WIAA Division 1 ladies state swimming and diving championships recap

• Waukesha South/Mukwonago senior Ella Antoniewski received her fourth consecutive state titles in two completely different occasions.
• Arrowhead High School secured a runner-up staff end within the remaining season for retiring coach Ruth Ann Ahnen.
• Muskego earned a third-place staff end, led by sturdy performances from its senior swimmers.
• Brookfield East senior Caroline Wanezek received her first particular person state title within the 100-yard butterfly.

The WIAA state girls swimming and diving championships concluded with Division 1 competitors Nov. 15 at Waukesha South High School.

Among the Milwaukee space highlights had been a Waukesha South/Mukwonago senior becoming a member of a membership of two ladies swimmers with a four-peat in two completely different occasions, a runner-up staff end within the swan music season for a longtime Arrowhead coach and extra high staff and particular person finishes.

Here had been the native highlights and high finishes from Division 1.

Antoniewski joins membership of two with four-peat wins

Waukesha South/Mukwonago senior Ella Antoniewski entered some of the unique golf equipment in swimming along with her wins within the 200-yard freestyle (1:48.11) and 500 freestyle (4:50.79). Both wins solidified four-peat titles in every occasion relationship again to her freshman debut in 2022.

Antoniewski joined Waukesha North’s Connie Wright as the one two ladies swimmers within the 56-year historical past of the WIAA state ladies swimming and diving meet to four-peat in two completely different particular person occasions. Wright received the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly occasions from 1978-1981. Only one boys swimmer has four-peated in two occasions within the 101-year historical past of the WIAA state boys swimming and diving meet, as Ben McDade of Monona Grove received the 200 and 500 freestyle occasions annually from 2015-2018.

“I’m so blown away to have that chance, and then be able to perform and get it done. Just knowing that something like this is possible, especially for younger kids, I feel like is such motivation,” Antoniewski stated. “I’m so proud of myself and my teammates, and I’m thankful for my coaches and family that support me.”

Antoniewski’s largest piece of recommendation for the following era of swimmers hoping to hitch her and Wright doesn’t must do with particular gear, eating regimen or exercise routine. The key to success in her thoughts is the mentality introduced to every apply and competitors.

MORE: Whitefish Bay repeats as Division 2 staff champion at WIAA state ladies swim and dive

“Just being dedicated and being confident in yourself. I think swimming has a big mental aspect that some people don’t think about, and yes it’s physical, and (I’m) very gifted with my physical abilities, but I think mentally it’s so important, just showing up to practice, having fun, being confident, not putting too much pressure on yourself, and just enjoying the sport is the most important part,” Antoniewski stated.

Part of that mentality for Ella is staying rooted in her teaching from longtime program head Blaine Carlson, in addition to her household. Ella’s sophomore youthful sister Avery additionally had a productive return to the state meet, inserting fourth within the 100 backstroke (:55.43) and sixth within the 200 IM (2:06.20).

“Being able to celebrate with her, she had such a good meet too. … I’m really excited to be able to compete with my sister,” Ella stated. “Cheering her on, cheering each other on, seeing each other behind the blocks I think gives us a little bit of confidence. We’re swimming for each other and our family.”

The University of Georgia commit has excessive hopes for a vivid future forward of her, however as she displays on a accomplished WIAA highschool profession, she does so with satisfaction and gratitude.

“Hearing them say ‘eight-time state winner’ was just unbelievable, and I couldn’t even imagine that. I’m happy with how I performed, and I’m hoping someone does the same coming on,” Ella stated.

Arrowhead takes runner-up in remaining season below coach Ahnen

Arrowhead had only a couple thirds and one fourth to guide its particular person occasion podium finishes, however discovered its means nonetheless to a runner-up trophy with 216 staff factors to path solely three-peat champion Middleton (363.5).

Senior Kate Lucyshyn outperformed her seeding in two occasions to be among the many main scorers for the Warhawks, beginning with a fourth-place 200 freestyle time of 1:51.24 in an occasion into which she had carried the seventh-best seed time. In the 100 freestyle, Lucyshyn held the fourth seed however positioned third along with her time of :51.00. Coach Ruth Ann Ahnen stated merely of Lucyshyn’s outcomes that “she deserves it.”

“She is such a hard worker, an amazing — she just puts her head down. She’s had a few bouts of being really sick all season, and in fact for the past two weeks she’s been kind of sick, but you know what? She was on a mission today,” Ahnen stated.

Arrowhead’s solely different podium finishers individually had been sophomore Sophie Schneider additionally within the 100 freestyle (sixth, :51.67) and freshman Tessa Hansen inserting third within the 100 breaststroke (1:03.50). Relay groups helped carry the day, beginning with a fourth-place 200 medley relay (1:44.49) staff of senior Haley Johnson, Hansen, Schneider and senior Julianna Drake. The 200 freestyle relay (1:35.92) staff additionally took fourth, which included sophomore Lorraine Yan, Drake, senior Cate Wisener and Lucyshyn. Finally in one other fourth-place effort within the 400 freestyle relay (3:29.38), Lucyshyn, Schneider, Wisener and Hansen rounded out a remaining podium to safe a runner-up spot behind a deep and gifted Middleton program.

It was hardly a foul word to finish on for Ahnen, who stated she is retiring from teaching.

During her 18 seasons with this system, Ahnen has helped information Arrowhead to staff state titles in 2008-2010, 2014-2015 and 2022, in addition to runner-up finishes in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019, 2020, 2021 and now 2025. The latter 13 years of that 18 has been on the helm of this system. The achievements she extra readily remembers, nevertheless, are those garnered by means of charitable initiatives her groups have undertaken.

“Culturally this team is No. 1 — community service. I’m just so proud of where they’ve come with Make-A-Wish. When we started, I think we raised $3,000. This past year with 30 kids, $26,000,” Ahnen stated. “With what happened with the government shutdown, we’re really proud that we were able to take 10 SUVs full of food to the food pantry. Just that kind of legacy, and I think that bonded the girls together even though our numbers have gotten a little bit smaller.”

Reflecting on her quite a few state experiences through the years, Ahnen’s ideas wandered to recollections like all of the years her now 90-year-old father would time occasions till Waukesha South informed him they didn’t want extra timers. While strolling away with one other runner-up trophy was one thing she wished for her swimmers, Ahnen hopes a legacy of servant management is the most important fixed past her tenure.

“That was one thing that when I stepped away, that I had somebody in place that would really keep that going, because that’s so important. It just builds up character in these girls, and leadership. I hear back all the time from kids that are in college that they carry that into their college programs and stuff, so it’s kind of that ripple effect, which is great,” Ahnen stated.

Muskego locations third with seniors Meyer, Schlegel and Corro reaching podium

Muskego (192) earned third place behind Middleton and Arrowhead whereas ending forward of Verona Area (169) and Oregon (157) within the high 5 groups.

Leading the trouble for the Warriors was senior Emmy Meyer, who took second within the 200 freestyle (1:50.48) and third within the 100 backstroke (:55.05). Fellow senior Lindsey Schlegel positioned second within the 50 freestyle (:23.13) and fourth within the 100 freestyle (:51.03). Bridget Corro was a 3rd senior contributing a podium end, inserting fourth within the 500 freestyle (5:04.34). Muskego additionally bought a breakout effort from sophomore Ava Jewell. In the 200 freestyle, Jewell received the second of three heats with a remaining time of 1:51.21 that reduce over 3.5 seconds off her seed time to earn third within the occasion. She additionally took fifth within the 100 freestyle (:51.62). The Warriors additionally had a pair of relay groups place second, beginning with their 200 freestyle relay staff of Schlegel, Meyer, freshman Rachel Burzynski and Jewell (1:34.48). The 400 freestyle relay staff of Schlegel, Burzynski, Jewell and Meyer additionally completed runner-up in 3:26.21.

Brookfield East’s Wanezek leads staff eighth place nod

Brookfield East positioned eighth (106.5) within the staff standings due in no small half to the person effort of senior Caroline Wanezek. The University of Wisconsin commit received her first particular person state gold medal within the 100 butterfly (:54.77) by two hundredths of a second over Germantown senior Caden Kelly (:54.79) and 7 hundredths of a second over Middleton junior Brynn Sundell. She additionally positioned third individually within the 200 IM (2:01.99). Reaching the highest of the rostrum in certainly one of her occasions was certainly one of her objectives coming into the state meet, and Wanezek was all smiles having achieved that milestone.

“I feel like all my hard work really paid off, it was just super exciting,” Wanezek stated. “It’s just so fun to compete against such good competitors.”

Wanezek additionally contributed to a pair of sixth-place relay groups, beginning with the third leg of a 200 medley relay (1:47.32) additionally together with senior Payton Keezer, junior Fiona Dold and senior Sadie Podoll. The Spartans’ 400 relay (3:33.14) staff of Wanezek, Keezer, junior Elise Miller and sophomore Maeve Green additionally made the rostrum in sixth.

Other space podium highlights

• Reigning 1-meter dive champion and Divine Savior Holy Angels senior Kendall Rummel positioned third within the occasion this 12 months (471.35) behind Middleton freshmen Hanna Jodlowski (490.75) and Quinn Mazur (489.65). Rummel finishes her profession with three podium finishes within the dive, inserting sixth as a sophomore and profitable the occasion as a junior. Also reaching podium in 2025 had been Menomonee Falls/Hamilton junior Keira Quigley in fourth (448.45), Germantown freshman Emilee Collins in fifth (442.30) and Cedarburg senior Lauren Friehe in sixth (437.95).
• Menomonee Falls/Hamilton positioned fifth within the 200 medley relay (1:46.81) with a staff of senior Elle Mettler, junior Nina Minjares, junior Emily Scargill and junior Ally Gordon. In the 50 freestyle, Scargill (third, :23.44) and Gordon (fifth, :23.67) additionally every made the rostrum.
• In addition to her second within the 100 butterfly, Germantown senior Caden Kelly end fifth within the 200 freestyle (1:51.29). Junior teammate Sierra Rabideau additionally positioned sixth within the 100 backstroke (:56.75).

Full outcomes from the WIAA state ladies swimming and diving championships can be found on the WIAA web site.