Lakeway Lakers

Hello all! My name is Cristina Mussiett, and I’ll be the head swim coach this summer! I am a third year student at UT studying Psychology with an aspiration to go to PT school in about two years. I have had about 6 years of experience all around in lifeguarding, swim coaching, and swim instructing, not to mention that I also coach youth ultimate frisbee around the Austin area! I love working with the kids and can't wait to see the return of the Lakers this summer! Very excited to meet everyone :)

This is my first year coaching with the Lakeway Lakers, but I am no stranger to this team. I was a Lakers swimmer for most of my childhood, so coming back as a coach is a full-circle moment I have been looking forward to.

I swam competitively for 11 years growing up, including a year on my high school varsity team. Swimming and the swim team environment have always meant a lot to me, and being a Lakeway Laker as a kid was a huge part of my life. Now I get to give that same experience back to the kids and families in our community, and that means everything.

This season I am most excited about being back in the team atmosphere and stepping into the coaching role for the first time. Oh, and one more thing you should know about me: I have a cat named Frog.

Vanessa is a junior at Lake Travis High School and an active member of their Varsity Swim Team. Vanessa was born in Miami, FL and her love for the water dates back to her early years. Whether at the beach, lake, or pool, Vanessa enjoys being in the water and having fun swimming, kayaking, paddling, or sailing. Vanessa has been swimming competitively since 7th grade and her favorite stroke is freestyle. Outside of swimming, Vanessa enjoys traveling, reading about current events, and actively participating in her community. Vanessa is a member of Model United Nations, Deca, and Lakeway’s Teen Court. Upon graduating from high school, Vanessa wishes to pursue a career in global affairs.
Fun Fact: Vanessa is trilingual and has visited 23 countries.

Hi! I'm Ace Hart, a sophomore at Lake Travis High School and a swimmer on the LTHS Varsity swim team. I started swimming in elementary school first on the Lakeway Lakers and then in middle school, I joined the Capital Area Aquatics club swim team which practiced at the Lakeway Swim Center. Once I got to high school, I joined the swim team there and have had so much fun swimming there for the past 2 years! This is my second year as a Lakeway Lakers coach and I'm super excited to be back! Something fun about me is that I am a magician and balloon artist!

I love to swim, read, go to concerts and hang out with friends! I also enjoy playing the piano, binge watching shows, and eating sweet treats!

swim background: I have been competitively swimming since 6th grade, and have swam club at both Nitro and ASC. I am currently on the high school swim team, and have volunteer coached at nitro in the past!

Dakota Evans is returning as an Assistant Coach for the Lakers Swim team after coaching the 2021-2022 and 2025 season. She's loved to swim since she was a child, swimming competitively in Middle School and High School. Dakota is currently a student at UT Austin, studying Architecture. In her free time, she enjoys reading, painting and baking

My name is Maria Jose De Fex, and I am a dedicated student-athlete with 12 years of competitive swimming experience at Nitro Swimming, where I currently train in the Sectional Development group under Coach Peter. I have earned three gold medals in the South Texas region, reflecting my commitment and discipline in the sport. Alongside swimming, I have gained work experience as a busser at a local Argentinian restaurant, Buenos Aires Café, and I now work as a paid intern for a criminal defense attorney, where I am developing professional skills in a legal setting.

Pierce is a freshman at Texas Tech University and has been involved with competitive swimming since he was eight.
He also has several years of experience coaching other teams. Pierce loves helping swimmers progress throughout the year and he finds that watching their growth is one of the most rewarding things. This is his first year with the Lakers and he is super excited to get coaching.

 Hi, my name is Jack Hanken. I’m almost done with my freshman year at Lake Travis! I’ve always enjoyed swimming ever since I was in kindergarten and lived in Colorado. I then started swimming again in 7th grade here at Nitro before moving to the Lake Travis High School Swim Team. At home, I live with my mom, my dad, my two crazy younger sisters, and about a bazillion pets. Outside of swimming, I play both upright and electric bass for the LTHS Chamber Orchestra. For hobbies I enjoy biking, chess, and 3d modeling. I am really excited to be a part of the Lakeway Lakers this year. See you at the pool! 

Hi! My name is Sydney Hanken and I am currently a swimmer at Lake Travis High School. I absolutely love to get involved with the Lakeway Lakers and help kids love swim as much as I do!

Hi! My name is Ila Norton, and I’m so excited to help the Lakeway Lakers swimmers develop a love for the sport this season, and hopefully for a lifetime. I currently attend Classical Conversations, and swim competitively at Nitro Swimming. I started swimming 5 years ago on the Lakeway Lakers and loved it so much that I joined the year-round team and haven’t stopped swimming since. I love being in the water, whether it’s at the pool, lake, or beach! I am looking forward to being a part of the team.

Hi! I’m Maureen, your teen assistant swim coach, and I can’t wait to help you work hard, get better, and have fun doing it! I grew up in Indonesia and moved to Austin in sixth grade. Now, I’m a freshman at Lake Travis High School and part of the school swim team. I’ve also been swimming with my club team for four years. Outside the pool, I love doing crafts and painting—especially with watercolors. I’m also a cat person, and I have a black cat who loves going on walks with me! I’m really interested in healthcare and am part of the school HOSA club, which helps me learn more about how to support and care for others. I’m so excited to be part of the team and get to know each and every one of you!