PULLMAN, Wash. – Six incoming student-athletes signed financial aid agreements to compete for Washington State Swimming beginning in the 2027 season, WSU Head Coach Russell Whitaker announced Wednesday at National Signing Day.
Amy Hempenstall | Weybridge, GBR | Mid-Distance Freestyle
Freshman swimmer Amy Hempenstall is from Weybridge and graduated from Salesian School in 2027 after attending Heathside School for five years and Salesian School for two... Plans to study chemical engineering and pursue a career as a chemical or biochemical engineer... Competed in swimming, athletics, football and rugby, and served as vice-captain in 2025–26... Her mother, Sarah, is a police sergeant, and her father, Michael, is a software engineer; her siblings are George and Jessica... Her aunt, Kate Cowell, played rugby at Pennsylvania State University.
Ayla Vodak | Bend, Ore. | Breaststroke/IM
Ayla is from Bend, Oregon, and attended Bend Senior High School, where Ayla was a member of the Lava Bears... A freshman swimmer who earned four varsity letters in swimming and played junior varsity soccer as a sophomore... Helped the swimming team win district and state championships during each of the first three high school seasons, placing third at state as a freshman and sophomore and second as a junior; the team scored the most points in 5A history during the sophomore season... Earned recognition as a senior student representative and received the Seal of Biliteracy... Recorded a 4.2 GPA and participated in student government, Student Council, Muse Club, and Environmental Club... Plans to study environmental sciences and biology, with the goal of becoming an environmental conservationist... Parents Cammy and David Vodak both competed in college athletics at Willamette University, with Cammy swimming and David playing tennis; Cammy is an elementary school teacher, and David is a pharmaceutical researcher and chemist... Has a brother, Parks.
Rebecca Welch | Lodi, Calif. | Breaststroke/IM
Rebecca Welch is a freshman swimmer from Lodi, California, and a graduate of Lodi High School, where Welch competed on the varsity team for four years and served as captain during the junior and senior seasons... Earned NISCA All-American honors and qualified for Junior Nationals and the CIF State meet; freshman-year results included 11th at CIF State and first at the Sac-Joaquin Sections, while sophomore-year results included seventh at CIF State and second at the sections... Helped Lodi finish as co-league champions during the freshman season and place second in the league during the sophomore and junior seasons; the team went 4-1 in dual meets in each of those seasons... Received the Block L Academic Award and was named a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American; also earned National Honor Society recognition... Recorded a 4.71 weighted GPA and 4.0 unweighted GPA; participated in the California Scholarship Federation all four years; served as Friday Night Live vice president as a junior and president as a senior; and was a Behind the Athlete Mental Health ambassador... Plans to major in sports psychology and minor in kinesiology, with possible additional minors in sports business or medicine, and hopes to become a sports psychologist for a professional or university sports team... Daughter of Christina Welch, a teacher, and Jessen Welch, a laborer.
Tessa Aberle | Clackamas, Ore. | Freestyle/IM
A freshman swimmer from Happy Valley, Oregon, Tessa Aberle graduated from Clackamas High School, where she earned four varsity letters in swimming... At the 6A state meet, she placed seventh and eighth in individual events as a freshman, fourth and fifth as a sophomore, and won the 200 freestyle and placed third in the 100 freestyle as a junior... Recorded best times of 23.88 in the 50 freestyle, 51.63 in the 100 freestyle, 1:51.78 in the 200 freestyle, 26.52 in the 50 backstroke, 56.45 in the 100 backstroke, and 2:05.02 in the 200 individual medley... Plans to study political science on a pre-law track and hopes to become an attorney... Earned a 3.93 unweighted GPA; served as freshman and sophomore class president; was environmental commissioner as a junior and spirit commissioner as a senior; and participated in Legal Skills Club... Comes from a family of swimmers; her father, Mickey, competed at the University of Wyoming. Her mother, Daro, is a labor and delivery nurse; her father is a radiology technician, and her sister is Mia.
Vanda Megyesi | Gyõr, HUN | Breaststroke/Freestyle
A senior swimmer from Győr, Hungary, Vanda specializes in the breaststroke... Attends Győri SZC Bercsényi Miklós Technikum, where Vanda is expected to graduate in 2027... Plans to study international business and marketing and hopes to find an enjoyable career with a good income... Vanda’s family includes her mother, Mónika Szabó, a personnel administrator; her father, Zsolt Zoltán Megyesi, a production manager; and her stepbrother, Milos Bendegúz Jaksics.
Viridiana Henkman | Tucson, Ariz. | Distance Freestyle
A freshman swimmer from Tucson, Arizona, Viri Henikman graduated from Catalina Foothills High School in 2027... Earned second place in the 500 freestyle at Senior State in 2024, helping the girls’ team win the meet, and placed third in the 200 freestyle at Senior State in 2026 as the girls’ team finished runner-up... A four-year National Honor Society academic award recipient for maintaining a GPA of 3.75 or higher, also earned a 4.0 GPA award, USA Swimming Scholastic All-American recognition, and a USA Swimming Scholar honor... Participated in HOSA and the National Honor Society, conducted medical research through a University of Arizona program, and volunteered in an emergency department, at a homeless shelter, and at animal shelters... Gained emergency medicine experience through an internship that included emergency department shadowing, life-flight and ambulance rides, and tracking patients at events; also completed a capstone research project with a University of Arizona mentor and research partners... Plans to study microbiology, possibly minor in Spanish, and hopes to become a physician, with interests in anesthesiology, emergency plastic surgery, or general surgery... Daughter of Cristina Henikman, an elementary school teacher, and Robert Henikman, an elementary school principal who swam at the University of Arizona; has a brother, Landon.