Courtesy: Columbia Athletics
NEW YORK — The Columbia men’s swimming and diving team has once again added a strong group of newcomers to its roster for the 2020-21 campaign, head coach Jim Bolster announced.
“The class of 2024 is talented and full of swimmers who will make immediate contributions to our success”, commented Bolster. “This class is quite strong in the backstroke, butterfly and freestyle events and that is good because those are the events in which we graduated most of our talent. There is great geographic distribution as well, as our athletes span the globe, from South Korea to Canada, and cover the United States from California, to Texas, to Florida. They should be a fun group to work with.”
“Seungjoon Ahn (Katy, Texas); Seungjoon arrives via South Korea. He is arguably one of the best recruits ever to Columbia and perhaps the league. He has the ability to be a top-eight finalist in the 200 and 500 free events and the 200 fly. Noah Czelusta (Houston, Texas): Noah will make an immediate contribution to our depth and front line strength in the IM, breast and butterfly events; Adam Haig (Austin, Texas): Adam completes our Texas trifecta and will lend great talent and depth to our backstroke unit; Andy Huang (Saratoga, Calif.): Andy will be an instant difference maker in the sprint free and backstroke events; Nolan Kopp (Carmel, Ind.): Nolan is a fast developing talent; we believe he has the potential to surprise many with his skill set in the backstroke and IM events; rounding out the class is a trio of freestylers Hunter Kroll (Irvine, Calif.), Stanford Li (Quebec, Calif.) and Rene Strezenicky (Sarasota, Fla.): all three can swim distances from the 200 through the 1650 free events; Rene may be more of a middle distance swimmer while Hunter and Stanford will tackle the longer distances, but regardless the three will be a formidable trio of talent in the years to come.”
“Again, we think this is a great group of individuals and talented swimmers. We are looking forward to working with them and to their contributions to Columbia swimming and diving.”
Full details on the class of 2020 recruiting class can be found below, while the full roster is available here.
Seungjoon Ahn
Seoul, South Korea/Katy, Texas – Seven Lakes High School
Freestyle/Butterfly
Four-year varsity letter winner at Seven Lakes … Team captain as a senior … Runner up in both the 200 free (1:37.85) and 500 free (4:21.68) at the 2020 Texas 6A State Championship … School record holder in the 200 and 500 free, plus 200 medley and 400 free relays … THSCA First Team Winter Academic All-State … Member of National Honor Society … Parents are Youngah Jin and Joonyong Ahn … Has one sibling, Sihyung Ahn … Plans to study computer engineering … Enrolled in Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Noah Czelusta
Houston, Texas – Memorial High School
Breaststroke/Butterfly/IM
Four-year varsity swimming letter winner for the Mustangs … 2019 and 2020 All-State Team … 2019 and 2020 Academic All-State … 2018, 2019 and 2020 USA Swimming Scholastic All-American … Participated in Orchestra … Son of Kim-Lan and Adam Czelusta … Has three younger siblings: Sophie, Katie and Liam … Intends on studying mechanical engineering … Enrolled in Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Adam Haig
Austin, Texas – Round Rock High School
Backstroke
A 2019 NISCA All-American in the 100 backstroke … 2019 Three-time TISCA All-State honoree … USA Swimming Scholastic All-American … Four-year varsity swimming letter winner for the Dragons … Also earned one letter in water polo and was named team’s most improved player … Swam club for Aquatex … National Merit consideration … Maintained 4.0 GPA all four years … Son of Robert and Mindy Haig … Has one sister, Delaney … Enrolled in Columbia College.
Andy Huang
Saratoga, Calif. – Saint Francis High School
Freestyle/Backstroke
A 2019 USA Swimming Scholastic All-American … Named Saint Francis’ Outstanding Senior Athlete … 2019 bronze medalist in the 100 backstroke (48.71) at the CIF State Championships … Swam club with Peak Swimming … Parents are Kevin Huang and Shirley Xie … Has one older brother, Dan … Hobbies include building mechanical keyboards … Enrolled in Columbia College.
Nolan Kopp
Carmel, Ind. – Carmel High School
Backstroke/IM
Part of a Carmel High School men’s swimming dynasty, having helped the Greyhounds to four-straight state titles … Also part of 2019 national championship team … Team captain as a senior … Three-time qualifier and two-time IHSAA state finalist … Indiana Swimming Top 10 Swimming Time 2019 … Four-time Scholar-Athlete … 2019 and 2020 Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference Academic All-Conference … AP Scholar Award … National Honor Society … Parents are Brian and Lori Kopp … Has two siblings, Evan and Anderson … Enrolled in Columbia College … Plans to study business economics … Can solve every type of Rubik’s cube.
Hunter Kroll
Irvine, Calif. – University High School
Freestyle
Four-year varsity letter winner at University High School and helped the Trojans to the 2019 Pacific Coast League championship … Three-time Pacific Coast League champion in junior season, including winning the 500 freestyle … Three-time USA Swimming Scholastic All-American … Swam club with Mission Viejo Nadadores … National Merit Scholar … 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program candidate … AP Scholar with distinction … Graduated magna cum laude … Son of Po Fu and Brian Kroll … Enrolled in Columbia College … Enjoys writing screenplays.
Stanford Li
Quebec, Canada – Selwyn House School
Freestyle
Swam club for Pointe-Claire Swim Club … Helped his team to the 2019 Canadian Junior Championship as well as Eastern Canadian Championship titles in 2018 and 2019 … Member of Team Canada 2019 Summer ID team … Quebec Swimming Federation Identified Athlete (Elite Level) for the 2019-20 season … Team Canada 2019 for European Open Water meet … Took silver in the 400 free at the 2019 Eastern Canadian Championships … Earned the Duke of Edinburgh’s Internationonal Award Silver Medal for community service … Recipient of the Canadian Governor General Academic medal … Recipient of 2018 Beaverbrook Vimy Prize … High School Valedictorian … Volunteered with Invisible Hands to deliver supplies to immunocompromised individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic … Parents are Xiaoyan Wang and Quansheng Li … Has two brothers, Yiwen and Daniel … Enrolled in Columbia College … Plans to study financial economics … Has played piano for 12 years and earned a Level 10 certification by the Royal Conservatory of Music.
René Strezenicky
Sarasota, Fla. – Pine View School
Freestyle
Attended Pine View School but swam for both Riverview High School (2016 and 2017) and Venice High School (2018 and 2019) … Helped the Venice Indians to their first ever swimming state title in 2018 after winning back-to-back team titles with Riverview in 2016 and 2017 … Member of the state champion 400 freestyle relay squads in 2017 and 2018 … Also swam club with Sarasota Tsunami Swim Team … Hobbies include botany and held an internship at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens … Son of Radoslav and Dogmar Strezenicky … Has one sister, Natalia … Enrolled in Columbia College … Plans to study biochemistry.
For the latest on the Columbia men’s swimming and diving program, follow @CULionsMSD and @CULionsDiving on Instagram and Twitter, and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
Seungjoon is a huge pick up!