Teams: Albany, St. Cloud Cathedral/St. John’s Prep, Holdingford, Little Falls, Melrose Area, Rocori, Sauk Centre, St. Cloud Apollo, St. Cloud Tech
- 2023 Section Champion: Melrose Area – 507 pts
- 2023 Section Runner-up: St. Cloud Tech – 416 pts
Notable Graduates:
- Leah Seanger (Melrose) – 200 Free (7th Sections), 500 Free (6th Sections)
- Hallie Drossel (Melrose) – 200 IM (1st Sections/3rd State), 100 Breast (1st Sections/2nd State)
- Theresia Nathe (Melrose) – Diving (4th Sections/15th State)
- Makayla Zirbes (Melrose) – 100 Free (3rd Sections), 100 Back (5th Sections)
- Avery Doom (Tech) – 200 IM (7th Sections), 100 Breast (4th Sections)
- Katelyn Siers (Tech) – 50 Free (3rd Sections), 100 Back (4th Sections)
- Abigail Stevens (Apollo) – Diving (5th Sections)
- Kierstyn Nelson (Tech) – 100 Fly (1st Sections/7th State)
- Claire Westling (Cathedral) – 200 Free (2nd Sections), 500 Free (1st Sections/15th State)
- Trista Hoffarth (Albany) – 50 Free (6th Sections)
- Stella Schirmers (Sauk Centre) – 100 Fly (2nd Sections/15th State), 100 Back (1st Sections/8th State)
- Carmen Loxtercamp (Sauk Centre) – 100 Free (6th Sections)
- Sabina Moe (Little Falls) – 100 Breast (5th Sections)
- Berit Gustafson (Little Falls) – 50 Free (7th Sections)
Team Outlook
Melrose took the title in 2023 and by a sizeable 91 points over St. Cloud Tech and both schools lose about the same number of points to graduation. Melrose has a strong core based in its junior and sophomore classes this season. For the Juniors, Ava Wensmann returns after placing 6th in the 200 IM and 5th in the 100 Fly. Junior teammate Madisyn Von Wahlde placed 8th in the 200 IM and 6th in the 100 Breast. Georgia Anderson and Maddi Kraemer are another pair of high impact juniors. Anderson placed 3rd in the 100 Fly and Kraemer finished right behind Anderson in 4th place. Brooke Ruoff placed 8th in the 50 Free and 2nd in the 100 Back and Bella Kuechle finished 6th in diving to round out the junior class. Ruoff went on to place 14th in the 100 Back at state.
For the sophomores, Lauren Reed looks to build on her 3rd place finish in the 200 Free and 5th place finish in the 100 Free. Joining her in the sophomore class is Chloe Viere, placing 8th in the 200 Free and 9th in the 500 Free, Maggie Frieler, who placed 9th in the 200 IM and 8th in the 500 Free and Olivia Nathe and Ella Erdmann, who placed 8th in the 100 Back and 8th 100 Breast respectively. Senior Jaiden Smith placed 4th in both the 200 Free and 500 Free and senior diver Elli Dockendorf was an 8th place finisher in diving. Also returning in the diving ranks is sophomore Josie Eveslage who placed 3rd at sections.
St. Cloud Tech junior Maggie Cole returns as section champion in the 200 Free and runner up in the 500 Free. Cole would go on to place 15th and 13th in state in those events. Sophomore Aliina Gustin is another top returning performer. In 2023, she placed 2nd in the 200 IM and 100 Breast behind the graduated Hallie Drossel. At the state meet, Gustin placed 15th in the 100 Breast. Sophomore Anja Gustin placed 5th in the 200 IM and 7th in the 100 Fly, while fellow sophomore Maren Nelson placed 5th in the 200 Free and 500 Free. Senior Paige Roche was 8th in the 100 Free and 9th in the 50 Free last season and will play a big role on relays this year. Senior Kendall Dvorak, junior Kiera Florek and sophomore Brenna Gruber will make for a formidable diving crew. They placed 1st, 2nd and 6th respectively at sections with Florek placing 14th at state.
Other Notables
Sauk Centre senior Piper Vogt placed 4th in the 50 Free at the section meet and 14th at the state meet. Junior Brooke Bromenshenkel placed 4th in the 200 IM and 3rd in the 100 Breast last season. At the state meet she placed 14th in the 100 Breast. Fellow junior Oliva Marsh scored a 4th place finish in the 100 Free and placed 7th in the 100 Back. Another junior, Maize Jennissen placed 6th in the 200 Free and 8th in the 500 Free in 2023. Finally, senior Addison Bick returns after a 6th place finish in the 100 Fly.
Rocori returns their core of high point scores this season. Senior Megan Willenberg was section runner up in both the 50 and 100 Free and freshman Chelsea Willenberg placed 5th in the 100 Free and 3rd in the 100 Back. Megan placed 6th in the 50 Free at the state meet. Joining the sisters is sophomore Ariana Outhwaite. Outhwaite placed 3rd in the 200 IM at sections and 11th at the state meet. She also placed 3rd at the section meet in the 500 Free at section in 2023. Junior Malea Beeler rounds out the group, recording an 8th place finish in the 100 Fly last year.
St. Cloud Cathedral/St. John’s Prep will star sophomore Izzy Westling. Westling was section champion in the 50 and 100 Free last season and placed 5th in both events at the state meet.
Albany will have junior Teagan Crumley returning after a 7th place finish in the 100 Breast as well as sophomore Lauren Hennen, who finished 6th in the 100 Back.
Little Falls will be relying on some of their younger athletes to step up this season after graduating many of their points from last year. Senior Claire Anderson scored a 14th place finish in the 100 Back last season.
Holdingford junior Maggie Gross will look to build on her 2023 performance where she placed 13th in the 50 Free and 7th in the 100 Free.
St. Cloud Apollo junior Taylor Knadel will be the top returner for the Eagles. Knadel placed 11th in the 200 Free and 12th in the 500 Free and will be looking to crack the top eight in those events this year.