Teams: Cretin-Derham Hall, Hill-Murray, Humbolt-Washington-OWL, Mahtomedi, Mounds Park Academy, North St. Paul, Simley, South St. Paul, St. Paul Como Park, St. Paul Johnson, Visitation
- 2023 Section Champion: Visitation – 559 pts
- 2023 Section Runner-up: Cretin-Derham Hall – 438 pts
Notable Graduates:
- Kathryn Bonneville (Visitation) – 200 IM (2nd Sections/15th State), 100 Back (1st Sections/11th State)
- Iris Huerta (Visitation) – 100 Fly (2nd Sections/6th State), 100 Breast (4th Sections)
- Alexandra Kappenman (Visitation) – Diving (8th Sections)
- Tessa Lindstrom (Visitation) – 200 Free (3rd Sections/8th State), 500 Free (2nd Sections/3rd State)
- Grace Nilsson (Visitation) – 200 IM (3rd Sections/12th State), 100 Breast (6th Sections)
- Tessa Lentsch (CDH) – 50 Free (5th Sections), 100 Free (5th Sections)
- Isabel Macheel (CDH) – 50 Free (6th Sections), 100 Free (3rd Sections/6th State)
- Molly Magnuson (CDH) – 100 Fly (5th Sections), 100 Back (4th Sections)
- Lillian Moore (CDH) – 200 Free (6th Sections), 100 Breast (5th Sections)
- Cora Moore (CDH) – 200 Free (7th Sections)
- Mary Musoff (CDH) – Diving (5th Sections)
- Olivia Reeder (CDH) – 100 Breast (7th Sections)
- Emmerson Buckley (Mahtomedi) – 200 IM (4th Sections), 100 Back (5th Sections/12th State)
- Alixandra Fox (Mahtomedi) – Diving (2nd Sections)
- Isabel Espinosa (Mounds Park) – 200 Free (4th Sections/5th State), 500 Free (3rd Sections/2nd State)
- Lucy Kindler (Hill-Murray) – Diving (4th Sections)
- Lindsey Phalan (Hill-Murray) – diving (1st Sections)
- Mia Trifilette (Como Park) – 100 Free (8th Sections)
- Madeline Ngo (Simley) – 200 IM (7th Sections), 100 Back 8th Sections/13th State)
Team Outlook
Visitation will look to continue their long run of consecutive titles and it’s hard to imagine they won’t. Visitation will be led by a group of top line seniors in 2024. Katie Miller returns as section champion in both the 200 and 500 Free. She was state champion in the 500 Free and state runner up in the 200 Free. Maggie Farley was section champion in the 100 Fly and runner up in the 50 Free. At the state meet, she placed 3rd in the 50 Free and was state runner up in the 100 Fly. Madeline Byrne placed 5th in the 200 Free last year at sections and was section runner up in the 100 Free. At the state meet, she placed 13th and 10th in her events respectively. Senior Lucia Lazarus rounds out the group with a 7th place finish in the 100 Free in 2023. Joining this group is sophomore Merry Miller, who returns as section champion in the 200 IM and 100 Breast. She also placed 5th in the IM and 8th in the 100 Breast at state. Fellow sophomore Anna Cierzan 7th in the 50 Free and 2nd in the 100 Back at sections and followed that up with a 15th place finish in the 100 Back at state. Junior Molly Ditzler scored a 6th place finish in the 100 Fly at the 2023 section meet and junior Lauren Kahley placed 7th in diving.
CDH was runner up in 2023 and will continue to be strong team in the section despite losing significant points to graduation. Like Visi, they will have a strong group of seniors. Emma Donnelly placed 3rd in sections in diving and should challenge for the section championship this year. Maeve Johnston placed 6th in the 200 IM and 100 Back last season and Sara Linder was 3rd in the 50 Free and 4th in the 100 Free. Also, part of this senior group is Eden Kelly, who placed 8th in the 200 IM, and Anna Sewich, who finished 4th in the 100 Fly and 8th in the 500 Free. Junior Ellen Kovats returns after a 7th place finish in 2023.as well as Lauren O’Donnell, who finished 6th in diving. In the sophomore group, CDH has Cora Moore, who placed 7th in the 200 Free.
Other Notables
Mahtomedi will be led by sophomore Abigail Wright in 2024. Wright returns after placing 2nd in the 200 Free and taking the section championship in the 100 Free. At state, she placed 4th in the 200 Free and 3rd in the 100 Free. Junior Audrey Crawford placed 3rd in the 100 Breast in 2023 and will be looking to make an impact this season.
Mounds Park loses some points to graduation, but still has some firepower. Sophomore Julia Anderson placed 5th in the 200 IM and 3rd in the 100 Fly at sections last season. Fellow sophomore Josie MacDonald placed 8th in the 100 Back and sophomore Isabella Muyres placed 2nd in the 100 Breast. Muyres went on to place 10th in the 100 Breast at the state meet. Senior Cecilia Mayer scores a 5th place finish in the 500 Free in 2023 and senior Giulia Moggia finished 8th in the 100 Breast.
Hill Murray senior Leah Kahley is one of the top returners. for her squad this season. Kahley placed 13th in the 50 Free and 8th in the 100 Fly. Joining her is junior Lucy Metz, who placed 8th in the 50 free and 11th in the 100 Breast and freshman Alexis Roehrich, who finished in 13th place in the 200 IM and 6th in the 500 Free.
Como Park junior Aleia Lueck will look to build on her strong 2023 performances. Lueck was section champion in the 50 Free and placed 3rd in the 100 Back. At the state meet, she placed 4th in both events.
Simley junior Lauren Oswald will look to crack the top 8 in her events this season. In 2023, she placed 12th in the 200 Free and 10th in the 500 Free.
The Packers of South St. Paul will look to rebuild after graduating their individual scoring in from 2023.
North St. Paul will have two returning point scorers this season. Junior Sydney Hoffmann placed 15th in the 100 Back and senior Blessing Muholeza placed 14th in diving.
Humboldt, Washington and Owl as well as St. Paul Johnson will continue to look to add depth and work their way into some individual points in 2024 as well as build on their 2023 relays.