Minnesota Announces 2026-27 Crew Captains

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – The University of Minnesota swimming and diving applications have formally introduced their workforce captains for the 2026-27 season, naming Ryan Slonac, Ian Steffen, and John Watson to guide the lads’s program and Ava Goodno, Katie McCarthy, and Elna Widerstrom to guide the ladies’s program.

A Muskego, Wisconsin native, Ryan Slonac returns for a second 12 months as workforce captain for the Gophers, serving as a captain all through his junior marketing campaign in 2025-26. Slonac at present ranks third in class historical past within the 200 again (1:42.27) and seventh within the 200 IM (1:44.99). Slonac collected a high 20 end within the 200 again on the 2026 Big Ten Championships and closed the season with CSCAA Individual Scholar All-American honors, Academic All-Big Ten honors, and the Outstanding Student Athlete workforce award.

A rising senior from Marion, Iowa, Ian Steffen returns to his position as workforce captain as effectively in 2026-27, as he was additionally named workforce captain as a junior final season. Steffen at present ranks second in program historical past within the 200 again (1:41.43), eighth within the 100 again (47.02), and eleventh within the 100 fly (46.86). Steffen additionally tallied a high 20 end within the 200 again on the 2026 Big Ten Championships and was named a 2026 Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

A local of Omaha, Nebraska, John Watson earns the workforce captain title after a profitable first season with the Gophers. The Mizzou switch etched himself within the document books, rating sixth in program historical past within the 200 breast (1:54.20), seventh within the 400 IM (3:45.23), and ninth within the 200 IM (1:45.56). Watson collected CSCAA Individual Scholar All-American honors and the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award together with a trio of high 20 finishes on the 2026 Big Ten Championships.

A senior from Muskego, Wisconsin, Ava Goodno can be a primary time workforce captain in 2026-27. Goodno at present ranks tied for eighth in program historical past within the 100 breast (1:00.84). Goodno was a member of the workforce’s 200 medley relay on the 2026 NCAA Championships, and closed the season with CSCAA Individual Scholar All-American honors, Academic All-Big Ten honors, and the Iron Fish workforce award.

An Edina, Minnesota native, Katie McCarthy returns as workforce captain after serving on the management group in 2025-26. McCarthy ranks fourth in program historical past within the 400 IM (4:06.49), seventh within the 1650 free (16:03.41) and 1000 free (9:40.68), eighth within the 500 free (4:39.71), and ninth within the 200 fly (1:58.44) and 200 IM (1:58.91). McCarthy collected an All-American Honorable Mention eventually 12 months’s NCAA Championships with an eleventh place end within the 1650 free, whereas additionally amassing CSC Academic All-District honors, Academic All-Big Ten honors, and the Swimmer of the Year workforce award.

Fresh off her first profession Big Ten title, Lund, Sweden native Elna Widerstrom is known as workforce captain after an accolade stuffed 2025-26 season. Widerstrom ranks sixth in workforce historical past on the 1-meter springboard (336.95) and seventh on the 3-meter springboard (374.35), and is the reigning 1-meter Big Ten Champion. Along with being named the 2026 Big Ten Diver of the Year, Widerstrom collected a pair of All-American honors on each springboard occasions on the NCAA Championships and earned CSCAA Individual Scholar All-American honors, CSC Academic All-District honors, Academic All-Big Ten honors, and the Diver of the Year workforce award.