CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Queens University of Charlotte women's triathlon team welcomes seven new student-athletes to its roster for the 2018-2019 season. The Royals add Caylan Bromley, Jordan Grantz, Natalie Hyde, Maddie Koler, Ida Osterman, Ashtyn Smith, and Marilena Swidrak to a roster that includes eight returning triathletes.

"With the addition of these seven incoming women to our team, our aim is to continue the level of competitive and academic excellence that's been exemplified by three consecutive national DII varsity titles and a team whose combined GPA, last semester, was 3.71," head triathlon coach Sonni Dyer stated.

Bromley, a Cape Town, South Africa native, comes to Queens from Rustenburg Girls' High School where she competed as a member of the Atlantic Triathlon Club team and also competed in both cross country and swimming. During her final year of her high school career, she was the eighth female overall in the Africa & SA Championships, fifth (18-19 years) at the South African Western Province Colours, ninth (16-19 years) at the ITU World Cup Cape Town, and fifth female overall at the Xterra South African Championships (sprint distance).

Grantz comes from Louisville, Kentucky where she attended DuPont Manual High School and competed in cross country, swimming, and track and field. She took first in both the 2018 Tri Louisville Sprint Female winner and the 2018 Shelbyville Series #1 Sprint Tri Female winner, was the third female finisher in the Shelbyville Series #2 Sprint, and a part of the top 25 at the 2015 USA Junior Elite Nationals. Grantz was also a cross country captain, a 2016 and 2017 Kentucky state cross country first place championship team member, a four-time Kentucky High School Athletic Association Academic All-State First Team recipient, a Louisville All-Metro Junior Cross Country Team member, a Kentucky High School Cross Country Association Coaches All-State team member, and a swimming all-state academic team member.

Hyde joins the Royals from Brookfield, Connecticut where she attended Brookfield High School and was a member of the varsity swimming and track and field teams while also competing as a USA Junior Elite Series Triathlon member. She finished 13th at the 2018 USA Triathlon High School Nationals and ranked top 15 in USA Triathlon National Rankings for her age group. She took first place at the 2017 Connecticut state championship race, qualified and raced at several USA Triathlon junior elite national races, and finished with multiple first place wins at regional races. Hyde was also a member of the TAF Racing club and made the USA Triathlon Junior Elite High-Performance Team.

Koler, a Manassas, Virginia native, joins Queens from Saint John Paul: The Great Catholic High School where she competed in varsity swimming and cross country. She went to states for swimming all four years of her high school career and placed third at the Montclair triathlon and Rev3 Salute to the Military Triathlon. She was also a member of Endorphin Fitness club.

Österman comes to Queens from Stockholm, Sweden where she attended Platengynmasiet High School. She competed in triathlon throughout her high school career and was a member of Stockholmspolisen IF triathlon club. She placed second at the 2016 Junior Duathlon Swedish Championships, second at the 2016 Junior Sprint Triathlon Swedish Championships, first at the Junior Olympic Triathlon Swedish Championships, 14th at the 2016 Nordic Triathlon Championships, second at the 2017 Junior Olympic Triathlon Swedish Championships, and third at the 2017 Junior Sprint Triathlon Swedish Championships.

Smith joins Queens from Cornelius, North Carolina where she competed in cross country, track and field, and swimming at Hough High School.  She also competed in club triathlon for Trillium Elite Multisport. Smith is a three-sport varsity letterman in swimming, cross country, and track and field and is a three-time Junior Elite National Qualifier and an Aquathlon World Championship qualifier.

Lastly, Swidrak joins the triathlon squad from Kitzbühel, Tyrol, Austria where she attended Bundesgymnasium und Bundesoberstufenrealgymnasium St. Johann in Tirol.  She competed in triathlon throughout her high school career and placed third at the 2017 Austrian Junior Nationals, 13th at the 2017 Riga Junior European Cup, 20th at the Bled Junior European Cup, and second at the 2017 International KitzTriGames.