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!