Northwestern University Athletics
'Cats Sign Four Swimmers to National Letters of Intent
11/16/2015 2:58:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern women's swimming and diving announced Monday the addition of four swimmers to the class of 2020. The early signing period began on Wednesday, November 11.
Nicole Aarts (Hoboken, N.J./Convent of the Sacred Heart), Sandra Freeman (Fairview, Colo./Fairview), Malorie Han (Piedmont, Calif./Carondelet) and Krystal Lara (Staten Island, N.Y./Stuyvesant) signed their National Letters of Intent to pursue collegiate athletics with the Wildcats.
"Our staff is thrilled with the four new additions to our team," said head coach Abby Steketee, who is bringing in her first-ever recruiting class. "They're committed students, passionate athletes, and most importantly, young women of character who will immediately benefit our Northwestern community."
Full biographies for the signees appear below:
Nicole Aarts
5-8 Free/Back
Hoboken, N.J. Convent of the Sacred Heart
High School: 100 back record holder at Convent of the Sacred Heart ... Coached by Warren Perry ... Two-time MVP in 2014 and 2015 ... Two-time AAIS All-Star in 2014 and 2015 ... High school was conference champions in 2015 ... Competed for two years with Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics ... Swam on the same team as fellow signee Krystal Lara ... 100 back record holder for her club team ... Scholastic All-American in 2014 and 2015 ... Won the Rensselaer Medal for excellence in science and math ... A member of Mu Alpha Theta, with an A average in all three years of mathematics.
Personal: Born Nicole Barbara Aarts ... Daughter of Elizabeth Urtecho and Erik Aarts ... Father swam at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ... Anticipated major is physics.
Says Steketee: "Nicole impressed us from the start with her enthusiasm for going the extra mile in school and swimming. Whether it's taking care of her younger siblings or bringing together her teammates, Nicole is a team-oriented, positive person who's not afraid of hard work."
Sandra Freeman
5-7 IM
Fairview, Colo. Fairview
High School: Qualified for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400 IM ... Swam a career-best 4:53.95 while winning the event at the Speedo Western Sectional Swim Championships in Gresham, Oregon ... Was a U.S. Junior Nationals Qualifier (Summer/Winter) in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 ... Is a member of the USA Swimming Scholastic All-America Team ... Top student, finishing with a 4.0 GPA ... National Honor Society member.
Personal: Chose Northwestern over Princeton, Ohio State, Nebraska and Rice.
Says Steketee: "Simply put, Sandra sparkles. She's determined, upbeat, and confident.With her Olympic Trials cut this summer, Sandra has taken her swimming to another level and will be instrumental in multiple events."
Malorie Han
5-8 Free
Piedmont, Calif. Carondelet
High School: Swam for four years for coach Jasmine Castillo ... North Coast Section finalist all four years ... State qualifier in 2015 ... Earned a spot in the NCS Championships in 2012 ... Won all-league honors in her freshman through junior seasons ... Was a part of the 400 free relay group that won the NCS championship ... Earned All-East Bay Athletic League Honors ... High School All-American ... North Coast Section CIF Scholar Athlete ... Also played basketball for one year ... Competed for the Terrapins Swim Team for five years ... Swam with Terrapins along with former Wildcat swimmer Tim Smith ... One of the top ten in the club's history in both the 50 and 100 free ... Summer junior national qualifier in the 50 and 100 free ... Ranked 22nd in the 50 free in 2015 for Pacific Swimming ... Scholastic All-American ... On her high school's Honor Roll from 2012-2015 ... Earned a spot in the 4.0 GPA Club for Athletics.
Personal: Born Malorie Han ... Daughter of Melinda and Layton Han ... Chose Northwestern over Yale, Columbia, Brown and Vanderbilt ... Anticipated major is radio/television/film.
Says Steketee: "Malorie's athleticism and competitive nature grabbed me right away.She'll bring speed to our team, plus she never fails to make a conversation interesting."
Krystal Lara
5-5 Back/Fly/Free
Staten Island, N.Y. Stuyvesant
High School: Swam for four years for the Stuyvesant Penguins ... Earned the April Lao Award, which is given to the best freshman swimmer in the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) ... Also won the Francine Schnarr Memorial Award, given to the most outstanding senior in the conference ... Won the MVP award for the Penguins after both 2014 and 2015 ... Scholastic All-American and All-American swim team member ... Took home the Staten Island Advance All-Star Athletics Award ... In 2014, took home second and third in the 100 back and 100 fly, respectively, in the NYSPHSAA swimming championships ... Placed ninth in the 100 back in 2013 ... Holds seven individual school records and three records ... Has the PSAL record for 100 back and 200 free relay ... A part of a Stuyvesant team that won the school's eighth-consecutive A Division swimming and diving championship ... Competed for Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics for three years ... Swam with fellow Wildcat signee Nicole Aarts ... Holds the record for the 100 back and 100 fly for her club ... Qualified for Olympic Trials in the 100 back with a time of 1:03.28 ... Scholastic All-American ...
Personal: Born Krystal Denise Lara ... Daughter of Frederick and Alexandra Lara ... Played saxophone for nine years, reaching NYSSMA level six, the highest possible ... Chosen as an alternate for the New York All-State Band ... Chose Northwestern over Penn and Vanderbilt ... Anticipated major is psychology.
Says Steketee: "With her incredible connection to the water and work ethic, Krystal has tremendous potential. She's poised on land and fierce in the pool. Krystal will contribute immediately in individual events and relays."
Nicole Aarts (Hoboken, N.J./Convent of the Sacred Heart), Sandra Freeman (Fairview, Colo./Fairview), Malorie Han (Piedmont, Calif./Carondelet) and Krystal Lara (Staten Island, N.Y./Stuyvesant) signed their National Letters of Intent to pursue collegiate athletics with the Wildcats.
"Our staff is thrilled with the four new additions to our team," said head coach Abby Steketee, who is bringing in her first-ever recruiting class. "They're committed students, passionate athletes, and most importantly, young women of character who will immediately benefit our Northwestern community."
Full biographies for the signees appear below:
Nicole Aarts
5-8 Free/Back
Hoboken, N.J. Convent of the Sacred Heart
High School: 100 back record holder at Convent of the Sacred Heart ... Coached by Warren Perry ... Two-time MVP in 2014 and 2015 ... Two-time AAIS All-Star in 2014 and 2015 ... High school was conference champions in 2015 ... Competed for two years with Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics ... Swam on the same team as fellow signee Krystal Lara ... 100 back record holder for her club team ... Scholastic All-American in 2014 and 2015 ... Won the Rensselaer Medal for excellence in science and math ... A member of Mu Alpha Theta, with an A average in all three years of mathematics.
Personal: Born Nicole Barbara Aarts ... Daughter of Elizabeth Urtecho and Erik Aarts ... Father swam at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ... Anticipated major is physics.
Says Steketee: "Nicole impressed us from the start with her enthusiasm for going the extra mile in school and swimming. Whether it's taking care of her younger siblings or bringing together her teammates, Nicole is a team-oriented, positive person who's not afraid of hard work."
Sandra Freeman
5-7 IM
Fairview, Colo. Fairview
High School: Qualified for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 400 IM ... Swam a career-best 4:53.95 while winning the event at the Speedo Western Sectional Swim Championships in Gresham, Oregon ... Was a U.S. Junior Nationals Qualifier (Summer/Winter) in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 ... Is a member of the USA Swimming Scholastic All-America Team ... Top student, finishing with a 4.0 GPA ... National Honor Society member.
Personal: Chose Northwestern over Princeton, Ohio State, Nebraska and Rice.
Says Steketee: "Simply put, Sandra sparkles. She's determined, upbeat, and confident.With her Olympic Trials cut this summer, Sandra has taken her swimming to another level and will be instrumental in multiple events."
Malorie Han
5-8 Free
Piedmont, Calif. Carondelet
High School: Swam for four years for coach Jasmine Castillo ... North Coast Section finalist all four years ... State qualifier in 2015 ... Earned a spot in the NCS Championships in 2012 ... Won all-league honors in her freshman through junior seasons ... Was a part of the 400 free relay group that won the NCS championship ... Earned All-East Bay Athletic League Honors ... High School All-American ... North Coast Section CIF Scholar Athlete ... Also played basketball for one year ... Competed for the Terrapins Swim Team for five years ... Swam with Terrapins along with former Wildcat swimmer Tim Smith ... One of the top ten in the club's history in both the 50 and 100 free ... Summer junior national qualifier in the 50 and 100 free ... Ranked 22nd in the 50 free in 2015 for Pacific Swimming ... Scholastic All-American ... On her high school's Honor Roll from 2012-2015 ... Earned a spot in the 4.0 GPA Club for Athletics.
Personal: Born Malorie Han ... Daughter of Melinda and Layton Han ... Chose Northwestern over Yale, Columbia, Brown and Vanderbilt ... Anticipated major is radio/television/film.
Says Steketee: "Malorie's athleticism and competitive nature grabbed me right away.She'll bring speed to our team, plus she never fails to make a conversation interesting."
Krystal Lara
5-5 Back/Fly/Free
Staten Island, N.Y. Stuyvesant
High School: Swam for four years for the Stuyvesant Penguins ... Earned the April Lao Award, which is given to the best freshman swimmer in the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) ... Also won the Francine Schnarr Memorial Award, given to the most outstanding senior in the conference ... Won the MVP award for the Penguins after both 2014 and 2015 ... Scholastic All-American and All-American swim team member ... Took home the Staten Island Advance All-Star Athletics Award ... In 2014, took home second and third in the 100 back and 100 fly, respectively, in the NYSPHSAA swimming championships ... Placed ninth in the 100 back in 2013 ... Holds seven individual school records and three records ... Has the PSAL record for 100 back and 200 free relay ... A part of a Stuyvesant team that won the school's eighth-consecutive A Division swimming and diving championship ... Competed for Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics for three years ... Swam with fellow Wildcat signee Nicole Aarts ... Holds the record for the 100 back and 100 fly for her club ... Qualified for Olympic Trials in the 100 back with a time of 1:03.28 ... Scholastic All-American ...
Personal: Born Krystal Denise Lara ... Daughter of Frederick and Alexandra Lara ... Played saxophone for nine years, reaching NYSSMA level six, the highest possible ... Chosen as an alternate for the New York All-State Band ... Chose Northwestern over Penn and Vanderbilt ... Anticipated major is psychology.
Says Steketee: "With her incredible connection to the water and work ethic, Krystal has tremendous potential. She's poised on land and fierce in the pool. Krystal will contribute immediately in individual events and relays."
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