CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Queens University of Charlotte women's triathlon team welcomes five new student-athletes to its roster for the 2017-2018 season. The Royals add Olga Shokurova, Hannah Phykitt, Caitlin Roper, Anabel Knoll, and Columba Nahum, to a roster that includes eight returning triathletes.

Shokurova, a Charlotte native, comes to Queens as a transfer from North Carolina State University where she competed as a member of the NC State Tri team. During her time at Myers Park High School, Shokurova competed in cross country, track and field, and swimming. She placed Top 10 overall and first in her age group at the Azalea Sprint Tri, Lake Norman Sprint, and Enka-Biltmore Sprint Tri.

Phykitt, also a Charlotte native is a transfer student from Lees-McRae College. While attending Lees-McRae, Phykitt completed the Ironman 70.3 Raleigh as her first triathlon; she also competed in cycling. In the classroom, Phykitt earned President's List honors for her second semester and Dean's List honors in both semesters as a student. Phykitt attended high school at Lake Norman Charter High School where she competed in cross country and track and field.

Roper arrives at Queens from England where she attended Leicester Grammar School and competed in multiple junior triathlon and swimming events. Roper participated in the British U-20 Festival Elite Junior Triathlon in 2016 and competed for the youth title in 2015. In May, Roper placed fifth in the Junior-Elite European Duathlon Championships with the second fastest closing run split.

Knoll is a transfer student from Nova Southeastern University and was born in Ingolstadt, Germany, where she attended Apian Gymnasium Ingolstadt and competed in numerous International Triathlon Union (ITU) Euro and World competitions. She participated at the World University Championships in Nyon 2016 and placed second at the German Championship 2016. Knoll also placed second at the German National Junior-Elite Championship in 2015 and was second in the German Bundesliga Champs in 2016.

Nahum is a new student joining the triathlon team from Santiago, Chile where she attended Colegios Dunalastair. Nahum has participated in triathlon since she was 18 years of age and began competing for her club team, BAM, while also competing for Chile: Triathlon UC.

Last season, the women's team finished second overall at the 2016 Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championships in a close three-point loss to Arizona State University. In April, the Royals finished seventh at USA Triathlon Collegiate Club Nationals. 

"In our brief history and at our first three National Championship appearances, our women's team placed first, second, and second respectively in both the Fall 'draft-legal' race formats and the Spring (long-course) non-draft format," said head coach Sonni Dyer. "This past April due to some injuries, we slipped to seventh at USAT's Collegiate Club Nationals. The incoming Royals firmly position us back to our original objective to finish on the podium at any race we enter, whether long or short course, draft-legal or non-draft."

In September, Queens will begin its third season of competition under Dyer's direction.