ECU Swimming & Diving Welcomes Seven New Pirates
August 09, 2024 | Women's Swimming and Diving
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Seventh-year head coach Matthew Jabs has formally announced the 2024 East Carolina women's swimming and diving signing class Friday, which consists of five swimmers and three divers.
Jabs and his staff are set to welcome four freshman and three transfers in the fall of 2024. The new class of Pirates are Kinsley Baker, Alyssa Heffelfinger, Madi Joy, Juliana Kratka, Laura Lopez, Angelica Muscalu and Abbey Pickel.
"The staff and I are looking forward to having these talented ladies join us in the fall," Jabs said. "Over the past few seasons, we have established a strong core for our team. These new additions will only improve upon that and help us take the next steps towards our goals."
Kinsley Baker – Fr. – Atlanta, Ga. (Atlanta Diving)
Coach Jabs on Baker: "Both Coach Ryan and I see a bright future for Kinsley. We believe she can come in and contribute right away as a freshman and develop quickly surrounded by other very talented divers. The potential is there, and with a strong season of training she could sneak up on some of our opponents and score some important points for us this season."
High School: Third at high school state sophomore and junior year … Second at high school state senior year … Qualified for All-American in 2023 and 2024 … Qualified for the 2023 zones in the 3-meter … Zones qualifier in the 1- and 3-meter dive in 2024 … Personal: Daughter of Paige and Jeff…sister to Holden and Grayson.
Alyssa Heffelfinger – Jr. – Waxhaw, N.C. (Mecklenburg Swimming Association)
Coach Jabs on Heffelfinger: "We are excited to get Alyssa back to North Carolina. She will fill and immediate need for us in the distance events and be a great training partner for our distance and middle-distance group."
Heffelfinger's Top Times: 500 Freestyle (4:56.46), 1000 Freestyle (10:15.64), 1650 Freestyle (17:10.26) and 400 IM (4:27.71).
Before ECU: Transfer from West Virginia … Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll … Placed 17th in the 1650-yard freestyle (17:10.26) at the 2024 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships … Finished in third place against Penn State in the 1000-yard freestyle event (10:42.04) … Placed third in the women's 1000-yard freestyle event at the WV State Games (High School) 500 free record holder at Cuthbertson High School … 2022 4A NCHSAA All-Conference … 2019 and 2021 NCHSAA 3A All-Conference selection … Took bronze in the 500 free and seventh in the 200 free at the 2021 3A NCHSAA State Championships … Five-time USA Swimming Futures Qualifier … Finished 13th in the 1650 at the 2022 Speedo ESSZ Sectionals … Personal: Daughter of Jill and Curtis Heffelfinger, sister to Courtney.
Madi Joy – Fr. – Wilmington, N.C. (Waves of Wilmington)
Coach Jabs on Joy: "Madi brought a lot of energy on her recruiting visit and we could tell right away she would be a great fit as a Pirate. Excited to keep her in-state and close to home. We feel her fastest swimming is ahead of her and we look forward to seeing what she will contribute at a freshman."
Joy's Top Times: 100 Backstroke (56.61), 200 Backstroke (2:05.45) and 100 Butterfly (57.64).
Before ECU: National Society of High School Scholars … AP Scholar … USA Swimming Scholastic All-American … Student Body President … Member of the National Honors Society, Stem Club and Math Team … 2023 Azalea Festival Princess Court … Personal: Daughter of Erin and Frank, sister to Kathryn.
Juliana Kratka – So. – Bachenbülach, Switzerland (Schwimmclub Buelach)
Coach Jabs on Kratka: "Juliana had a strong year as a freshman without much competition. I'm excited to have her train with our other breaststrokers, get pushed daily and face much tougher competition. I believe it will bring out the best in her, and she could have a big impact for us this season."
Kratka's Top Times: 100 Breaststroke (1:04.73) and 200 Breaststroke (2:17.70)
Before ECU (athletic accomplishments prior to college and while at Felician): Felician University Record holder in nine events: 100/200 Breaststroke, 200/400 IM, 200/400/800 Free Relay, 200/400 Medley Relay … NCAA DII Qualifier … Metropolitan Conference Championships 200 IM, 100/200 Breaststroke Individual Champion, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay and 400 Free Relay Champion … Personal: Daughter of Radovan Kratky and Michaela Kratka, sister to Paulina and Dalibor.
Laura Lopez – Jr. – Madrid, Spain (Club Deportivo Gredos San Diego)
Coach Jabs on Lopez: "Adding points to our conference team will be important for us this year. I feel like Laura can do that for us. She is a strong in both backstroke and 200 IM events. I look for her to bring some great energy to the team and be a strong contributor for us throughout the year."
Lopez' Top Times: 100 Backstroke (55.19), 200 Backstroke (2:00.23) and 200 IM (2:04.66).
Before ECU: Collected eight individual wins on the year across five different events … Had three individual wins against Georgia Southern on 10/29, winning the 200 free (1:55.46), 200 back (2:05.16), and the 200 IM (2:10.06) ... Also part of five first-place relay teams … Finished 17th in the 200 back (2:01.60), 22nd in the 200 IM (2:05.86) and 22nd in the 100 back (56.27) at the CCSA Championships … Personal: Daughter of Maria and Juan, sister to Maria.
Angelic Muscalu – Fr. – Burcharest, Romania (Sport Club Municipal Sibiu)
Coach Jabs on Muscalu: "Coach McIntire has been building a very strong and reliable group of divers for us. They work hard and score a lot of points for us throughout the year. Angelica is a world class diver who will add to that dynamic and have an immediate impact on our team next season. She is a very strong platform diver, which will help push our returners in that event, while they will push her in the springboard events."
Before ECU: Silver medalist at 2018 European Junior Championships … Bronze medalist at 2018 World Juniors … Three-time World Championship Qualifier (Budapest 22, Fukuoka 23, Doha 24) … Posted a fourth-place finish at 2024 European Games … Multi-time Romanian National Champion and multi-time Balkan Champion … Personal: Daughter of Axinte Daniela and Mircea Stefanita, sister to Kevin, Mario, Andrei.
Abbey Pickel – Fr. – Portland, Conn. (Middlesex Aquatics)
Coach Jabs on Pickel: "Look forward to having Abbey with us. In speaking with some other coaches from Connecticut, it's clear she has a lot of potential. She will help us right away in the 400 IM and will also add another piece for us in the butterfly. Excited to see where she can go with her swimming."
Pickel's Top Times: 400 IM (4:29.94), 200 IM (2:08.52) and 200 Butterfly (2:06.79).
Before ECU: Futures qualifier in the 400 IM … Personal: Daughter of Karen and David.
Jabs and his staff are set to welcome four freshman and three transfers in the fall of 2024. The new class of Pirates are Kinsley Baker, Alyssa Heffelfinger, Madi Joy, Juliana Kratka, Laura Lopez, Angelica Muscalu and Abbey Pickel.
"The staff and I are looking forward to having these talented ladies join us in the fall," Jabs said. "Over the past few seasons, we have established a strong core for our team. These new additions will only improve upon that and help us take the next steps towards our goals."
Kinsley Baker – Fr. – Atlanta, Ga. (Atlanta Diving)
Coach Jabs on Baker: "Both Coach Ryan and I see a bright future for Kinsley. We believe she can come in and contribute right away as a freshman and develop quickly surrounded by other very talented divers. The potential is there, and with a strong season of training she could sneak up on some of our opponents and score some important points for us this season."
High School: Third at high school state sophomore and junior year … Second at high school state senior year … Qualified for All-American in 2023 and 2024 … Qualified for the 2023 zones in the 3-meter … Zones qualifier in the 1- and 3-meter dive in 2024 … Personal: Daughter of Paige and Jeff…sister to Holden and Grayson.
Alyssa Heffelfinger – Jr. – Waxhaw, N.C. (Mecklenburg Swimming Association)
Coach Jabs on Heffelfinger: "We are excited to get Alyssa back to North Carolina. She will fill and immediate need for us in the distance events and be a great training partner for our distance and middle-distance group."
Heffelfinger's Top Times: 500 Freestyle (4:56.46), 1000 Freestyle (10:15.64), 1650 Freestyle (17:10.26) and 400 IM (4:27.71).
Before ECU: Transfer from West Virginia … Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll … Placed 17th in the 1650-yard freestyle (17:10.26) at the 2024 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships … Finished in third place against Penn State in the 1000-yard freestyle event (10:42.04) … Placed third in the women's 1000-yard freestyle event at the WV State Games (High School) 500 free record holder at Cuthbertson High School … 2022 4A NCHSAA All-Conference … 2019 and 2021 NCHSAA 3A All-Conference selection … Took bronze in the 500 free and seventh in the 200 free at the 2021 3A NCHSAA State Championships … Five-time USA Swimming Futures Qualifier … Finished 13th in the 1650 at the 2022 Speedo ESSZ Sectionals … Personal: Daughter of Jill and Curtis Heffelfinger, sister to Courtney.
Madi Joy – Fr. – Wilmington, N.C. (Waves of Wilmington)
Coach Jabs on Joy: "Madi brought a lot of energy on her recruiting visit and we could tell right away she would be a great fit as a Pirate. Excited to keep her in-state and close to home. We feel her fastest swimming is ahead of her and we look forward to seeing what she will contribute at a freshman."
Joy's Top Times: 100 Backstroke (56.61), 200 Backstroke (2:05.45) and 100 Butterfly (57.64).
Before ECU: National Society of High School Scholars … AP Scholar … USA Swimming Scholastic All-American … Student Body President … Member of the National Honors Society, Stem Club and Math Team … 2023 Azalea Festival Princess Court … Personal: Daughter of Erin and Frank, sister to Kathryn.
Juliana Kratka – So. – Bachenbülach, Switzerland (Schwimmclub Buelach)
Coach Jabs on Kratka: "Juliana had a strong year as a freshman without much competition. I'm excited to have her train with our other breaststrokers, get pushed daily and face much tougher competition. I believe it will bring out the best in her, and she could have a big impact for us this season."
Kratka's Top Times: 100 Breaststroke (1:04.73) and 200 Breaststroke (2:17.70)
Before ECU (athletic accomplishments prior to college and while at Felician): Felician University Record holder in nine events: 100/200 Breaststroke, 200/400 IM, 200/400/800 Free Relay, 200/400 Medley Relay … NCAA DII Qualifier … Metropolitan Conference Championships 200 IM, 100/200 Breaststroke Individual Champion, 200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay and 400 Free Relay Champion … Personal: Daughter of Radovan Kratky and Michaela Kratka, sister to Paulina and Dalibor.
Laura Lopez – Jr. – Madrid, Spain (Club Deportivo Gredos San Diego)
Coach Jabs on Lopez: "Adding points to our conference team will be important for us this year. I feel like Laura can do that for us. She is a strong in both backstroke and 200 IM events. I look for her to bring some great energy to the team and be a strong contributor for us throughout the year."
Lopez' Top Times: 100 Backstroke (55.19), 200 Backstroke (2:00.23) and 200 IM (2:04.66).
Before ECU: Collected eight individual wins on the year across five different events … Had three individual wins against Georgia Southern on 10/29, winning the 200 free (1:55.46), 200 back (2:05.16), and the 200 IM (2:10.06) ... Also part of five first-place relay teams … Finished 17th in the 200 back (2:01.60), 22nd in the 200 IM (2:05.86) and 22nd in the 100 back (56.27) at the CCSA Championships … Personal: Daughter of Maria and Juan, sister to Maria.
Angelic Muscalu – Fr. – Burcharest, Romania (Sport Club Municipal Sibiu)
Coach Jabs on Muscalu: "Coach McIntire has been building a very strong and reliable group of divers for us. They work hard and score a lot of points for us throughout the year. Angelica is a world class diver who will add to that dynamic and have an immediate impact on our team next season. She is a very strong platform diver, which will help push our returners in that event, while they will push her in the springboard events."
Before ECU: Silver medalist at 2018 European Junior Championships … Bronze medalist at 2018 World Juniors … Three-time World Championship Qualifier (Budapest 22, Fukuoka 23, Doha 24) … Posted a fourth-place finish at 2024 European Games … Multi-time Romanian National Champion and multi-time Balkan Champion … Personal: Daughter of Axinte Daniela and Mircea Stefanita, sister to Kevin, Mario, Andrei.
Abbey Pickel – Fr. – Portland, Conn. (Middlesex Aquatics)
Coach Jabs on Pickel: "Look forward to having Abbey with us. In speaking with some other coaches from Connecticut, it's clear she has a lot of potential. She will help us right away in the 400 IM and will also add another piece for us in the butterfly. Excited to see where she can go with her swimming."
Pickel's Top Times: 400 IM (4:29.94), 200 IM (2:08.52) and 200 Butterfly (2:06.79).
Before ECU: Futures qualifier in the 400 IM … Personal: Daughter of Karen and David.
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