MONROE - The Monroe-New Glarus girls swim team snapped a drought by winning its first Badger South Conference dual meet in five years last season.
With a bigger team compared to last year and one swimmer garnering attention from college recruiters, Monroe-New Glarus has its sights set on returning individuals and a relay to state.
Monroe-New Glarus returns seven letterwinners, led by senior Skylar Lassen who has talked to Division III schools St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater about swimming in college.
The other swimmers back are juniors Maddie Hammer, Grace Keith and Samantha Ellefson, and sophomores Emily Meritt and Linnea Tabaka of Monroe, and sophomore Nina Schiro of New Glarus.
Monroe-New Glarus finished 5-4 in dual meets last year and went 3-4 in the Badger South Conference. Monroe-New Glarus won three straight conference dual matches last year and placed sixth in the Badger South Conference meet last year.
"One expectation I have is that the girls give 100 percent both at practice and at meets," said Monroe-New Glarus coach Linda Moser, who is in her 16th year. "We will be what we make of ourselves and that will take a lot of dedicated, focused hard work on their part which I know they are capable of. With Monroe and New Glarus being smaller districts many of our athletes compete in more than one sport so swimming is not their focus year-round. That means our work is cut out for us to get those times we need at the sectional meet to swim at state, and I know we are up for that challenge."
Two years ago, Hammer was a state qualifier in the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. She just missed qualifying for state last year. Hammer took eighth in the 100 breaststroke at the Baraboo sectional last year. Her time was one of the top 16 in the state, but a swimmer in the Cudahy sectional earned an automatic state berth by being a sectional champion.
Hammer finished fourth in the 100 freestyle at the Badger South Conference meet last year and eighth in the 100 breaststroke. Other medal winners at conference last year include Keith, who took sixth in the 100 butterfly, and Schiro, who posted an eighth-place finish in the 200 individual medley.
Monroe-New Glarus has 20 swimmers on the team this year and will look to field two relays in most meets.
"I know we will have strong swimmers in all four competitive strokes," Moser said. "That is a plus that we have a bigger team this year."
Moser wants each swimmer to work on their endurance.
"In the past that middle part of the race has been a thorn in our side, and it is time to do everything we can to remove that thorn," Moser said. "Even in the 50 freestyle a weak five yards can cost you the race."
Each swimmer will set individual and team goals.
"This will help them persevere through the rough days knowing that one bad meet doesn't ruin goals, it makes you re-evaluate and work harder," Moser said.
Madison Edgewood, which was ranked No. 1 in the Division 2 Wisconsin Swim Coaches Association state poll and won the WIAA Division 2 state championship, won the conference title last year over second-ranked McFarland. The Spartans finished as the state runner-up, and conference rival Monona Grove took eighth. Badger North Conference power DeForest finished fifth at state.
"I think McFarland will be at the top of the conference with Edgewood being the other top contender," Moser said. "I'm basing that on the returning swimmers they will have from last year and the fact that most of their team swims year round."
With a bigger team compared to last year and one swimmer garnering attention from college recruiters, Monroe-New Glarus has its sights set on returning individuals and a relay to state.
Monroe-New Glarus returns seven letterwinners, led by senior Skylar Lassen who has talked to Division III schools St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater about swimming in college.
The other swimmers back are juniors Maddie Hammer, Grace Keith and Samantha Ellefson, and sophomores Emily Meritt and Linnea Tabaka of Monroe, and sophomore Nina Schiro of New Glarus.
Monroe-New Glarus finished 5-4 in dual meets last year and went 3-4 in the Badger South Conference. Monroe-New Glarus won three straight conference dual matches last year and placed sixth in the Badger South Conference meet last year.
"One expectation I have is that the girls give 100 percent both at practice and at meets," said Monroe-New Glarus coach Linda Moser, who is in her 16th year. "We will be what we make of ourselves and that will take a lot of dedicated, focused hard work on their part which I know they are capable of. With Monroe and New Glarus being smaller districts many of our athletes compete in more than one sport so swimming is not their focus year-round. That means our work is cut out for us to get those times we need at the sectional meet to swim at state, and I know we are up for that challenge."
Two years ago, Hammer was a state qualifier in the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke. She just missed qualifying for state last year. Hammer took eighth in the 100 breaststroke at the Baraboo sectional last year. Her time was one of the top 16 in the state, but a swimmer in the Cudahy sectional earned an automatic state berth by being a sectional champion.
Hammer finished fourth in the 100 freestyle at the Badger South Conference meet last year and eighth in the 100 breaststroke. Other medal winners at conference last year include Keith, who took sixth in the 100 butterfly, and Schiro, who posted an eighth-place finish in the 200 individual medley.
Monroe-New Glarus has 20 swimmers on the team this year and will look to field two relays in most meets.
"I know we will have strong swimmers in all four competitive strokes," Moser said. "That is a plus that we have a bigger team this year."
Moser wants each swimmer to work on their endurance.
"In the past that middle part of the race has been a thorn in our side, and it is time to do everything we can to remove that thorn," Moser said. "Even in the 50 freestyle a weak five yards can cost you the race."
Each swimmer will set individual and team goals.
"This will help them persevere through the rough days knowing that one bad meet doesn't ruin goals, it makes you re-evaluate and work harder," Moser said.
Madison Edgewood, which was ranked No. 1 in the Division 2 Wisconsin Swim Coaches Association state poll and won the WIAA Division 2 state championship, won the conference title last year over second-ranked McFarland. The Spartans finished as the state runner-up, and conference rival Monona Grove took eighth. Badger North Conference power DeForest finished fifth at state.
"I think McFarland will be at the top of the conference with Edgewood being the other top contender," Moser said. "I'm basing that on the returning swimmers they will have from last year and the fact that most of their team swims year round."
