Novice Women

Give a warm welcome to our 2024-2025 novices!

Sophia Wendt - Women's Novice Captain (2025-2026)

Port | Starboard

Woodinville, WA

5’11”

Freshman - Accounting

Juanita High School

High School: Artistic Swimming for 7 years.

Looking Forward To:

“Competing in regattas and getting to know new teammates!”

Personal: Member of the Taiwanese American Students Club & Taiwanese Students. Sophia enjoys swimming, baking, & reading.

Cynthia Daili

Port | Starboard

Montville, NJ

5’1”

Freshmen - Civil Engineering

Montville Township High School

High School: Competitive Recurve Archery, President of Women in STEM

Looking Forward To:

“Being a part of the team!”

Personal: Member of Illinois Solar Decathlon, ACSE, & Archery club, Cynthia likes to go to the gym & collect jewelry/playing cards. Her favorite fruit are green grapes!

Gabby Simzyk

Port | Starboard

Elmhurst,IL

5’2”

Freshmen - History

Immaculate Conception Catholic Prep

High School: Golf & Softball

Looking Forward To:

“Improving my technique & more sunrises on the lake.”

Personal: Member of Puerto Rican Students Association. Gabby likes to bike, skateboard, play video games, collect vinyl records & cds, & attempt to feed the campus squirrels.

Lucy Heikes

Port | Starboard

Mundelein, IL

5’11”

Freshmen - Bioengineering

Mundelein High School

High School: Volleyball, basketball, soccer, track and field

Looking Forward To:

“Spring break training and 2k season!”

Personal: Member of MedLaunch and BMES. Lucy loves to read, bake, and craft!

Mia Sanchez

Port | Starboard

Chicago, IL

5’1”

Freshmen - Undeclared

Jones College Preparatory

High School: Two years of soccer, 4 years of rowing

Personal: Mia likes to rock climb, works for a rowing team in the summers, and likes blueberry banana smoothies!

Nicole Hanak

Port | Starboard

Shaumburg, IL

5’11”

Freshmen - Art Education

Hoffman Estates High School

High School: Swimming, Water Polo, Rube Goldberg, Picasso Club, Peer Juror

Looking Forward To:

“Having fun, meeting new people, and getting buff.”

Personal: Member of the Art Education Student Org & Noble Print Club. Nicole likes to camp and hike.

Pearl Lacey

Port | Starboard

Oak Park, IL

5’3”

Freshmen - Classics

Oak Park River Forest High School

High School: Wrestling, Tennis, Choir, Jazz Club, & Synchronized Swimming

Looking Forward To:

“Being competitive at regattas!”

Personal: Member of Geoclub & University Chorus. She loves to read. Pearl loves herbal, rocks, & her family. Her favorite colors are blue & orange!

Susana Hernandez

Port | Starboard

Chicago, IL

5’3”

Freshmen - Molecular & Cellular Biology

Lincoln Park High School

High School: Softball, Volleyball, & Wrestling

Looking Forward To:

“Looking forward to new connections and regattas!”

Personal: Member of Destino, MedLife, GSSA, ISTORM. Susana likes to bake, reading, & hang out with family & friends!

Leela Agrawal

Coxswain

Palatine, IL

5’4”

Freshmen - Aerospace Engineering

Palatine High School

High School: Volleyball, Indian Classical Dance, Marching Band

Personal: Member of the Marching Illini and Spaceshot. Enjoys all forms of dance and a good escape room. Also loves to read, play volleyball, and is an adventure addict. She loves both the sky and the sea and has been on a hot air balloon and gone paragliding in Türkiye.

Ameera Taiwo

Port | Starboard

Schaumburg, IL

5’4”

Senior - Chemistry

James B. Conant High School

High School: Soccer

Personal: Ameera loves to snowboard and try new restaurants!

Julia Robinson

Port | Starboard

Galesburg, IL

5’5”

Freshman - Nutrition and Health

Galesburg High School

High School: Cross country, volleyball, basketball, and track

Personal: Julia is a member of 4H House Cooperative Sorority. She enjoys running with friends, baking, hiking, and trying new foods. She wants to become a nurse in the future. Julia is also fluent in Portuguese!

Abigail Brown

Port | Starboard

Princeton, IL

5’7”

Sophomore - Atmospheric Science

Princeton High School

High School: Soccer, volleyball, tennis, dance

Personal: Abigail loves to paint and cook!

Makena Vician

Port | Starboard

Trout Valley, IL

5’6”

Junior - Kinesiology and Pre-Physical Therapy

Cary-Grove High School

High School: Travel Softball, Tennis

Personal: Member of SKATE For Girls, works at Espresso Royale at GIES as a barista. Makena loves painting, reading, fishing, and late-night drives!