Teams: Hopkins, Minneapolis Southwest, Minneapolis Washburn, Richfield, Robbinsdale Armstrong, St. Louis Park, St. Paul Central, St. Paul Highland Park
- 2022 Section Champion: Robbinsdale Armstrong– 370 pts
- 2022 Section Runner-up: St. Paul Central – 321 pts
Notable Graduates:
- Nola Fisher (Armstrong) – 50 Free (5th Sections), 100 Fly (7th Sections)
- Amanda Hyland (Armstrong) – 200 Free (4th Sections), 500 Free (2nd Sections)
- Olivia Kehn (Armstrong) – 50 Free (3rd Sections), 100 Breast (1st Sections/12th State)
- Caitlyn Budd (St. Paul Central) – 200 IM (4th Sections), 100 Fly (3rd Sections)
- Josie Hiers (St. Paul Central) – 100 Fly (1st Sections/16th State), 100 Back (1st Sections)
- Carsen Liska (St. Paul Central) – 200 Free (10th Sections), 100 Free (5th Sections)
- Fiona Carlson (Southwest) – 200 IM (8th Sections), 100 Breast (6th Sections)
- Madeline Grahn (Southwest) – 200 Free (8th Sections), 100 Back (4th Sections)
- Ava Rodriguez (Southwest) – 50 Free (8th Sections), 100 Breast (4th Sections)
- Ella Kowalczyk (Southwest) – Diving (3rd Sections)
- Chloe Buschmann (Hopkins) – 200 Free (1st Sections), 100 Fly (2nd Sections/15th State)
- Bea Durham (Hopkins) – 200 IM (10th Sections), 100 Back (3rd Sections)
- Freya Walsted (Washburn) – 200 IM (5th Sections), 100 Fly (5th Sections)
- Stella Rostal (St. Louis Park) – 200 IM (11th Sections), 100 Back (6th Sections)
- Mia David (Highland Park) – 200 IM (1st Sections/16th State), 100 Free (2nd Sections/13th State)
Team Outlook
There are a couple of changes in Section 6AA for the upcoming season. Minneapolis Roosevelt and Minneapolis Southwest will combine to be one team. Minneapolis South moves to Section 2A and Richfield joins from Section 2A. For all the details of the section realignments, you can visit our previous article.
This should be a hotly contested section in 2023. Let’s start with the defending champions Robbinsdale Armstrong. They graduated 105 points from last year’s team but still have plenty of firepower. Sophomore Lucia Freed placed second at the section meet in 2022 in both the 200 IM and 100 Back. Fellow Sophomore Riley Sheffer placed ninth in the 200 Free and third in the 500 Free. A third sophomore, Natalie Gustafson, placed eighth in the 500 Free and 100 Back. Freshman Ella Cooley will also be a big contributor. Cooley placed second in the 50 Free and third in the 100 Free last year.
St. Paul Central also takes a little hit through graduation, having to replace 138 points from 2022. Senior Lauren Restad was a fifth-place finisher in the 100 Breast last year and will be looking to climb into the top eight of the 200 IM. Fellow Senior Greer Jones places ninth in the 200 IM and tenth in the 100 Fly and will be looking to move up in 2023. Central will need its younger swimmers to take a step this year to be in the mix.
Minneapolis Southwest is in the same boat as the other two schools, having to replace 132 points from 2022 that have graduated. Senior Elise Belina returns after finishing third in the 200 Free and fifth in the 500 Free in 2022. Sophomore Erin Prekker was third last year in the 200 IM and second in the 100 Breast and will be challenging to make it to state in those events this season. Senior Chelsea Cain was eighth in the 100 Fly and ninth in the 100 Back in 2022. She could challenge to be in the top upper half of the top eight in 2023. Coming from Washburn will be senior Lillian Ramberg was fourth in the 50 and 100 Free at sections and joins Moreen for some powerful relays. Junior Grace Christensen placed sixth in the 100 Free and third in the 100 Breast at sections in 2022. Sophomore Maggie Huisken was seventh in the 200 IM and sixth in the 500 Free.
Other Notables
Hopkins placed four divers in the top five last year and three are returning. Senior Annabelle Speers returns as section champion, sophomore Addison Walters returns as section runner up, and junior Cassie Kaplan was fourth. In the big pool, Senior Ida Kozlowicz returns as section champion in the 500 Free and runner up in the 200 Free. Harper Buschmann finished sixth in the 200 IM and fourth in the 100 Fly in 2022.
Highland Park will be led by senior Quinn Harvey. Harvey placed sixth in the 200 Free and ninth in the 500 Free.
St. Louis Park junior Emily Foster had a nice section meet in 2022, finishing fifth in the 200 Free and seventh h in the 500 Free. Senior Stephanie Stone placed sixth in the 50 Free and ninth in the 100 Fly and will be looking to solidify spots deeper into the top eight this year.
Richfield Senior Charlotte Mook will be leading the way in their new section. Mook had times in section 2a that should place her well into the top eight in the 100 Fly and 100 Breast. Sophomore Maddie Friel will also make a splash. Her 200 Free and 500 Free times at Section 2A could put her in top three contention in both in 2023.