Teams: Dassel-Cokato, Delano, Hutchinson, Litchfield, Marshall, Montevideo, Mound-Westonka/Holy Family, Orono, Watertown-Mayer, Willmar
- 2022 Section Champion: Delano – 493 pts
- 2022 Section Runner-up: Orono – 398 pts
Notable Graduates:
- Avery Lommel (Delano) – Diving (1st Sections/1st State)
- Jennifer Coons (Delano) – Diving (2nd Sections)
- Shelby Benker (Delano) – 200 Free (2nd Sections), 500 Free (7th Sections)
- Abby Seguin (Delano) – 200 Free (4thSections ), 100 Fly (6thSections)
- Skye Thalhuber (Orono) – 50 Free (7th Sections), 100 Breast (8th Sections)
- Hailey Ball (Orono)- 200 IM (5th Sections /12th State), 500 Free (3rd Sections)
- Addie Thalhuber (Orono) – 200 IM (6th Sections), 500 Free (4th Sections)
- Jaylyn Storm (Mound-Westonka/Holy Family) – 50 Free (2nd Sections /7th State), 100 Free (1st Sections/5th State)
- Kate Johnston (Mound-Westonka/Holy Family) – 100 Breast (3rd Sections/4th State)
- Maddie Witte (Hutchinson) – 200 IM (3rd Sections/8th State), 100 Fly (4th Sections/9th State)
Team Outlook
The only change in this section for the 2023 season is the departure of Waconia to Class AA, taking several top swimmers from last season with them. For all the details of the section realignments you can visit our previous article. This section still features the second, third and fourth place teams at the state meet last season.
Reigning section champion Delano graduates strong point scorers and relay contributors Abby Seguin and Shelby Benker as well as State and section diving champion Avery Lommel.  Still, the Tigers return several top-end swimmers starting with junior Hannah Wadholm and sophomore Kaia Georges in the sprint frees. Both were top four in sections in both events and state qualifiers. Delano also has a quintet of juniors in Josie Strobl, Norah Seguin, Abby Wadholm, Abby Gierke and Bella Kern that were state qualifiers in individual events. Junior Lydia Jostock will also be a top scorer in the section as an individual and provide great relay depth. Amalia Nelson will return as a state qualifier in diving last year.
Runner up Orono graduated four top point scorers in the section with Hailey Ball (state qualifier in 200 IM) and state relay swimmers Skye Thalhuber, Addie Thalhuber, and Kaelyn Knutson. The Spartans will be led this year by sophomore Graycin Andreen who is the returning section champion in the 200 Free and 100 Fly and was top three at the state meet in both. Junior Mallory Knutson was a state qualifier in the 50 Free and provided key legs in all three relays at state. Junior Reilly Anderson returns as a top backstroker after placing eighth in the state meet in 2023. Junior Elle Davis was a top eight finisher last season in the sprint freestyles and will be looking to make the jump to state qualifier this season.
Mound-Westonka/Holy Family had some key individual and relay strength lost to graduation. Jaylyn Storm was the section champion in the 50 free and runner-up in the 100 free. She placed second in the 50 Free at the state meet. Also graduated is Kate Johnston, who was third at sections and fourth at state in the 100 Breast. They do return Catherine Dueck for her senior season. Dueck was section champion in the 200 IM and runner up in the 100 Breast and went on to place second in both events at the state meet. Also returning are juniors Annmarie Johnson (500 free 1st sections/9th State) and Grace Warden (200 Free 3rd sections, 100 Free 6th Sections). Both should be high impact swimmers in the section and strengthen relay depth. Freshman Bailey Monette will return as the top diver in the sections, placing third last season in sections and sixth at state.
Other Notables
Hutchinson senior Madilyn Gehrke returns as section champion in the 100 Free and 100 Breast and followed that up last season with third and fourth places finishes at state respectively. Junior Izabelle Schwartz was a state qualifier last season in both the 200 IM, where she finished twelfth and the 100 Breast where she finished fifth.
Willmar senior Aubrey Schueler will return as a top finisher at sections in a loaded 50 and 100 Fly and finished eleventh at the state meet in the 50 Free. Senior diver Kylie Portin should be in the mix for a top four finish this season as well.
Litchfield will look to continue their upward trend over the past two years led by senior Adeline Lundin, who placed sixth at sections in the 100 back and swam key legs on all three relays.
Dassel-Cokato senior Kasia Salmen will look to break into the top eight this year. She finished ninth in the 50 Free and tenth in the 100 Fly last season.
Keep an eye on Marshall Deutz. As a freshman, she finished thirteenth in the 50 Free and dove as well. She could make a solid jump this season for Marshall.
Montevideo sophomore Elizabeth O’Malley placed seventh in diving with a score of 294.65. She could contend for one of the four state qualifying spots in the section in 2023.
Watertown-Mayer only graduates three swimmers from last season and has a slew of eight through tenth graders that will look to take the next step in this upcoming season.