2024 Sarasota Herald-Tribune Showcase: Celebrating the Top Talents in Girls Swimming!

At the conclusion of each season, The Herald-Tribune chooses All-Area teams recognizing the finest athletes across all sports. Head coaches from Sarasota and Manatee County schools are issued nomination forms and are requested to suggest and assess their athletes along with those from opposing teams. The combination of that information with The Herald-Tribune’s investigation resulted in the formation of the All-Area teams.

FIRST TEAM

Danica Aten

School: Riverview

Year: Junior

Highlights: The Rams junior secured 1st place in the 100-yard breaststroke during the district meet. At the regional meet, Aten replicated her top performance in the 100 breast, and at the Class 4A State Meet, the prospective U.S. Naval Academy midshipman clinched the gold medal with a time of 1:02.16.

Isabella Cardenas

School: Riverview

Year: Senior

Highlights: An All-Area choice last year, Cardenas finished 2nd at the district meet in the 100 breast and 5th in the 200 Individual Medley. At the regional competition, the Rams swimmer attained 3rd place in the 100 breast and again 3rd in the 200 IM. In the Class 4A State Meet, the future University of Denver swimmer came in 5th in the 200 IM (2:02.97) and 7th in the 100 breast (1:04.74).

Clare Custer

School: Riverview

Year: Junior

Highlights: At the Rams’ district competition, Custer attained 1st in the 500 free and 4th in the 200 free. She showed improvement at the regional meet, ending first in both the 200 free and 500 free. In the Class 4A State Meet, the future swimmer for Harvard University secured 2nd in the 500 free (4:50.78).

Maeve Eckerman

School: Venice

Year: Senior

Highlights: An All-Area selection from the previous year, Eckerman clinched 1st in the 100 free during the district meet and 2nd in the 200 IM. At the regional event, she achieved 1st in the 100 free and 4th in the 200 IM. In the Class 4A State Meet, the future swimmer for the University of Georgia ranked 2nd in the 200 IM (2:00.14) and the 100 free (50.01).

Natalie Franko

School: Sarasota

Year: Senior

Highlights: The Sailors swimmer attained 3rd place in the 200 free and 6th in the 500 free at the team’s district event. In the regional meet, Franko concluded 5th in the 500 free and 7th in the 200 free. At the Class 4A State Meet, she placed 4th in the 500 free (4:55.60).

Zoe Gruber

School: Out-of-Door Academy

Year: Sophomore

Highlights: An All-Area selection from last year, the Thunder swimmer secured 2nd in both the 200 IM and the 100 backstroke during the district meet. In the regional meet, Gruber achieved 1st in both events: the 200 IM and the 100 back. At the Class 1A State Meet, she ranked 7th in the 200 IM (2:06.26) and 8th in the 100 back (1:05.22).

Brynn Lavigueur

School: Riverview

Year: Junior

Highlights: The Rams swimmer secured 1st place at the Rams’ district competition in the 200 IM and the 100 backstroke. At the regional competition, Lavigueur duplicated her 1st-place results in both events. Furthermore, at the Class 4A State Meet, the future swimmer at the University of Texas attained gold in both, concluding the 200 IM in 1:59.31, and the 100 back in 52.67.

Riley Leach

School: Riverview

Year: Senior

Highlights: An All-Area pick last year, the Rams swimmer achieved 4th in the district competition in the 200 IM and 3rd in the 100 breast. During the regional competition, Leach placed 2nd in the 200 IM and 4th in the 100 breast. At the Class 4A State Meet, the future swimmer at Liberty University secured 4th in the 200 IM (2:00.75) and 5th in the 100 breast (1:04.38).

Angelina Lista

School: Riverview

Year: Sophomore

Highlights: An All-Area choice last year, the Rams swimmer attained 1st at the district competition in the 50 free and 100 fly. At the regional meet, Lista replicated her 1st-place victories in both events. At the Class 4A State Meet, she finished 2nd in the 100 fly (54.83) and the 50 free (23.57).

Sophia Malkowicz

School: Riverview

Year: Freshman

Highlights: At the district competition, Malkowicz achieved 2nd in the 100 backstroke and the 200 IM. During the regional meet, she placed 3rd in the 100 back and 5th in the 200 IM. At the Class 4A State Meet, the Riverview freshman finished 4th in the 100 back (56.39) and 7th in the 200 IM (2:04.45).

Lauren Milbaum

School: Riverview

Year: Senior

Highlights: An All-Area Honorable Mention selection last year, Milbaum secured 3rd in the 500 free at the district meet, alongside 5th in the 200 free. During the regional competition, Milbaum again finished 3rd in the 500 and 5th in the 200. Nonetheless, at the Class 4A State Meet, the future swimmer at the University of Alabama claimed the gold medal in the 500 free (4:49.13).

Taylor Schwenk

School: Riverview

Year: Junior

Highlights: Last year named an All-Area selection, the Rams swimmer achieved 1st in the 200 free and 2nd in the 500 free. At the team’s regional meet, Schwenk attained 3rd in the 200 free and 4th in the 500 free. At the Class 4A State Meet, the future swimmer at North Carolina State placed 3rd in the 500 free (4:55.39).

HONORABLE MENTION

Ruby Broadfoot, Manatee

Carmen Bunt, Out-of-Door Academy

Payton Griffin, Lakewood Ranch

Sofia Krajewski, Cardinal Mooney Catholic

Makala Milburn, Venice

Jessica Robie, Riverview

COACH OF THE YEAR

John Bruenning

School: Riverview

Highlights: Last year’s Coach of the Year for leading the Rams to their third consecutive Class 4A state championship, Bruenning this year directed the Riverview girls to a third-place finish at the Class 4A State Meet, amassing 200 points, 106 behind the first-place Braddock. This followed the Rams concluding in first place at the Region 4A-3 Meet, scoring 380 points compared to 371.5 for second place Sarasota. And at the District 4A-9 Meet, Riverview ranked first with 577 points, exceeding second-place Sarasota by 99.