Athletes to watch
Division 1
Abby Carlson, soph., Waukesha South/ Mukwonago: She swam a state-best time of 4 minutes 58.73 seconds at the sectional in the 500-yard freestyle. She also qualified in the 200 individual medley, a race she took 12th in last season.
Alivia Farber, sr., Waukesha West/
Catholic Memorial: She had her best day of the season at the sectional meet Saturday, posting season-best times of 52.11 in the 100 free and 1:52.14 in the 200 free. Both are top five in the division, according to the state coaches top times list.
Trinity Gilbert, sr., Kenosha Indian Trail: After finishing in seventh place in the 200 IM last season, Gilbert checks in to the event this year as the race’s No. 3 qualifier. She also qualified in the 100 backstroke, a race she finished 11th in last season.
Madison Misko, Greenfield/Pius XI: She set school records in the 50 and 100 freestyle with times of 23.86 and 52.10 seconds, respectively, to earn the No. 3 seed in both events. She also helped the team’s 200 medley and freestyle relays qualify for state with school-record times of 1 minute 49.91 seconds and 1:41.52, respectively.
Erika Remington, sr., Cedarburg: The fourth-place finisher in the 50 free last season, Remington is the event’s top seed this year. She also qualified in the 100 butterfly.
McKenzie Sanchez, sr., Racine Case: She's the toughest competition in diving for two-time defending champion Av Osero of Neenah. Sanchez was second last season and took fifth and four, respectively, as a freshman and sophomore.
Cassie Stegner, jr., Menomonee Falls/
Sussex Hamilton: The defending champion in the 100 and 200 freestyle holds the No. 3 and No. 2 spots on the state coaches top times list with times of 51.82 and 1:51.87, respectively. She has shown the ability to swim much faster than either of those times.
Reilly Tiltmann, soph., Brookfield East: A fourth-place finisher in the 100 back and 100 fly last season, Tiltmann is expected to be the chief competition for two-time defending 100 back champion Katrina Marty of Madison West. In the 100 butterfly, she qualified tied for second and will have to deal with Marty, the top seed, in this event, too.
Emmaleigh Zietlow, soph., Arrowhead: A state qualifier in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays last year, Zielow has a chance to make a splash in her first individual appearance. She owns the top spot on the honor roll in the in the 200 free (1:51.77). She also qualified in the 500 free.
Division 2
Nicole Beckman, jr., Whitnall: She is the top returner in the 100 butterfly thanks to her third-place finish last year, but she isn’t the top qualifier. That distinction does to Madison Edgewood’s Katilyn Barth, who didn’t compete in the event last season.
Hannah Kujawa, jr., Greendale: The Woodland champion has her work cut out for her to catch McFarland senior Alex Moderski in the 50 free, but she does own the state’s second-fastest time in the event.
Anna Oleniczak, jr., New Berlin Eisenhower: The three-time state qualifier mixed it up this season. Rather than compete in the 100 breaststroke, she is in the 100 backstroke. She took fourth in the 200 IM last year.
Bella Smith, soph., Whitnall: After taking fourth last year, the diver returns to state with a season-best score of 463.20, the highest mark in Division 2 this season.