NEW YORK — The Columbia men's swimming and diving program and head men's swimming coach Jim Bolster, along with head diving coach Scott Donie, announced the addition of eight newcomers ahead of the 2025-26 season.

The class of 2029 hails from four different US states and three different countries, and is composed of six swimmers and two divers. 

Details on this season's incoming class are below. Fans can access the complete 2025-26 Columbia men's swimming & diving roster by clicking this link.

 

Kevin Kong – Fy. – Backstroke/Sprint Freestyle – 6-1 – SEAS – Vancouver, British Columbia / National Sport School / UCSC

Prior to Columbia: Bronze at Canadian age group nationals in 100m Backstroke, selected as a card athlete for Canada (Grade 9) … Participated at the World Championship Trials in 2023, multiple appearances at finals, selected as a carding athlete for Canada (Grade 10) … Participated in the Canadian Olympic Trials and made finals, helped the high school team win multiple medals and a trophy at BC Provincials (Grade 11) … Participated in World Champs Trials and made multiple final appearances (Grade 12) … Participated in multiple international and national selection swim meets, including Mel Zajac, Ontario Junior International, and Olympic Trials … Swam for UCSC.

Personal: Was one of 44 people in the world to score full marks on the AP microeconomics exam that year ... Hobbies include cars, movies, Brawl Stars, and Clash Royale … Favorite sports memory includes going under 24 in 50 free for the first time.

"The addition of Kevin to our backstroke and sprint free corps will be significant," Head Coach Jim Bolster said. "One of our weaker events in the 24-25 season, Kevin's strengths in both the 100/200 back will have an immediate impact on both our front line strength and our depth. His freestyle speed will make him a valuable addition to our sprint relays."

 

Ethan Zhang – Fy. –  Freestyle – 6-2 – CC – Carmel, Indiana / Carmel High School

Prior to Columbia: Scholar Athlete all 4 years, USA Swimming Scholastic All-American (2022–23 and 2023–24) … All-America Swimming in NISCA for Carmel High School (2023–24) … Summer Junior Qualifier (2023–24 and 2024–25) … Winter Junior Finalist (2024–25) … National Merit Commended Student … AP Scholar with Distinction … AP Capstone Diploma.

Personal: Has previously trained with an Olympian … Hobbies include pickleball and fishing … Favorite sports memory includes getting his first winter junior cut leading off a relay.

 "A strong freestyler, Ethan has great range from the 100 through the 500 free events and he will add much depth and a solid punch to our dual meet and championship meet teams," Bolster said. 

 

Brian Lee – Fy. – Butterfly – 5-10 – CC – Quebec, Canada / Phillips Academy Andover / Shanghai American School Puxi

Prior to Columbia: A recipient of the LCM 2023 New England Swimming Award (Top 10 Swimmer) … St George's Linguistic Achievement Award … Community Outreach Volunteer … Environmental Trash Pickup Volunteer … Competed internationally at Shanghai American School Puxi (4 years).

Personal: Can speak four languages … Hobbies include tennis, water polo, reading, painting, playing the drums, and the trumpet … Favorite sports memory includes achieving a time of 1 minute 47 seconds in the 200 yard Butterfly.

"With his butterfly expertise, Brian will make us a very talented and deep team in the fly events," Bolster said. "He can swim both the 100/200 events and will be called upon to have his most value in the longer races."

 

Nathan Jacobbe – Fy. – IM/Fly/Free – 5-10 – CC – Allen, Texas / Allen High School / Metroplex Aquatics

Prior to Columbia: 3x Scholastic All-American … Winter Junior Nationals Finalist … Competed in TYR Pro Series and Junior Nationals … 3x Texas State Finalist … 4x Swimmer of the Year … Coach Brent Mitchell Award Recipient … District 5-6A Team Champions (2025) … 200 and 400 Free Relay District Champion (2025) … District Championship Swimmer of the Meet (2025) … Second Team All State (2025) … 5x District Champion … Swam for Metroplex Aquatics (2022–2025).

Personal: 2x AP Scholar with Distinction (2024, 2025) … AP Scholar with Honor (2023) … 4x Honor Roll … Be the One Character Award Recipient … Hobbies include swimming, chess, poker, hiking, kayaking, fantasy football … Favorite sports memory includes qualifying a relay for the state championship meet for the first time in seven years, and winning a team district championship for the first time in seven years.

"Nathan is a strong middle distance freestyler, butterflyer and 400 IMer," Bolster said. "We look forward to the talent and depth he will lend to our middle distance ranks."

 

Bingxiang Qin – Fy. – Breast/Free – 6-0 – CC – Liaoning, China / The Bolles School / Bolles School Sharks

Prior to Columbia: National Honor Society (11th grade) … President's List (9th–12th grade) … National Japanese Honor Society (10th grade) … 2024 Northeast Florida Scholastic Art Awards Honorable Mention (11th grade) … 2025 Northeast Florida Scholastic Art Awards Honorable Mention (12th grade) … 2025 Northeast Florida Scholastic Art Awards Silver key (12th grade) … Swam for Bolles School Sharks.

Personal: Helped organize the first Chinese New Year Gala at his high school and was the main director … Hobbies include painting and playing the piano … Favorite sports memories were during a travel meet that happened on the same weekend as his school's Homecoming as his coach and his wife planned a fun night of dinner and games and full of laughter and dancing.

"Bingxiang is an extremely versatile swimmer who will be a force for us in the 200/500 free events, the 100/200 breast races and the 400 IM," Bolster said. "It is hard to know exactly where he will swim every meet, but that is the beauty of his versatility."

 

Derek Hitchens – Fy. – Free/Back – 5-10 – CC – Irvine, California / Northwood High School / Irvine Novaquatics

Prior to Columbia: 4x Charter Oak Award Recipient … 14x Scholastic All-American … 2x Athletic Award Recipient … 2024 Scholar-Athlete Award … 2021 Sportsmanship Award … 2x Irvine Unified School District Meet MVP Award … 7x High School Record Holder … 2-time CIF Champion … 3x Orange County Record Holder … 2025 Orange County Register Swimmer of the Year … Led team in points in winning 2025 High School State Championship … 2x Swim Team Captain … Swam for Irvine Novaquatics.

Personal: Assisted in the process of baptism at Saddleback Church, helping inform people of the significance as well as the next steps in their faith … Loves his family … Hobbies include playing basketball, volleyball, golf, other activities, watching anime, reading comics, traveling, and doing new things … Favorite memory includes winning the California State Championships his senior year of high school.

"We are excited to have Derek with us this coming year," Bolster said. "He will be competitive in a wide range of events and will make immediate contributions at the dual meet and championship level meets. He has the potential to be one of the top first year swimmers in the league."

 

Mackenzie Lu – Fy. – Diving – 5-4 – CC – Victoria, British Columbia / Mount Douglas Secondary School / Dive Victoria

Prior to Columbia: National Top 10 Finalist (2017–2024) … Provincial Champion (2016–2024) … Competed for Canada in an international competition in Cuba and placed top 5 (2019) … Swam for Dive Victoria for (2014–2025).

Personal: Received Academic Honors all years of high school … Volunteered at a few community run charity marathon-type events … Hobbies include Rubik's Cube solving, trampolining, playing Super Smash Bros, and trying on outfits … Favorite sports memory is when he and his friend tied scores at their very first competition ... Academic Honors all years of high school … Ran a High School and community wide charity basketball game at my school … Focused around raising awareness and funds for cancer research.

 

Derek Hong – Fy. – Diving – 5-6 – CC – Tenafly, New Jersey / Tenafly High School / New York Dive Club

Prior to Columbia: 4x Tenafly High School High Honors Society … NISCA All-American Scholar … AP Scholar Award … 2x NISCA All-American Athlete … 2x NJSIAA State Champion … 2x NJSIAA State Runner-Up … 5x USA Diving Zone Qualifier … 2x USA Diving Nationals Qualifier … Placed 2nd in USA Diving Regionals … Competed for New York Dive Club.

Personal: Has been pursuing diving for the past six years … Hobbies include playing the violin, going on long walks, hanging out with friends, and playing golf and tennis.
 

"We are really excited to be adding MacKenzie and Derek to the men's diving roster," Donie said. "This talented duo will really strengthen the men's diving team led by senior Joe Nicol and sophomore Will Cooley."



KEEPING UP WITH THE LIONS
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