On your marks: The 2024 Daily News girls swimming & diving all-stars
After combing over statistics and results, and with the guidance of local athletic directors and coaches, we at the Daily News selected All-Stars for boys and girls basketball, boys and girls hockey, boys and girls swimming, boys and girls track and field, gymnastics, skiing and boys and girls wrestling.
Although the sports and skill sets may vary, there’s no denying that this group put up otherworldly numbers this winter while helping their respective teams find success – whether that be on the court, field, ice, mat or track, or in the gym or pool.
The Daily News presents its 2023-24 All-Stars for girls swimming & diving:
Harika Birali, Franklin
She made the podium twice at the Division 1 state meet, placing third in the 100-yard backstroke (59.98) fifth in the 100 freestyle (55.24). The junior also led off Franklin’s seventh-place 200 medley relay and anchored the Panthers’ eighth-place 400 free relay .
Mina Chung, Algonquin
She posted two top-10 finishes at the Division 1 state meet, taking fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.32) and seventh in the 200 individual medley (2:17.92). Chung was sixth in both events at the Central/West sectional and won the 100 butterfly and the 200 IM at the Mid-Wach championships. She was named the Mid-Wach co-MVP an d a league all-star. “: As a sophomore, Mina Chung once again dominated In the Midland Wachusett,” Titans coach Michael Fedak said. “With her positive ‘can-do’ attitude, Mina energizes her teammates. Throughout the season, Mina demonstrated wisdom beyond her years, sharing tips & words of encouragements to teammates that enabled the team to grow stronger at every meet.”
Elena Dudkina, Wellesley
The senior won a fall Division 2 state championship in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:13.34 and placed second in the 100 backstroke (59.69). The Raiders also finished first in the 400 freestyle relay with Dudkina leading off and won the 200 medley relay with her third. She additionally won South sectional titles in the 100 back (59.17) and medley relay.
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Cara Hill, Wayland
The sophomore has been named a Dual County League All-Star in each of her first two varsity seasons. Hill placed fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1 minute, 8.54 seconds and eighth in the 50 free at Division 2 states (25.12). She swam second on Wayland’s state-title winning 200 freestyle relay (1:41.5) and the breaststroke leg of the Warriors’ third-place medley relay. Hill finished third in both the 50 free (25.25) and 100 backstroke (1:00.39) at the South sectionals.
Lorelei Hogan, Lincoln-Sudbury
Her varsity career is off to a strong start after she took third in the 500 free and fourth in the 100 at the Division 1 state championshps. She also contributed to the Warriors’ North sectional title-winning 200 medley relay that also took second at the state meet. Hogan also swam on L-S’ second-place 400 free relay at states, scoring in all four events to help the Warriors take second as a team. She was a DCL all-star and finished second in the 100 and fourth in the 200 at the DCL championships. “Lorelei is outspoken about her goals for herself and for the team. Her enthusiasm is infectious and her contributions in the pool and on the deck were a big part of the team’s outstanding finish to the season,” L-S coach Julie Nocka said.
Alexandra Loo, Wellesley
She swam on two first-place relays for the team champion Raiders at the Fall Division 2 state meet. Wellesley won the 200 medley relay with her swimming breaststroke and the 200 free relay, where she raced the second leg. The junior also took second in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.9) and fourth in the 100 free (55.04).
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Anna McGrew, Wellesley
She closed her Raiders career with four gold medals at the Fall Division. The senior touched first in both freestyle sprints, winning the 50 in 23.58 seconds and the 100 in 51.53, more than two seconds clear from the field. Wellesley won the 200 free relay with her leading off and the 400 free relay with her on the anchor, as the Raiders ran away with the team title.
Bella Newbern, Lincoln-Sudbury
The Dual County League all-star took fourth in the 100 butterfly at the Division 1 state championships (59.66). The junior also swam fly on L-S’ second-place medley relay and placed 10th in the 200 free (2:02.59). The Warriors won the North sectional medley relay with Newbern swimming fly, and she grabbed a silver medal in the 100 butterfly (59.11) and eighth in the 200 free (2:01.72). She finished fifth in both the 200 and 500 freestyle at the DCL meet.
Maya Particelli, Lincoln-Sudbury
The freshman swam on three podium relays at the sectional and state meets. L-S finished second in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay at Division 1 states and fourth in the 200 free. She took fifth in the 50 free at states, as well (25.25). At the North sectionals, she finished second in the 50 free (25.13), while the Warriors won the medley relay and were fourth in the 200 free relay and second in the 400 free.
Caitlyn Reitsma, Westborough
The two-time Mid-Wach MVP was named a Central Mass. All-Star. She won both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races at the Mid-Wach Invitational. Reitsma found the podium in the 100 (fourth) and 50 (fifth) at the Central/West sectionals and competed at the Division 1 state meet. . “We will greatly miss Caitlyn’s presence on the team next year. She is a strong athlete who absolutely loves to race. Twice this season, the meet came down to the final event. In both meets, Caitlyn was the anchor in the relay and both times, she brought the relay home to win. We knew that she could rise to the occasion,” Westborough coach Bethany Bergemann said.
Emily Richardson, Framingham
In the fall, the two-time Bay State conference all-star finished fifth in the Division 1 state championships 1-meter diving event (377.35). Richardson, a Bryant commit, was 11-2 in dual meets and is the fifth-highest scorer ever for Framingham diving.
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Sophie Robinson, Westborough
She was both a Central Mass. and Mid-Wach all-star. The senior took bronze in the 100-yard breaststroke at the Central/West meet (1:11.33) and sixth at Division 1 states (1:11.61). She showed her versatility at the Mid-Wach invite, taking fifth in diving and second in the 100 breaststroke.
Katie Sandock, Natick
She won the 500-yard freestyle Fall Division 2 state championship in 5:26.34 and placed second in the 200 freestyle (2:01.59). The freshman also helped the Redhawks score two top-10 relay finishes at states.
Lucy Savarese, Wellesley
She won the Fall South sectional diving event with 432.35 points. The senior also took second at the Division 2 state meet (451.15).
Ada Shulman, Wayland
The senior captained the undefeated Dual County League champions and was a league all-star. Shulman finished seventh in the 100 butterfly (1:01.49) and ninth in the 200 IM (2:17.13) at Division 2 states. Wayland won the 200 free relay with her leading off and was third in the 200 medley relay with her swimming butterfly. She placed fifth in the 100 fly and sixth in the 200 free at sectionals.
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Eve Weatherhead, Hopkinton
She was both the Tri-Valley League Diver of the Year and a league all-star. Weatherhead won the diving event at the TVL showcase. She followed that with a fourth-place showing at the South sectional meet (415.35) and was sixth (409.05) at the Division 1 state meet.
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Honorable mention
Arpi Abrahamian, Jr., Wayland
Ava Balukonis, Sr., Wayland
Kat Barry, Sr., Framingham
Emma Bowen, Sr., Framingham
Jada Guo, Sr., AMSA
Mia Mee, Sr., Wayland
Alex Montana, Sr., Holliston
Lydia Mossi, Jr., Lincoln-Sudbury
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Nora Olson, So., Dover-Sherborn
Katie Pralle, Sr., Wayland
Allison Sham, Sr., Dover-Sherborn
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: The 2024 Daily news girls swimming & diving all-stars were out front
