Swimming & Diving Announces Newcomers For 2026-27 Season

GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina Women's Swimming and Diving will add 11 newcomers to its roster, comprised of eight freshman and three transfers, ahead of the 2026-27 season according to an announcement from head coach Matthew Jabs on Tuesday.

The incoming group is made up of 10 swimmers and one diver while the Pirates return 16 swimmers and divers from last year's team that went 8-3 in dual meet competition and finished third at the American Conference Swimming and Diving Championships.

"Very excited about this group," Jabs said. "Each of these young ladies will have an opportunity to impact our team immediately in their first year with the program. I want to thank our coaches who put in a lot of work to get these athletes to ECU. Can't wait to get them on campus. Go Pirates."

Isabelle Cameron – So. – Peterborough, England
Events: Breaststroke / IM
Previous School: Marshall
Before ECU: Competed in British Olympic trials in 2024 ... British National finalist in the 50, 100 and 200 breaststroke, with a top-four finish in the 50 ... Fourth all-time in Marshall record book in 100 breaststroke, seventh all-time in Marshall record book 200 breaststroke, sixth all-time 200 medley relay and fourth all-time in Marshall record book in 400 medley relay.

Alena Gemici – Fr. – Hanover, Germany
Events: Sprint/Middle Distance Freestyle
Before ECU: Three-time German Championship runner-up with relay in 2023 … German SCM third place 4x50 free mixed … Promotion to first league in Germany… German Championship two-time first place in 4x100 free and 4x200 free in 2024 … Third place 4x100 free mixed … German Junior National Finalist … Second place in 200/400 free at Eindhoven Qualification Meeting … North German Champion … Three-time first place 50, 100 and 200 free … Multi state champion in free and back … Second place 4x100 free at German Championship in 2025 … Two-time second place in 200 free and 200 back at North German Championship … Multi state champion in free and back.

Sophie Hay – So. – Hamilton, New Zealand
Events: Distance Freestyle
Previous School: Washington State
Before ECU: Ranked as a top 50 swimmer in New Zealand … Competed in eight meets at Washington State including Mountain West Championships, with three top three finishes on the season … Attended Waikato Diocesan School for Girls in Hamilton, New Zealand… Swam for Hamilton Aquatics… In 2022, swam in the Apollo Projects New Zealand Short Course Championships… Swam in the Apollo Projects New Zealand Championships… In 2023, swam in the Apollo Projects New Zealand Age Group Championships and the New Zealand Secondary School Championships … Won the 1500 Free at the New Zealand SC Championships… In 2024, earned second place in the 1500 Free at the Swimming Auckland Age Group and Open Championships.

Ashlyn Loftin – Fr. – Marietta, Ga.
Events: Breaststroke
Before ECU: Ranked by SwimCloud as Georgia's 13^th ranked recruit in the 2026 class … Four-year varsity swimmer at Lassiter, three-time state qualifier, two-time state champion in 100 breaststroke (2025,2026), third place 100 butterfly at state (2026) … Two-time Region 6A 100 breaststroke champion (2024,2025) … First in the 100 butterfly Region 6A (2026) ...Four-time varsity award…Four-time scholar athlete award… Two-time all-state and all-county first team… Two-year member of National Honors Society…Three-time high point swimming award…All-American swimming standard cut … Three-year qualifier for NCSA in Orlando Fla. for Chattahoochee Gold … Finalist in 100, 200 breaststroke (2025) … Three-year qualifier for Futures championship … Finalist in 50,100,200 breaststroke, 200IM (2025) … Four-year state qualifier … Finalist in 50,100 and 200 breaststroke as well as 100,200,400 IM (2024,2025) … Three-year qualifier for Southeastern Meet of Champions … Third in 200 breaststroke … "A" finalist in 50,100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly and 100 and 400 IM (2026).

Orla Macinnes – So. – Edinburgh, Scotland
Events: Butterfly
Previous School: Youngstown State
Before ECU: 12th ranked swimmer in Scotland … Competed in 10 meets at Youngstown State, securing 14 top three finishes with seven event wins … Finished first at the 2026 Horizon League Championships in the 50 butterfly and second in the 100 and 200 butterfly … CSCAA NIC Qualifier.

Lauren McCoy – Fr. – Orlando, Fla.
Events: 1M, 3M, Platform Diving
Before ECU: Four-year State Diving Finalist … State Runner up in 2024 and 2025 … Named MVP 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 … All Metro Team … School Record Holder .

Eszti Scheffer – Fr. – Bagod, Hungary
Events: Backstroke
Before ECU: Top 100 swimmer in Hungry … Third place at 2022 Hungarian Short Course Youth Championship in 400 IM … Ninth place at 2025 Hungarian Championship in 200 backstroke … Fourth place at Hungarian Youth Championship in 100 backstroke … First place in 200 backstroke … 10^th place at Hungarian Short Course Championship in 100 backstroke … Sixth place in 200 backstroke … Fifth place at 2025 Hungarian Short Course Youth Championship in 50 backstroke … Second place in 200 backstroke … First place in 100 Backstroke, Third place in Hungarian Long Distance Championship 10K … Fifth place in 1500.

Aaliyah Schiffel – Fr. – Oschatz, Germany
Events: Breaststroke / IM
Before ECU: Top 60 swimmer in Germany based on SwimCloud ranking … National age group champion multiple times in 100 breaststroke, 200 IM and 50 breaststroke (2021-2024) … 2023 European junior championship semifinal 100 breaststroke /… Eighth place in medley relay …Third place at 2024 National Short Course Championships in 200 breaststroke … Fourth place at 2025 National Short Course Championship in 100 IM …. Multiple finals at Nationals Short and Long Course Championships (2022-25) in 100 and 200 breaststroke, 100, 200 and 400 IM.

Isabel Schroeder – Fr. – Loveland, Ohio
Events: Sprint Freestyle/ Backstroke
Before ECU: SwimCloud ranked Isabelle as Ohio's 13^th ranked recruit in the 2026 class … 6th place finish in both 50 free and 100 at OHSAA State 2025 and 2026 (Junior and senior year) … OHSAA Southwest Districts 50 free champion 2026 … 2025 YMCA long course National Champion in 200 free relay and 400 free relay … Speedo Winter Junior qualifier … Holds Loveland school record in 50 free, 100 free and 200 free.

Maria Shyrikova – Fr. – Rivne, Ukraine
Events: IM
Before ECU: Top 20 swimmer in all of Ukraine … Ukrainian National Team Member…Junior European Championship qualifier … Absolute Ukrainian Champion 200 and 400 IM

Ava Vercollone – Fr. – Phoenix, Md.
Events: IM, Butterfly, Distance Freestyle
Before ECU: Ranked by SwimCloud as Maryland's 3^rd ranked recruit in in the 2026 class … 2024-2025 IAAM All-conference Award … 2025-2026 IAAM All-conference Award … 2024-2025 All-American Award … 2025-2026 All-American Award…Swimmer of the year LCM 15-16 … Scholastic All-American 2024-2025 … US All American 2024-2025.

Swimming & Diving Announces Newcomers For 2026-27 Season

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