Mount Douglas Secondary School / Dive Victoria

Prior to Columbia: National Top 10 Finalist (2017–2024) … Provincial Champion (2016–2024) … Competed for Canada in a global competitors in Cuba and positioned prime 5 (2019) … Swam for Dive Victoria for (2014–2025).

Personal: Received Academic Honors all years of highschool … Volunteered at just a few group run charity marathon-type occasions … Hobbies embrace Rubik’s Cube fixing, trampolining, taking part in Super Smash Bros, and making an attempt on outfits … Favorite sports activities reminiscence is when he and his buddy tied scores at their very first competitors … Academic Honors all years of highschool … Ran a High School and group vast charity basketball sport at my faculty … Focused round elevating consciousness and funds for most cancers analysis.

 

Derek Hong – Fy. – Diving – 5-6 – CC – Tenafly, New Jersey / Tenafly High School / New York Dive Club

Prior to Columbia: 4x Tenafly High School High Honors Society … NISCA All-American Scholar … AP Scholar Award … 2x NISCA All-American Athlete … 2x NJSIAA State Champion … 2x NJSIAA State Runner-Up … 5x USA Diving Zone Qualifier … 2x USA Diving Nationals Qualifier … Placed 2nd in USA Diving Regionals … Competed for New York Dive Club.

Personal: Has been pursuing diving for the previous six years … Hobbies embrace taking part in the violin, occurring lengthy walks, hanging out with associates, and taking part in golf and tennis.

 

“We are really excited to be adding MacKenzie and Derek to the men’s diving roster,” Donie stated. “This talented duo will really strengthen the men’s diving team led by senior Joe Nicol and sophomore Will Cooley.”

KEEPING UP WITH THE LIONS

For the newest on the Columbia males’s swimming and diving program, observe @CULionsMSD and @CULionsDiving on Instagram and Twitter, and on the net at GoColumbiaLions.com.