Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography 2020
Women's Swimming and Diving Adds Seven to Roster
11/10/2021 3:17:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving
EVANSTON, Ill. – Director of Swimming & Diving Katie Robinson welcomed seven new members to the Northwestern Women's Swimming and Diving program as part of National Signing Day.
Riley Huddleston, Lindsay Ervin, Audrey Yu, Jamie Brennan, Hana Shimizu-Bowers, Mackenzie Lanning and Inés Sancho comprise the Class of 2026.
"Together this is a strong class that fills our team's needs helping us continue to rise in the Big Ten and NCAA," Robinson said. "Beyond their speed and ability in the water, they are all ambitious in the classroom and total team players with great attitudes. We can't wait to welcome them to campus and incorporate their fun-loving and fierce personalities with our team next fall."
Full bios for each student-athlete can be found below:
Riley Huddleston
Columbus, Ohio / Upper Arlington High School
Robinson on Huddleston: "Riley is a sprint specialist, a multiple time state champion in Ohio and one of a few women in her recruiting class under 23 seconds in the 50. As our first verbal commitment in this class, we were thrilled to have her come aboard and can't wait to add her speed to our squad."
High School: All-American … Academic All-American … Ohio Swimmer of the Year … Two-time Ohio State Champion … Four-year letter winner at Upper Arlington High School … Holds eight school records … Team MVP … Swam three years for Upper Arlington Swim Club … Junior National and U.S. Open Qualifier...Parents are Melissa and James Huddleston … Chose Northwestern over USC, Texas, and Kentucky … Anticipated major is Communications.
Lindsay Ervin
Irvine, California / Saint Margarita Catholic High School
Robinson on Ervin: "Lindsay comes to us from a highly developed club program out west. She is a speed specialist and has much more to offer throughout her college career. We can't wait for her to add strength to our sprint squad as well as our relays."
High School: Four-year letter winner … Captained team junior and senior year … Scholastic All-American … Led team to 2019 California State Championship...Parents are Sarah and Lester Ervin … Dad played basketball for Pepperdine … Chose Northwestern over Cal Berkeley … Competed against fellow recruits Audrey Yu and Jamie Brennan in high school … Anticipated major is undecided.
Audrey Yu
Las Vegas, Nevada / Palo Verde High School
Robinson on Yu: "Audrey is a phenomenal sprinter who will make an immediate impact on our team both individually and on relays. A multiple time state champion out of Nevada, and from one of the top club programs in the country, she will be a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten and NCAA."
High School: National Age Group relay record holder … Three-time Scholastic All-American … 2019 Nevada Preps All-State … Junior National Qualifier … Two-year letter winner … Swam eight seasons for Sandpipers of Nevada … Parents are Suxia Liu and Wesley Yu … Principal's Honor List … Anticipated major is Economics.
Jamie Brennan
Manhattan Beach, California / Chadwick School (Palos Verdes)
Robinson on Brennan: "Jamie is a versatile swimmer with strengths in the freestyle, butterfly and IM events. This past May, she earned two first place finishes at her CIF Championships, making her one of the strongest swimmers out of California."
High School: Three-year letter winner...Prep League Swimmer of the Year...CIF Division Three champion in the 100 and 200 Freestyle...NISCA High School Swimming All American...Parents are Cynthia and Chris Brennan...Mom was a 1980 & 1984 Olympic medalist who held seven world records and 18 American records.
Hana Shimizu-Bowers
New York City, New York / The Brearley School
Robinson on Shimizu-Bowers: "Hana is that special combination of talent and work ethic. She specializes in butterfly, IM and mid-distance freestyle. She has continued to improve in massive ways over the past year and we are excited to see what she can do in her collegiate career too."
High School: Swam two years for Badger Swim Club...two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American...Attended the 2019 USA Swimming National Select Camp... Finished 5th in the 400 free and 12th in the 400 IM at 2019 Summer Junior Nationals...Parents are Naoko Shimizu and Philip Bowers...Chose Northwestern over Duke.
Mackenzie Lanning
Louisville, Kentucky / Sacred Heart Academy
Robinson on Lanning: "Mackenzie comes from a strong club program in Kentucky and adds strength to our backstroke and mid-distance freestyle crew. She is an absolute joy to be around and will be a fierce competitor in the Big Ten."
High School: Four-year state champion at Sacred Heart and national champion in 2019...two-year captain...Swam for Lakeside Swim Team...First Team All-Region, First Team All-State, Academic All-American...Parents are Tara Lanning and Glenn Lanning...Anticipated major is Biological Sciences.
Inés Sancho
Guadalajara, Spain / IESE Ortega y Gasset (Madrid)
Robinson on Sancho: "Inés is a talented breaststroke specialist out of Spain. We are thrilled to add her to our team to continue our strength in the breaststroke events. She will make an immediate impact and we can't wait for her to arrive in Evanston."
High School: Ranked #3 swimmer in SCM Spanish Championship (2020) in 100 and 200 breaststroke...Represented Spain at the 2018 Mediterranean Cup and 2019 FOJE-European Youth Olympic Festival...Represented Spain in several international meets...Member of ESP 2024 Programme Team...Spanish Junior Championship in 2018, 2019 and 2020...Parents are Marival and Fernando Sancho.
Riley Huddleston, Lindsay Ervin, Audrey Yu, Jamie Brennan, Hana Shimizu-Bowers, Mackenzie Lanning and Inés Sancho comprise the Class of 2026.
"Together this is a strong class that fills our team's needs helping us continue to rise in the Big Ten and NCAA," Robinson said. "Beyond their speed and ability in the water, they are all ambitious in the classroom and total team players with great attitudes. We can't wait to welcome them to campus and incorporate their fun-loving and fierce personalities with our team next fall."
Full bios for each student-athlete can be found below:
Riley Huddleston
Columbus, Ohio / Upper Arlington High School
Robinson on Huddleston: "Riley is a sprint specialist, a multiple time state champion in Ohio and one of a few women in her recruiting class under 23 seconds in the 50. As our first verbal commitment in this class, we were thrilled to have her come aboard and can't wait to add her speed to our squad."
High School: All-American … Academic All-American … Ohio Swimmer of the Year … Two-time Ohio State Champion … Four-year letter winner at Upper Arlington High School … Holds eight school records … Team MVP … Swam three years for Upper Arlington Swim Club … Junior National and U.S. Open Qualifier...Parents are Melissa and James Huddleston … Chose Northwestern over USC, Texas, and Kentucky … Anticipated major is Communications.
Lindsay Ervin
Irvine, California / Saint Margarita Catholic High School
Robinson on Ervin: "Lindsay comes to us from a highly developed club program out west. She is a speed specialist and has much more to offer throughout her college career. We can't wait for her to add strength to our sprint squad as well as our relays."
High School: Four-year letter winner … Captained team junior and senior year … Scholastic All-American … Led team to 2019 California State Championship...Parents are Sarah and Lester Ervin … Dad played basketball for Pepperdine … Chose Northwestern over Cal Berkeley … Competed against fellow recruits Audrey Yu and Jamie Brennan in high school … Anticipated major is undecided.
Audrey Yu
Las Vegas, Nevada / Palo Verde High School
Robinson on Yu: "Audrey is a phenomenal sprinter who will make an immediate impact on our team both individually and on relays. A multiple time state champion out of Nevada, and from one of the top club programs in the country, she will be a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten and NCAA."
High School: National Age Group relay record holder … Three-time Scholastic All-American … 2019 Nevada Preps All-State … Junior National Qualifier … Two-year letter winner … Swam eight seasons for Sandpipers of Nevada … Parents are Suxia Liu and Wesley Yu … Principal's Honor List … Anticipated major is Economics.
Jamie Brennan
Manhattan Beach, California / Chadwick School (Palos Verdes)
Robinson on Brennan: "Jamie is a versatile swimmer with strengths in the freestyle, butterfly and IM events. This past May, she earned two first place finishes at her CIF Championships, making her one of the strongest swimmers out of California."
High School: Three-year letter winner...Prep League Swimmer of the Year...CIF Division Three champion in the 100 and 200 Freestyle...NISCA High School Swimming All American...Parents are Cynthia and Chris Brennan...Mom was a 1980 & 1984 Olympic medalist who held seven world records and 18 American records.
Hana Shimizu-Bowers
New York City, New York / The Brearley School
Robinson on Shimizu-Bowers: "Hana is that special combination of talent and work ethic. She specializes in butterfly, IM and mid-distance freestyle. She has continued to improve in massive ways over the past year and we are excited to see what she can do in her collegiate career too."
High School: Swam two years for Badger Swim Club...two-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American...Attended the 2019 USA Swimming National Select Camp... Finished 5th in the 400 free and 12th in the 400 IM at 2019 Summer Junior Nationals...Parents are Naoko Shimizu and Philip Bowers...Chose Northwestern over Duke.
Mackenzie Lanning
Louisville, Kentucky / Sacred Heart Academy
Robinson on Lanning: "Mackenzie comes from a strong club program in Kentucky and adds strength to our backstroke and mid-distance freestyle crew. She is an absolute joy to be around and will be a fierce competitor in the Big Ten."
High School: Four-year state champion at Sacred Heart and national champion in 2019...two-year captain...Swam for Lakeside Swim Team...First Team All-Region, First Team All-State, Academic All-American...Parents are Tara Lanning and Glenn Lanning...Anticipated major is Biological Sciences.
Inés Sancho
Guadalajara, Spain / IESE Ortega y Gasset (Madrid)
Robinson on Sancho: "Inés is a talented breaststroke specialist out of Spain. We are thrilled to add her to our team to continue our strength in the breaststroke events. She will make an immediate impact and we can't wait for her to arrive in Evanston."
High School: Ranked #3 swimmer in SCM Spanish Championship (2020) in 100 and 200 breaststroke...Represented Spain at the 2018 Mediterranean Cup and 2019 FOJE-European Youth Olympic Festival...Represented Spain in several international meets...Member of ESP 2024 Programme Team...Spanish Junior Championship in 2018, 2019 and 2020...Parents are Marival and Fernando Sancho.
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