The Daily Roundup: Former Whitefish Swimming Standout Competes in Fourth National Championship Meet

Happy Friday (the thirteenth), Beacon readers! Lauren Frick right here, and it’s been a busy couple of weeks within the sports activities world right here within the valley and past. Between native highschool groups excelling at state tournaments and Team USA athletes with Flathead Valley ties gracing the Olympic and Paralympic podiums, there’s been no relaxation for the weary. In case you’ve missed any of the motion, right here’s somewhat roundup wrapped up in your Daily Roundup.

Starting issues off with a brand new sports activities information nugget, former Whitefish High School standout Ada Qunell (pictured above) this weekend will put a bow on a historic 14-year swimming profession as she participates in her fourth and closing NCAA Division II National Championships.

One of probably the most completed swimmers in Montana Class A historical past, Qunell rewrote Whitefish High School’s report books, setting all the person data and two of the three relay data. She turned one in all 4 swimmers in Montana historical past to four-peat in a person occasion when she completed the feat within the 200 Individual Medley. 

Following her time in Whitefish, Qunell moved on to NCAA Division II Colorado Mesa University, the place she picked up proper the place she left off in her highschool profession. Qunell at the moment holds particular person data within the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly for the Mavericks, in addition to 4 relay data, together with the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle and the 400 medley relays. 

As Qunell works her means by the nationwide championship meet this week — which runs from March 10-14 in Evansville, Indiana — she’ll be in acquainted territory (or on this case, water). Qunell is a 4-time NCAA National Champion (200 and 400 free relay and 2x within the 400 medley relay) and a 16-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Champion, together with 4 particular person titles (200 free and 3x within the 100 free). 

Speaking of Whitefish High School, right here’s somewhat replace on how the valley’s groups are faring within the Class A ladies basketball state match this weekend. Both Bigfork and Whitefish dropped their opening video games on Thursday to the east’s high seeds, Billings Central and Havre. Luckily, the Valkyries and Bulldogs are nonetheless preventing and can play right now to maintain their {hardware} probabilities alive. Bigfork will face off with Hardin and Whitefish will go toe-to-toe with Laurel Friday afternoon, each with an opportunity to make it to the match’s closing day.  

Elsewhere on the planet (Italy, particularly), the Paralympics are winding down, however not earlier than Kalispell resident Brenna Huckaby got herself on the podium. On Friday, Huckaby captured bronze in her closing occasion on the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Paralympic Games: Banked Slalom – Lower Limb 2 Impaired.

That podium end introduced Huckaby’s complete medal rely to 5 throughout three Winter Paralympic Games, together with three gold medals, cementing her as probably the most embellished Paralympic snowboarder in historical past alongside France’s Cécile Hernandez.

Click right here to learn extra about Huckaby’s journey to the Flathead Valley and the neighborhood she’s constructed right here. And if you happen to’re nonetheless needing your Paralympic/Olympic repair, take a look at Whitefish native Jake Sanderson’s reflections on Team USA Hockey’s historic gold medal run. 

Now get on the market and luxuriate in all this contemporary powder (and perhaps even channel your inside Brenna Huckaby). But first, right here’s the remainder of right now’s Daily Roundup.