PRINCETON, N.J. — The Princeton University women’s water polo team has announced the program’s Class of 2024:
- Meera Burghardt (Manhattan Beach, Calif. /Harvard Westlake)
Harvard Westlake: Senior captain that also led the team in scoring three straight years (2018-20)…Named Division II Player of the Year as a senior and was first-team Mission League…Division II All-CIF and first team Mission League as a junior…Named Mission League MVP as a sophomore along with Division III All CIF … Second team Mission League…Team MVP three times…Squad won the Mission League all four years…CIF SS Division III runner up in 2018…CIF SS Division II title in 2020…School honor roll all four years.
Personal: Daughter of Aparna Voleti and Joe Burghardt…Has one brother.
- Kaila Carroll (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich)
Greenwich: A senior captain that was named MVP…First-Team All-America in 2019 and Honorable Mention in 2018…Led the team in scoring…Member of the National Honor Society…Math Honor Society…Girl Empowerment Club.
Club/ODP: National Team Selection Camp in 2019…Youth National Squad in 2019…USA Water Polo National Academy Team…North East Zone, International Futures National Team selected to go to Hungary 2018…National Selection Camp from 2015-17…Played for Greenwich Aquatics…16U squad was 17th in 2017…18U team was 10th in 2018 and 17th in 2019.
Academic: All-Academic Outstanding Honors in 2018 and 2019…High Honor.
Personal: Daughter of Dzwinka and Tom Carroll…Has twin brothers and a sister.
- Grace Houlahan (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach)
Laguna Beach: Second-team All-America and second-team All-League in 2018…Earned team’s Most Valuable Defender…Team was four-time League Champions, earned three State titles and three Division I CIF crowns…Also lettered in Swimming and Diving…All-Academic…Scholar Athlete.
Personal: Daughter of Katie and Mike Houlahan…Has two siblings.
- Delainey Whelan (Long Beach, Calif./Woodrow Wilson)
Woodrow Wilson High School: Senior captain…Four-time Moore League first team…First-Team All-CIF…Moore League MVP as a senior…Press Telegram Dream Team in 2019…Three-time Moore League Champions…CIF Division III title in 2018…Earned team award for Best Defensive Player as freshman…Most Improved Player as sophomore…Coach’s Award as a junior…Also swam…Held the Moore League JV record for the 50 and 100 freestyle…School record holder (varsity) for the 200 medley…Member of the National Honor Society…President and founder of the Environmental Awareness Club.
Academic: Earned school’s department award in Math and Science…California Scholarship Federation….Honor Society members for three years…Gold Seal Bearer candidate…AP Scholar…Academic High Honors…Gold W Award.
Personal: Daughter of Wendy and Gregg Whelan … Father swam at the University of Alabama.
- Kayla Yelensky (Stamford, Conn./Greenwich Academy)
Greenwich Academy: A two-time captain that was the team highest scorer three times…New England Championship All-Tournament MVP three years…GA Team MVP Award as a junior…New England All-America squad three times…Team was three-time New England Champion…Also played volleyball and swam…Named Greenwich Aquatics MVP twice and school MVP three times…Member of the DREAM Club…Honor Roll.
Club/ODP: Member of a U.S. national team for four years … 2018 Tournament MVP in Hungary.
Personal: Daughter of Faina and Alex Yelensky … Has one brother … Father played water polo at University of Massachusetts.
Princeton finished the 2020 season at 8-3 overall and on a six-game winning streak.
Release courtesy Princeton University Athletics Communications
