Teams: Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Eastview, Hastings, Park, Rosemount, Two Rivers
- 2023 Section Champion: Rosemount – 446 pts
- 2023 Section Runner-up: Hastings – 367 pts
Notable Graduates:
- Olivia Dolan (Rosemount) – 200 IM (1st Sections/14th State), 100 Breast (1st Sections/6th State)
- Amelia Labno (Rosemount) – 50 Free (2nd Sections/15th State), 100 Back (1st Sections/5th State)
- Julie Pearson (Rosemount) – 200 Free (6th Sections), 500 Free (7th Sections)
- Sophia Savian (Rosemount) – Diving (7th Sections)
- Ashley Swenson (Rosemount) – 50 Free (5th Sections), 100 Free (7th Sections)
- Clara Birken (Hastings) – 100 Breast (8th Sections)
- Lauren Jenkins (Hastings) – 200 IM (7th Sections), 100 Back (5th Sections)
- Ashtyn Stewart (Hastings) – Diving (8th Sections), 100 Back (3rd Sections)
- Ava Appleton (Two Rivers) – 100 Breast (6th Sections), 200 IM (11th Sections)
- Maggie Auran (Two Rivers) – 200 IM (4th Sections), 500 Free (3rd Sections/15th State)
- Savannah Carr (Two Rivers) – Diving (4th Sections)
- Elyse Jahn (Two Rivers) – 200 Free (2nd Sections/16th State), 500 Free (1st Sections/16th State)
- Grace Marek (Two Rivers) – Diving (2nd Sections)
- Teresa Gatti (Eagan) – 200 IM (8th Sections), 100 Fly (6th Sections)
- Megan Wall (Eagan) – 200 Free (5th Sections), 100 Free (5th Sections)
- Gwen Marcott (Apple Valley) – 100 Fly (4th Sections), 100 Breast (9th Sections)
- Afton LeMay (Park) – 100 Breast (4th Sections)
- Amber Norgaard (Park) – 200 Free (7th Sections), 500 Free (10th Sections)
- Amanda Cruz (Burnsville) – 100 Breast (7th Sections)
Team Outlook
This should be a close section meet this year between three teams. Reigning section champions Rosemount loses quite a bit to graduation, Hastings some, but not as much and Eastview doesn’t lose any.
Rosemount senior Addison Pavek returns as section champion in the 100 Fly and section runner-up in the 100 Back. Pavek placed 12th at the state meet in the 100 Back. Senior diver Kelly Estebo was 3rd at sections and scored a 15th place finish at the state meet. Junior Annika Arlandson placed 5th in the 200 IM and 2nd in the 100 Free at the section meet in 2023 and fellow junior Isla George was section champion in the 200 Free and runner up in the 500 Free. A third junior, Katie Rucci was a 7th place finisher in the 100 Fly and placed 5th in the 100 Breast. Finally, sophomore Madi Jennen was the 3rd place finisher in the 200 Free and 6th in the 500 Free in 2023.
Hastings senior Kira Aarness returns as section runner-up in the 200 IM and placed 4th in the 100 Free last season. Joining Aarness is fellow senior Izzy Green. Green placed 5th in the 100 Fly and 14th in the 500 Free. Senior Josey Larson placed 3rd in the 100 Fly and 8th in the 100 Back and will be looking to move up the ranks this year. A trio of sophomores will form a strong nucleus as well. Chloe Aarness returns as section champion in diving and had a 13th place finish at the state meet. Sofia Kovalenko placed 6th in the 200 IM and was section runner up in the 100 Fly. Lila Salzman will look to build on a 3rd place finish in the 50 Free and 6th place finish in the 100 Free. Keep an eye on freshman Emma Dehmlow this season. She placed 9th in the 50 Free and 7th in the 100 Back as an eighth grader.
Eastview has a slew of top point scores returning for the 2024 season and should be able to make the section meet very interesting. Senior Stella Bushard placed 3rd in the 200 IM and 4th in the 500 last year and fellow senior Madalyn Lindgren placed 9th in the 200 IM and was section runner up in the 100 Breast. Another senior, Kaia Churness scored a 4th place finish in the 50 Free and 9th in the 100 Free. A fourth senior, Grace Stirratt placed 8th in the 100 Fly and 9th in the 100 Back in 2023. Junior Aimee Birmingham placed 6th in the 50 Free and 100 back last season and will look to break into the top 4 in each this year. Junior Halle Jansma finished 5th in the section in diving and will be gunning for a top four finish this year and a place at the state meet. Junior Lily Sisson was a 4th place finisher in the 200 Free and placed 5th in the 500 Free in 2023. Finally, sophomore Maddie Wentzel took the 8th place spot in both the 200 Free and 500 last season and sophomore Frances Anderson placed 3rd in the 100 Breast.
Other Notables
Two Rivers Senior Eden Hill returns after a 3rd place finish in the 100 Free and 4th place finish in the 100 Back. Junior diver Sada Gustafson placed 6th at the section meet last year and will be competing for one of the top 4 spots this year and a ticket to the state meet.
Eagan graduates a lot of points from the 2023 section team and will be led by senior Claire Kindseth. Kindseth placed 10th in the 200 IM and 9th in the 500 Free last year.
Apple Valley junior Greta Marcott was section champion in both the 50 and 100 Free in 2023. Marcott placed 11th and 15th in those events at the state meet.
Park senior Alayna Faletti returns, looking to build on her 10th place finish in the 100 Fly and 100 Back.
Burnsville senior Lauren Bachmeier leads the Blaze in 2024. Bachmeier placed 8th in the 50 Free and 10th in the 100 Free in 2023.