Women’s Swimming & Diving Introduces 10 Newcomers

NEW YORK — The Columbia ladies’s swimming and diving program and head ladies’s swimming coach Diana Caskey, together with head diving coach Scott Donie, introduced the addition of 10 newcomers forward of the 2026-27 season.

The class of 2030 hails from seven completely different states (together with one swimmer from Shanghai, China) and consists of 9 swimmers and one diver, together with one switch sophomore. 

Details on this season’s incoming class are beneath. Fans can entry the whole 2026-27 Columbia ladies’s swimming & diving roster by clicking this hyperlink.

Nikka Asgarian – Fy. – Diving – 5-1 – CC – Newport Beach, Calif. / Newport Harbor High School

 

Prior to Columbia:

A diver from Newport Beach, California … Competed in diving all 4 years at Newport Harbor High School … Four-time CIF Southern Section Division I finalist and helped lead the Sailors to 4 Sunset League workforce championships … Four-time Varsity Scholar-Athlete and Principal’s Honor Roll recipient … AAU Synchronized Diving National Champion in 2023 … Four-time USA Diving Zones qualifier … Represented Team USA (AAU) on the 2025 worldwide competitors in Croatia, competing within the 1-meter, 3-meter, and platform occasions … Has competed in diving since 2017.

 

Personal:

Plans to main in economics at Columbia College … Member of the National Honor Society and recipient of the CTE Medallion for IB Business Management … Served on the governing board of the Assistance League of Newport-Mesa from 2023-26 … Enjoys mountain climbing, snowboarding, and cooking.

 

Madeline Gau – Fy. – 5-9 – CC – Rochester, Minn. / Mayo High School / Rochester Swim Club

 

Prior to Columbia:

A swimmer from Rochester, Minn. … Competed for Mayo High School’s women swimming and diving workforce from seventh by way of twelfth grade … Six-time MSHSL All-State choice and five-time All-Conference honoree … Three-time Mayo High School report holder … Earned All-America Academic recognition as a senior … Qualified for the Minnesota State Championships starting in eighth grade, incomes All-State honors within the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke throughout her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons … Competed for Rochester Swim Club (previously Orcas Swim) from 2013-26.

 

Personal:

Plans to main in psychology at Columbia College … Earned AP Scholar with Distinction honors and graduated with an Honors Diploma … Volunteered with the Rochester Art Center, Mayo WIN Room, and Teens Offering Peer Support … Has lived overseas in France, Spain, and Germany … Enjoys studying, tenting, collaging, and appearing.

 

Brisa Gao – Fy. – 5-7 – CC – Bellevue, Wash. / Lakeside School / King Aquatic Club

 

Prior to Columbia:

A swimmer from Bellevue, Wash. … Competed for Lakeside School’s women swimming and diving workforce throughout her freshman, junior, and senior seasons … Captured the Washington state championship within the 200-yard particular person medley in 2025 and completed runner-up within the 100-yard freestyle … Named Lakeside Girls Swim and Dive Swimmer of the Year in 2025-26 and earned WIAA Athlete of the Week honors in 2025 … Scholastic All-American and Junior National Championships qualifier … Posted personal-best instances of two:01.07 within the 200-yard particular person medley, 4:19.47 within the 400-yard particular person medley, 1:58.90 within the 200-yard backstroke, and 23.31 within the 50-yard freestyle … Competed for King Aquatic Club from 2023-26.

 

Personal:

Plans to main in biology at Columbia College … Recipient of Lakeside School’s 2025-26 101 Scholar-Athlete Award … Enjoys rockhounding, singing, and drawing.

 

Isabel Peng – So. – 5-3 – BC – Mercer Island, Wash. / Mercer Island High School / Cornell

 

Prior to Columbia:

A sophomore switch swimmer from Mercer Island, Wash. … Joins Columbia after spending her first collegiate season at Cornell University … Competed for 3 years at Mercer Island High School, serving to lead the Islanders to Washington state championships in 2022 and 2023 … Also competed in membership swimming from 2016-25 … Earned AP Scholar with Distinction honors.

 

Personal:

Plans to main in biology at Barnard College … Enjoys studying languages, cooking, and neighborhood outreach.

 

Katie Shaps – Fy. – Butterfly/Freestyle – 5-3 – GS – Charlottesville, Va. / St. Anne’s-Belfield School / NOVA of Virginia

 

Prior to Columbia:

A butterfly and freestyle swimmer from Charlottesville, Va. … Four-year varsity swimmer at St. Anne’s-Belfield School … Scholastic All-American and Winter Junior Nationals qualifier … Posted two All-America consideration instances … Finished second within the 100-yard butterfly and third within the 500-yard freestyle on the 2026 VISAA State Championships after incomes third-place finishes within the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle in 2025 … Seven-time NCSA finalist … Ranked among the many USA Swimming Top 50 within the 200-yard butterfly for 16-year-olds in 2025 … Selected to USA Swimming’s Eastern Zone Select Camp in 2023 … Competed for Cavalier Aquatics (2016-22), ACAC (2022-23), BASS (2023-24), and NOVA of Virginia (2024-present).

 

Personal:

Undecided on a serious in Columbia’s School of General Studies … Completed 60 hours of neighborhood service in highschool, volunteering as a swim coach and swim meet timer, supporting the Rivanna Conservation Alliance, and serving as a Gold Key Ambassador at St. Anne’s-Belfield School … Has competed in swimming for 10 years … Enjoys dancing, touring, and exploring … Father performed lacrosse at Skidmore College.

 

Romy Kirby – Fy. – Backstroke – 5-5 – CC – Palo Alto, Calif. / Palo Alto High School / Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics

 

Prior to Columbia:

A backstroke swimmer from Palo Alto, Calif. … Four-year swimmer at Palo Alto High School … Earned All-America recognition and the All-America Academic Award … Holds the SCVAL report within the 100-yard backstroke … Recipient of the 2026 Palo Alto High School Coaches Award and the Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics Coaches Award … Named Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics’ Most Improved swimmer in 2023 … Competed for Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics from 2015-26 … Has been swimming competitively for 13 years.

 

Personal:

Plans to main in psychology at Columbia College … Recipient of the English Excellence Award in 2025 and the Early Childhood Development Award in 2026 … Enjoys line dancing, babysitting, and fostering canines … Father, Ronald, performed basketball at Dalhousie University.

 

Mary Bao – Fy. – Breaststroke – 5-7 – CC – Shanghai, China / Peddie School / Peddie Aquatic Association

 

Prior to Columbia:

A breaststroke swimmer from Shanghai, China … Three-year varsity swimmer on the Peddie School who additionally competed in varsity monitor and discipline as a senior … Served as workforce captain in the course of the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons … Speedo Junior Nationals qualifier and Academic All-American in 2023-24 … Earned NISCA All-America honors in 2024-25 … Holds the varsity information within the 100-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard medley relay … Competed for Peddie Aquatic Association from 2023-26.

 

Personal:

Undecided on a serious at Columbia College … Earned AP Scholar with Distinction honors and acquired a National Merit Scholarship Corporation School Recognition Award … Volunteered with Falcon Swim Outreach, offering free swim classes to kids in the area people … Enjoys operating, baking, and pictures.

 

Maebelle Stern – Fy. – Distance Freestyle – 5-7 – CC – Annapolis, Md. / Key School / Annapolis Swim Club

 

Prior to Columbia:

A distance freestyle swimmer from Annapolis, Md. … Four-year varsity swimmer at Key School, serving as workforce captain throughout her junior season … Named the 2023 Annapolis Swim Club Performer of the Year … Four-time All-Conference (IAAM) choice and earned All-Anne Arundel County Honorable Mention honors in 2026 … Posted personal-best instances of 1:52.72 within the 200-yard freestyle, 4:58.35 within the 500-yard freestyle, and 17:11.73 within the 1,650-yard freestyle … Competed for Annapolis Swim Club from 2014-26.

 

Personal:

Plans to main in biology at Columbia College … Earned AP Scholar with Honors recognition and was named a National Merit Scholarship Commended Scholar … Enjoys pottery and baking … Mother, Kirra Brandon, competed in swimming at Harvard.

 

Angelina Lu – Fy. – Sprint Backstroke/Freestyle – 5-5 – CC – Cary, N.C. / Green Hope High School / Raleigh Swimming Association

 

Prior to Columbia:

A dash backstroke and freestyle swimmer from Cary, N.C. … Four-year varsity swimmer at Green Hope High School … Two-time NCHSAA State Championship particular person finalist within the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly … Helped lead the Falcons to the 2025 NCHSAA 4A State Championship within the 200-yard freestyle relay … Four-time NCHSAA 4A Central Regional Championships finalist … Futures Championships qualifier and Eastern Southern Sectionals and NC State Championships finalist … Earned Scholastic All-American honors in 2025 … Competed for Raleigh Swimming Association from 2015-26.

 

Personal:

Plans to main in biology on the pre-med monitor at Columbia College … Graduated summa cum laude with a 4.60 weighted GPA and 4.0 unweighted GPA … Two-time AP Scholar with Distinction and ranked forty third in a category of 521 … Named a 2024 NC HOSA Physical Therapy Top 10 Finalist … Earned a number of Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, together with a 2026 National Silver Key and Regional Gold Key … Volunteers with Color for a Cause, Global Medical Brigades, the NC Swimming Athlete Committee, and the Women’s Shelter Support Club … Enjoys artwork, portray, stitching, content material creation, and studying … Has swam with Raleigh Swimming Association for 12 years.

 

Audrey Schroeder – Fy. – 5-7 – Free/Back/Fly – West Chester, Pa. / Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School / Upper Main Line YMCA

 

Prior to Columbia:

A swimmer from West Chester, Pennsylvania. … Competed for Owen J. Roberts High School’s women swimming and diving workforce from 2022-26, serving as varsity captain … Three-time PIAA State Championships qualifier and finalist … Qualified for the Speedo Junior National Championships and the USA Open Water Swimming Championships within the 5K … Placed third within the 100-meter butterfly and 50-meter butterfly and ninth within the 100-meter backstroke at YMCA Long Course Nationals … Four-time Upper Main Line YMCA workforce report holder within the 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard backstroke, 200-yard butterfly, and 500-yard freestyle … Competed for Upper Main Line YMCA from 2022-26.

 

Personal:

Plans to main in economics-political science at Columbia College … United States Presidential Scholar nominee and Coca-Cola Scholars semifinalist … Served as National Student Council Secretary, representing greater than 3 million college students nationwide in training advocacy … Also served as secretary of the Pennsylvania Association of Student Councils and PALCS Student Council … Qualified for the FBLA National Leadership Conference and was an Odyssey of the Mind World Finalist … Worked as a self-employed swim teacher and volunteered as an SAT tutor and at area people occasions … Daughter of former Columbia student-athletes Colleen Schroeder (ladies’s basketball, 1995-97) and Theodore Schroeder (soccer, 1995-99) … Enjoys studying, writing, pictures, inventive media, and touring.

 

KEEPING UP WITH THE LIONS

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