The Hillsdale College women's swimming and diving team enters the 2022-23 school year looking to continue to build off a historic run over the past four seasons.
To aid in that pursuit, the Chargers will look to five talented new faces who've joined the program for the upcoming season.
Rotem Andegeko (East Grand Rapids, Michigan/East Grand Rapids), Sydnie Hart (Winter Park, Florida/Winter Park), Nickaylah Sampson (New Braunfels, Texas/Byron P. Steele), Emmy Sigtryggsson (Stamford, Connecticut/Stamford) and Julianna Weir (Hebron, Connecticut/East Catholic) all add important depth to a Hillsdale roster with big goals for the 2022-23 season.
Andegeko swims the breaststroke and individual medley and comes to Hillsdale from a powerhouse East Grand Rapids program that won three MHSAA Division 3 team state championships during her four years of high school. Individually, Andegeko reached the finals of the 200 individual medley at the 2021 MHSAA D3 state finals, and also swam for the highly regarded Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics program. An excellent student, Andegeko was an OK Conference scholar athlete and the drum major of the EGR marching band who won both the George Eastman Young Leaders Award and the 2022 Grand Rapids Lions Club High School Outstanding Student Achievement Award.
Hart also swims the breaststroke and IM and was a prep All-American at Winter Park High School in the talent-rich state of Florida, helping set a school record in the 200 medley relay and taking runner-up honors at the 2021 Florida High School state meet. Hart also swam for the Blue Dolfins club in Florida, and is a strong student who made the honor roll throughout her time at Winter Park.
Sampson swims sprint freestyle events and is resuming a competitive swim career she originally left behind after high school. A transfer to Hillsdale from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Sampson earned All-District and All-State honors while competing for Byron P. Steele High School in Texas, and also swam for the Alamo Area Aquatics Association Judson Metrocom Club. An excellent student who graduated Summa Cum Laude from her high school and was an AP Scholar and National Honor Society member, Sampson already has achieved at a high level academically during her brief time in college, earning the Mathematical Achievement Award while at West Point.
Sigtryggsson swims the butterfly as well as sprint freestyle events and was a standout at Stamford High School in Connecticut, setting her school's 100 butterfly record, lettering all four years and serving as team captain as a senior. Sigtryggsson also swam for the Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club, and is a strong student, earning FCIAC Scholar Athlete and National Merit Commended Scholar honors, while also serving as a member of the National Honor Society.
Last, but not least, Weir swims sprint freestyle events and played an important role in Founders League and NEPSAC Championships for East Catholic while in high school in Connecticut. Weir also competed for the West Hartford Aquatic and Northeast Aquatic Club teams, and is a strong student, who received the East Catholic Superintendents' Award and made the honor roll every semester.
All five swimmers will get the opportunity to make their mark early for the Chargers, who have won the last three G-MAC/MEC team titles and are looking for a fourth straight crown this winter. Freshmen have played a big role in all three championships, with a Charger athlete winning G-MAC Freshman of the Year honors in each of the last three seasons – Leah Tunney in 2020, Cecilia Guadalupi in 2021 and Elise Mason in 2022.
The Chargers kick off the 2022-23 season on October 8 with a home meet against Indiana Wesleyan and Davenport at noon. You can see the full schedule here.