On the evening of April 19th, the
New Trier Aquatics family gathered at Ravinia Green for our 2025-2026 Spring Banquet. It was a beautiful night to step away from the pool deck and celebrate a season defined by our mission: creating positive pathways to lifelong excellence in and out of the water.
#BetterEveryDay #FinsUp
The "In Depth" Connection: Olivia Smoliga
We were excited to host
two-time Olympian Olivia Smoliga. This year’s visit was particularly special, as Olivia expressed her heartfelt gratitude to NTA for being the very first club to partner with her newly formed
In Depth Swim Academy.
Olivia spoke about how meaningful it was to return to our pool and reconnect with her own former club coach, our very own
Steve Iida. Her message to the Sharks transcended stroke technique; she urged our athletes to remain curious, embrace creativity, and lead with confidence and enthusiasm, and thanked them for helping her do the same - a perfect reflection of the Shark culture!
Mastering the Medley: IM Milestones
This year, we celebrated an incredible surge in versatility across the roster. We recognized
39 8&Under swimmers for legally completing all four strokes - a testament to the technical foundation being built in our lessons and developmental programs! proving that our Sharks are becoming true all-around threats in the water.
Furthermore, we recognized 226 swimmers
who demonstrated our commitment to versatility by scoring in USA-Swimming's IMReady and IMXtreme programs!.
Honoring Our Volunteers & Leaders
A club is only as strong as its foundation. We honored those who give their time to ensure our program remains the "gold standard."
- Official of the Year: Moira Bushell
- Volunteers of the Year: Mahdi Maher & Amy Taff
- 10-Year Loyalty Members: Margaret Lietzau, Violet Schumacher, and Charlie Sears
We also extended a heartfelt thank you to our outgoing board members—Leigh Sears, Brian Cunningham, Greg Baumeyer, Nancy Schumacher, and Carrie Feig—for their tireless dedication to the NTA community.
2025-2026 Award Recipients
Swimmers of the Year
- Age Group: Cecily Clifton & Lubo Liu-Tchorbadjiyski
- Senior: Sylvia Deliduka & Jordan Ko
Most Improved Swimmers
- 8 & Under: Olivia Zemon & Henry Logan
- 9-10: Emily Rozentsveig & Daniel Weis
- 11-12: Diana Hellebusch & Clint Iversen
- 13-14: Harper Sharping & Maks Goldberg
- 15 & Over: Janette Kostamo-Peistrup & Ben McDougal
Special Selection Teams
Duel in the Pool (Team Illinois)
- Cecily Clifton, Nick Drcha, Tommy Johnson, Joe Kennedy, Jordan Ko, Lubo Liu-Tchorbadjiyski, Matt Logan,
Riley McNeal, Eric Moldovan, Daniel Nikonchuk, Everett Pumphrey, Lia Roggi, Jordana Segel, Tyler Zheng.
Project LA (Vancouver) Team Illinois
- Lubo Liu-Tchorbadjiyski,
Riley McNeal, Everett Pumphrey, Lia Roggi, Tyler Zheng.
Additional Honors
- Zone Select Camp Invitees: Sam Cast, Jordan Ko, Lubo Liu-Tchorbadjiyski
- Illinois Junior Leadership Camp: Ivy Duffy, Matt Logan
Looking Toward the Horizon
As the banquet closed, the excitement for the upcoming long-course season was palpable. With travel meets on the books for Louisville, Hawaii, and Vancouver, the Sharks are ready to take their talents across the globe.
Congratulations to all our swimmers on a season of incredible growth. Let's keep that momentum moving through the summer!
#GoSharks
