2025 Girls High School Preview: Section 1A

Section 1A

Teams in the Section
Albert Lea, Austin, Faribault, Mankato East, Mankato West, Northfield, Red Wing, Saint Peter, Tri City United, Winona

2024 Section Champion: Northfield – 379 pts
2024 Section Runner-up: Winona – 290 pts

Notable Graduates

• Maria Hegland (Northfield) – 50 Free (4th Sections)
• Nora Kortuem (Northfield) – 100 Fly (1st Sections/3rd State), 100 Back (1st Sections/3rd State)
• Edith McLaughlin (Northfield) – 100 Breast (5th Sections)
• Makayla Finnegan (Winona) – 200 IM (10th Sections), 100 Fly (8th Sections)
• Madeline Modjeski (Winona) – 50 Free (3rd Sections), 500 Free (3rd Sections)
• Elisa Chittaro (Winona) – 200 Free (2nd Sections), 100 Back (3rd Sections)
• Sarah Coe (Saint Peter) – 200 Free (7th Sections), 100 Free (3rd Sections)
• Addison Landsom (Saint Peter) – Diving (4th Sections/14th State), 100 Breast (13th Sections)
• Kamryn Kitts (Mankato West) – 200 Free (16th Sections), 500 Free (8th Sections)
• Charley Fernandez (Mankato West) – Diving (6th Sections)
• Hailey Deming (Albert Lea) – 50 Free (2nd Sections), 100 Free (4th Sections)
• Claire Ray (Faribault) – 100 Fly (7th Sections)
• Morgan Klumb (Faribault) – 100 Breast (8th Sections)
• Hallie Taghon (Faribault) – 50 Free (6th Sections), 100 Free (9th Sections)
• Nora Tift (Red Wing) – 50 Free (9th Sections), 100 Free (7th Sections)
• Alayna Kennedy (Austin) – Diving (1st Sections/1st State)
• Reese Norton (Austin) – Diving (2nd Sections/5th State)
• Clare Braswell (Mankato East) – Diving (7th Sections)

Section 1A graduates a slew of athletes which should create some opportunities for those who wish to take advantage of it.

Northfield returns a powerhouse lineup with scoring potential across every discipline. Sophomore Greta Kortuem delivered a standout performance last season, placing 2nd in both the 200 IM and 100 Breast—going on to finish 14th in the breaststroke at state. Fellow sophomore Mae Bowers was equally impactful, finishing 2nd in the 500 Free and 4th in the 100 Breast. Junior Hollis Holden contributed key freestyle points with a 6th-place finish in the 200 Free and 5th in the 100 Free. Sophomore Adeline Lloyd emerged as one of the top flyers in the section with a 2nd-place finish in the 100 Fly, while eighth-grader Violet Connole added depth with a 6th-place finish in the same event. Senior Ella Holleran solidified the backstroke with a 4th-place showing, and sophomore Kasie Larsen rounded out the middle-distance events by placing 5th in the 500 Free.

Winona is anchored by senior standout Abby Williams, who swept her individual events at the section meet with 1st-place finishes in the 200 IM and 100 Breaststroke, and went on to earn 5th place in both events at state. Fellow senior Piper Jones was a key contributor in the distance events, placing 4th in both the 200 and 500 Freestyle. Senior Kenley Jacobs added depth in the distance races with a 7th-place showing in the 500 Free, while Erica Beckman rounded out the scoring with an 8th-place finish in the 100 Backstroke.

Austin returns key point-scorers across multiple disciplines. Abbie Boysen contributed with a 5th-place finish in the 200 Free and 8th in the 100 Free. Alivia Hemry added sprint depth with an 8th-place showing in the 50 Free. The team’s standout, Gracie Greenman, had a breakout season—placing 3rd in the 200 IM and finishing 14th at state, while also dominating the 100 Back with a 2nd-place section finish and a silver medal performance at state.

Red Wing features a balanced roster of returning talent. Eliana Cory, a rising junior, had a strong showing with a 3rd-place finish in the 200 Free and a victory in the 500 Free, making her a distance threat once again. Eva Wardle, also a junior, added key depth by placing 8th in the 200 Free and 6th in the 500 Free. Versatile eighth-grader Charlee Jacobson contributed across events with a 7th in the 200 IM and 6th in the 100 Breast, while junior Audrey Larson secured points in the same IM with an 8th-place finish and followed up with a 7th in the 100 Back. On the sprint side, Sienna Yockey delivered a 6th-place effort in the 100 Free as just an eighth-grader. The team’s top postseason highlight came from sophomore diver Kylie Moffett, who placed 3rd at sections and matched that result with an impressive 3rd-place finish at state.

Mankato West returns a strong group of underclassmen ready to make another push. Jordan Woodford was a standout as a freshman, claiming the section title in the 200 Free and finishing runner-up in the 100 Free—establishing herself as one of the top sprinters in 1A. Sophomore Olivia Schultze added to the scoring with a 6th-place finish in the 200 IM, while junior Anna Kapsner showed poise on the boards, placing 5th in Diving. Grace Ward, another promising freshman, rounded out the team’s efforts with a 5th-place finish in the 100 Back.

Mankato East returns a promising trio of scorers who made their mark last season. Seventh-grader Kamille Andresen emerged as a dual threat, placing 4th in the 200 IM and 3rd in the 100 Breast. Sophomore Camryn Schuh added sprint and breaststroke depth with a 7th-place finish in both the 50 Free and 100 Breast. Eighth-grader Brittan Hoffman impressed in both the pool and on the boards, finishing 5th in the 100 Fly and 8th in Diving. Rounding out the crew, sophomore Kelsey Andresen secured 3rd in the 100 Fly and 6th in the 100 Back, showcasing her strength in the middle-distance events.

St. Peter will look to build on a solid postseason showing behind standout sophomore Adela Madson, who placed 5th in the 200 IM and 4th in the 100 Fly—demonstrating strength in both endurance and stroke events. Eighth-grader Kaelyn Loula added speed to the sprints, securing a 5th-place finish in the 50 Free and signaling exciting potential for the years ahead.

Tri-City United is led by returning senior sprint sensation Ella Schmiesing, who swept both freestyle sprints at sections—taking 1st in the 50 and 100 Free—and then delivered on the state stage with a 3rd-place finish in the 50 Free and an outstanding runner-up showing in the 100 Free. Schmiesing’s speed will make her one of the most feared sprinters in the state once again in 2025.