The Minnewaska-Morris swimming and diving team is set to get the season going Friday, Aug. 23 at the Willmar Invitational.

The Gators had a great season in 2023, finishing 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the conference.  Highlighting the season were state berths by Lyla Stadtherr in the 100 breaststroke and by the 400 yard freestyle relay team of Lyla Stadtherr, Melena Longtin, Becca Femrite and Soffia Stadtherr.

The opening home meet for the Gators is set for Tuesday, Sept. 10 at UM-Morris followed by a meet at the Minnewaska Area pool, Tuesday, Sept. 17 against Montevideo.

The Gators are also set to host a meet at MAHS, Tuesday, Oct. 1 against Holdingford, while UM-Morris is set to host five meets, including the meet Sept. 10 and other meets, Oct. 3 (vs. Perham-Dent), Oct. 12 (Section true-team), Oct. 25 (WCC Meet) and Nov. 7-8 (Section 8A Meet).

Back to lead the team this year is head coach Sam Oellien, who will be in her third year as head coach of the Gators.

Seniors lost to graduation from last year’s team were Soffia Stadtherr, Katie Koenig, Grace Zenk, Sage Barnstuble, Kaia Anderson, Chaeli Zahl and Gabby Schneider.

Helping out Oellien this year on the Minnewaska-Morris Area Gator coaching staff are Kathy Walker (diving coach), Summer Spence and Ruth Schaefer.

A look at last year 

At the state meet last year, Lyla Stadtherr, who set a new school record at the section meet with a time of 1:10.67, had a time of 1:11.42 during the preliminaries at the state meet, Friday, missing out on a berth in the finals by just over 2.5 seconds.

In the 400 freestyle relay at state, the Gators placed 24th with a time of 3:53.03 and also failed to make the 16-team finals.  The Minnewaska-Morris team placed second at the section meet with a time of 3:51.1, which also broke a school record.

•  Melena Longtin earned the “Highest Point Scorer” award for the Gators last year.  She was a consistent top finisher in the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events, as well as the relays.

Earning “Hardest Worker Awards for Swimming” were Becca Femrite, Sage Barnstuble and Isabel Guerra, while selected for the “Hardest Worker for Diving” was Adelyn Ferrian.

Selected for the “Most Improved Swimmer” award were Berdine Kleindl and Grace Zenk, while earning the “Most Improved Diver” award were Clare Barnstuble and Ella Roering and earning the “Most Improved JV Swimmer” honor were Aranza Guerrero Lara and Lilie Tonak.

Winning the “Gator Award” for someone who does it all; show’s great team spirit; works hard; reaches out to all ages and cheers and supports teammates were Gabby Schneider and Soffia Stadtherr.

In addition, earning the Golden Guppy awards were Lizeth Vazquez Carmona and Tenley Steinhofer, and winning the Honorary Guppies award were Grace Zenk and Sydney Gibson.

•  Earning All-Conference for the Gators last fall by placing in the top two at the WCC Meet, were Melena Longtin, Clare Barnstuble, Soffia Stadtherr, Becca Femrite and Lyla Stadtherr, while also earning honorable mention for earning thirds were Femrite, Longtin, and Soffia and Lyla Stadtherr.

Individual swimming records — Minnewaska:

•  200 medley relay:  Schoen, Steinke, Entzi and Kuehne — 1:56.65 (2018)

•  200 freestyle:  Entzi — 1:59.3 (2015)

•  200 individual medley:  Entzi — 2:21.74 (2015)

•  50 freestyle: Opdahl — 24.25 (2012)

•  Diving:  Hess — 6 — 204.45 (2020)

Hess — 11 dives — 345.50 (2020)

•  100 butterfly:  Entzi — 1:00.36 (2017)

•  100 freestyle:  Opdahl — 53.49 (2012)

•  500 freestyle:  Entzi — 5:20.33 (2015)

•  200 freestyle relay:  Luetmer, Mellgren, Dorwieler, Dougherty — 1:44.05 (2021)

•  100 backstroke:  Entzi — 1:03.46  (2015)

•  100 breaststroke:  Lyla Stadtherr — 1:10.67 (2023)

•  400 freestyle relay:  Soffia Stadtherr, Lyla Stadtherr, Becca Femrite, Melena Longtin — 3:51.10 (2023)