Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography 2020
Robinson Welcomes Five Additions to Women's Swim and Dive Program
11/11/2020 4:59:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern's Director of Swimming and Diving Katie Robinson announced the signing of five new members of the Wildcats' roster for the class of 2025 on Friday as part of the early period of National Signing Day.
The class of 2025 includes Ashley Strouse, Leila Busch, Kenisha Gupta, Justine Murdock, and Emily Park.
"We are pumped to welcome in this 2021 recruiting class", says Robinson. "Each of these women demonstrate a deeply rooted desire to train and compete at a high level. Their competitive spirit is energizing and they are excited about building a strong and cohesive team that supports each other towards their individual and team goals. Already our team loves them and we can't wait to add them to the mix."
This is the first recruiting class for Robinson, who was promoted to Director of Swimming and Diving in June, and her staff.
The newest Wildcats will join a program coming off an impressive 2019-20 campaign in which they finished 12-3 and placed 4th in the Big Ten Championship. Junior Calypso Sheridan won the first Big Ten Championship for Northwestern Swimming since 2008 and first-year Markie Hopkins became the second Wildcat diver in the last three years to hold a Big Ten champion title.
Full bios for each student athlete can be found below:
Ashley Strouse
Cave Creek, Ariz. / Chaparral High School
Robinson on Strouse: "Ashley is a phenomenally talented swimmer with a work ethic second to none. Her competitive drive will make her a force to be reckoned with at the NCAA level and beyond. Her personality is a perfect fit for our team and we can't wait to add her to our squad."
High School: Ranked 6th in the world for her 2021 recruiting class ... USA Swimming National Junior team member ... 2019 World Junior Championship team member ... Three-time Arizona AIA Divsion I Swimmer of the Year recipient (2018, 2019, 2020) ... Set state records in the 200 free, 200 free relay and 400 free relay during the 2017-18 season ... Earned four varsity letters while swimming for Chaparral High School and was undefeated during her high school career ... Took first place in the 200 free, 500 free, 200 free relay and 400 free relay in each of her first three years of high school.
Personal: Parents are Rick and Melissa Strouse ... Chose Northwestern over Virginia, Texas, and Stanford ... Anticipated major is biological sciences.
Top Events (Best Time)
50 Free (22.98)
100 Free SCY (49.24)
200 Free SCY (1:45.64)
500 Free SCY (4:41.41)
1000 Free SCY (9:40.58)
1650 Free SCY (16:01.20)
Emily Park
Seoul, South Korea / Seoul Foreign School
Robinson on Park: "Emily will make an exceptional Wildcat and has come on strong during the past summer months, dropping significant time to earn her place on our team. She is a hard worker and extremely persistent in her pursuit of her goals."
High School: Co-captain of varsity team for three years … Participated in Asia Pacific Activities Conference and Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference for all four years of high school … Member of South Korean Junior National Team … Led high school team to third place finish in APAC … APAC 100 Back record holder … KAIAC record holder in the 100 Back, 200 Individual Medley, 400 Individual Medley, 100 individual medley … Qualified for South Korean National swim team time trials … Girl's swimming high point winner for APAC and high point winner for KAIAC for 2018-2019.
Personal: Parents are James Hwi Joon Park and Chae Yeon Hee Park … Major is undecided.
Top Events (Best Time)
100 Fly LCM (1:02.18)
200 IM LCM (2:19.45)
200 Back LCM (2:16.24)
50 Free LCM (26.74)
Kenisha Gupta
Mumbai, India / Fazlani L'Académie Globale
Robinson on Gupta: "Kenisha is a bright young woman with an incredible passion for her growth in the sport. She has big time goals for herself and is someone who is always ready to lift her teammates up too. "
High School: Swam for Otter Dolphin Swim Team for past four years … Member of Indian Swimming National Team … Indian 100 m freestyle Senior National Glenmark Aquatic Championship (open age group) record holder ... 2018 fastest Indian female in the open age group category ... First Indian female swimmer selected for the Target Olympic Podium Scheme development group for the 2024 Olympics ... Contributed to an all time best Indian national team performance in the 4 by 50 m freestyle mixed relay ... Individual champion and the fastest female swimmer at the Junior National Glenmark Aquatic Championship 2019 … Participated at the FINA World Junior Championships 2019 and the Asian age group championships 2017 and 2019. Individual champion and eight-time gold medal winner at the South Asian Age group Championships at the age of 14.
Personal: Parents are Pradeepti and Vishal Gupta … Father played cricket in college and participated in the Harris Shield and Giles Shield tournaments … Highest scorer in the IGCSE Cambridge board exams in her school in February and March 2019 … Anticipated major is biological sciences.
Top Events (Best Time)
50 Free LCM (26.73)
100 Free LCM (57.71)
200 Free LCM (2:07.94)
Justine Murdock
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan / Cranbrook Schools
Robinson on Murdock: "Justine is an amazingly talented backstroker who wowed us when we saw her win the 2019 NCSA Summer Championships and earn her Olympic Trials cuts. She is a perfect fit for Northwestern from both an academic and athletic standpoint and will thrive in our team environment."
High School: Earned varsity letter all four years of high school … Led team to Division 3 state championship in 2017 and runner-up in 2018 and 2019 … 2019 NICSA All-American in 100 Backstroke and 400 Free Relay … Detroit Free Press Girls' Swimmer of the Year … Michigan Division 3 Swimmer of the Year … Earned all-state honors in 200 medley relay, 200 IM, 100 backstroke for two straight years and 400m free relay in 2019 .. Has won state championships in 100 backstroke (2x), 200 IM and 400 free relay … Holds team records in 100 backstroke, 200 IM and 400 free relay … Has participated in club swimming since the age of six … Swims for Atlantis Swimming … Two-time Olympic Trial Qualifier in the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke … 2019 USA Swimming National Select Camp attendee … 2019 18-and-under World Top 100 in the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke … 2019 NCSA summer national champion in the 100 and 200 backstroke ... Five-time NSCA National meet finalist … Broke Michigan state record in the 15-16 year old 200 backstroke (2:12.90) in 2019.
Personal: Born Justine Elizabeth Murdock … Parents are Audra and Bill Murdock … Cum Laude Society Inductee … Three-time USA Swimming scholastic All-American … 2020 CHSL Scholar Athlete … AP Scholar … Academic Dean's List for three-straight years … Chose Northwestern over Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, and California-Berkeley … Anticipated major is statistics or chemistry.
Top Events (Best Time)
100 Back SCY (54.36)
200 Back SCY (1:56.48)
200 IM (2:05.62)
Leila Busch
Truckee, California / Truckee High School
Robinson on Busch: "Leila is a very talented athlete with a bright future here at Northwestern. She is going to help take our team to the next level and we can't wait to have her positive and infectious attitude on our squad."
High School: Earned three varsity letters for diving … Team MVP in 2019 … 3rd at CIF Central Coast Section in 2019 … 5th at CIF State Diving Championships 2019.
Personal: Born Leila Ann Busch … Parents are Chellie and Richard Busch … Honor roll student … Earned academic honors in geometry and computer science … Anticipated major is biology.
The class of 2025 includes Ashley Strouse, Leila Busch, Kenisha Gupta, Justine Murdock, and Emily Park.
"We are pumped to welcome in this 2021 recruiting class", says Robinson. "Each of these women demonstrate a deeply rooted desire to train and compete at a high level. Their competitive spirit is energizing and they are excited about building a strong and cohesive team that supports each other towards their individual and team goals. Already our team loves them and we can't wait to add them to the mix."
This is the first recruiting class for Robinson, who was promoted to Director of Swimming and Diving in June, and her staff.
The newest Wildcats will join a program coming off an impressive 2019-20 campaign in which they finished 12-3 and placed 4th in the Big Ten Championship. Junior Calypso Sheridan won the first Big Ten Championship for Northwestern Swimming since 2008 and first-year Markie Hopkins became the second Wildcat diver in the last three years to hold a Big Ten champion title.
Full bios for each student athlete can be found below:
Ashley Strouse
Cave Creek, Ariz. / Chaparral High School
Robinson on Strouse: "Ashley is a phenomenally talented swimmer with a work ethic second to none. Her competitive drive will make her a force to be reckoned with at the NCAA level and beyond. Her personality is a perfect fit for our team and we can't wait to add her to our squad."
High School: Ranked 6th in the world for her 2021 recruiting class ... USA Swimming National Junior team member ... 2019 World Junior Championship team member ... Three-time Arizona AIA Divsion I Swimmer of the Year recipient (2018, 2019, 2020) ... Set state records in the 200 free, 200 free relay and 400 free relay during the 2017-18 season ... Earned four varsity letters while swimming for Chaparral High School and was undefeated during her high school career ... Took first place in the 200 free, 500 free, 200 free relay and 400 free relay in each of her first three years of high school.
Personal: Parents are Rick and Melissa Strouse ... Chose Northwestern over Virginia, Texas, and Stanford ... Anticipated major is biological sciences.
Top Events (Best Time)
50 Free (22.98)
100 Free SCY (49.24)
200 Free SCY (1:45.64)
500 Free SCY (4:41.41)
1000 Free SCY (9:40.58)
1650 Free SCY (16:01.20)
Emily Park
Seoul, South Korea / Seoul Foreign School
Robinson on Park: "Emily will make an exceptional Wildcat and has come on strong during the past summer months, dropping significant time to earn her place on our team. She is a hard worker and extremely persistent in her pursuit of her goals."
High School: Co-captain of varsity team for three years … Participated in Asia Pacific Activities Conference and Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference for all four years of high school … Member of South Korean Junior National Team … Led high school team to third place finish in APAC … APAC 100 Back record holder … KAIAC record holder in the 100 Back, 200 Individual Medley, 400 Individual Medley, 100 individual medley … Qualified for South Korean National swim team time trials … Girl's swimming high point winner for APAC and high point winner for KAIAC for 2018-2019.
Personal: Parents are James Hwi Joon Park and Chae Yeon Hee Park … Major is undecided.
Top Events (Best Time)
100 Fly LCM (1:02.18)
200 IM LCM (2:19.45)
200 Back LCM (2:16.24)
50 Free LCM (26.74)
Kenisha Gupta
Mumbai, India / Fazlani L'Académie Globale
Robinson on Gupta: "Kenisha is a bright young woman with an incredible passion for her growth in the sport. She has big time goals for herself and is someone who is always ready to lift her teammates up too. "
High School: Swam for Otter Dolphin Swim Team for past four years … Member of Indian Swimming National Team … Indian 100 m freestyle Senior National Glenmark Aquatic Championship (open age group) record holder ... 2018 fastest Indian female in the open age group category ... First Indian female swimmer selected for the Target Olympic Podium Scheme development group for the 2024 Olympics ... Contributed to an all time best Indian national team performance in the 4 by 50 m freestyle mixed relay ... Individual champion and the fastest female swimmer at the Junior National Glenmark Aquatic Championship 2019 … Participated at the FINA World Junior Championships 2019 and the Asian age group championships 2017 and 2019. Individual champion and eight-time gold medal winner at the South Asian Age group Championships at the age of 14.
Personal: Parents are Pradeepti and Vishal Gupta … Father played cricket in college and participated in the Harris Shield and Giles Shield tournaments … Highest scorer in the IGCSE Cambridge board exams in her school in February and March 2019 … Anticipated major is biological sciences.
Top Events (Best Time)
50 Free LCM (26.73)
100 Free LCM (57.71)
200 Free LCM (2:07.94)
Justine Murdock
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan / Cranbrook Schools
Robinson on Murdock: "Justine is an amazingly talented backstroker who wowed us when we saw her win the 2019 NCSA Summer Championships and earn her Olympic Trials cuts. She is a perfect fit for Northwestern from both an academic and athletic standpoint and will thrive in our team environment."
High School: Earned varsity letter all four years of high school … Led team to Division 3 state championship in 2017 and runner-up in 2018 and 2019 … 2019 NICSA All-American in 100 Backstroke and 400 Free Relay … Detroit Free Press Girls' Swimmer of the Year … Michigan Division 3 Swimmer of the Year … Earned all-state honors in 200 medley relay, 200 IM, 100 backstroke for two straight years and 400m free relay in 2019 .. Has won state championships in 100 backstroke (2x), 200 IM and 400 free relay … Holds team records in 100 backstroke, 200 IM and 400 free relay … Has participated in club swimming since the age of six … Swims for Atlantis Swimming … Two-time Olympic Trial Qualifier in the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke … 2019 USA Swimming National Select Camp attendee … 2019 18-and-under World Top 100 in the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke … 2019 NCSA summer national champion in the 100 and 200 backstroke ... Five-time NSCA National meet finalist … Broke Michigan state record in the 15-16 year old 200 backstroke (2:12.90) in 2019.
Personal: Born Justine Elizabeth Murdock … Parents are Audra and Bill Murdock … Cum Laude Society Inductee … Three-time USA Swimming scholastic All-American … 2020 CHSL Scholar Athlete … AP Scholar … Academic Dean's List for three-straight years … Chose Northwestern over Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, and California-Berkeley … Anticipated major is statistics or chemistry.
Top Events (Best Time)
100 Back SCY (54.36)
200 Back SCY (1:56.48)
200 IM (2:05.62)
Leila Busch
Truckee, California / Truckee High School
Robinson on Busch: "Leila is a very talented athlete with a bright future here at Northwestern. She is going to help take our team to the next level and we can't wait to have her positive and infectious attitude on our squad."
High School: Earned three varsity letters for diving … Team MVP in 2019 … 3rd at CIF Central Coast Section in 2019 … 5th at CIF State Diving Championships 2019.
Personal: Born Leila Ann Busch … Parents are Chellie and Richard Busch … Honor roll student … Earned academic honors in geometry and computer science … Anticipated major is biology.
Players Mentioned
Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
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