Schroeder YMCA A+ Presented by Speedo
- Feb. 1-4, 2024
- Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center
- Brown Deer, Wisconsin
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results on MeetMobile: “2024 Schroeder YMCA A+ Presented by Speedo”
Schroeder YMCA Swim Team 16-year-old Alana Berlin posted a personal-best 52.13 in the 100 backstroke to lead a loaded field at the Schroeder YMCA A+ meet earlier this month in Brown Deer, Wisconsin.
Berlin, a Stanford commit (‘25), dropped almost two tenths off her previous-best 52.31 from last April to outduel NASA Wildcat Aquatics 16-year-old Tierney Lenahan (52.91). Berlin was also faster than Elmbrook Swim Club 18-year-old Maggie Wanezek, a Wisconsin commit (’24) who led prelims with a 52.70 before scratching out of the final.
Berlin’s new lifetime best would have placed 4th at the 2023 Pac-12 Championships. But by the time she arrives on The Farm in 2025, the Cardinal will have moved to the ACC, where her 52.13 would have placed 7th at last year’s conference championships. Berlin also moved up to 26th in the U.S. 13-14 girls’ national age group (NAG) rankings.
Berlin ripped another best time in the 200 free (1:49.71), almost two seconds faster than her previous best (1:51.37) from last February.
Wanezek didn’t contest the stacked 100 back final, an event in which she has been as fast as 50.97 back in November. But she did claim the 100 free crown in 49.66, within a second of her personal-best 48.84 from 2022.
Lenahan added a victory in the 200 back (1:56.21) to go along with her runner-up finish in the 100 back (52.91), where the Duke commit (’25) was only a tenth off her personal-best 52.82 from December.
The 100 back also featured Sea Devils Swim Club 17-year-old Lily Van Heel, who placed 3rd in 53.98. The Wisconsin commit (‘25) has been as fast as 53.85 in November. Van Heel added lifetime bests in the 100 fly (55.91) and 400 IM (4:23.08), dropping .22 seconds and 6.03 seconds, respectively.
Younger swimmers also put up impressive performances in 40-degree weather. In the 13-14 girls’ 100 back, Schroeder YMCA 13-year-old Maggie Dickinson (55.56) edged Edina Swim Club 14-year-old Adalynn Biegler (55.65) for the title. Dickinson also dropped big time in the 200 free (1:53.40), shaving more than four seconds off her previous best (1:57.48) from last March with her 3rd-place finish.
The 13-year-old Koenig-Song sisters threw down several best times for their NASA Wildcat Aquatics squad. Addy Koenig-Song blasted a personal-best 54.98 100 fly to go along with personal bests in the 100 free (51.45), 500 free (4:59.07), and 200 IM (2:06.81).
Grace Koenig-Song, the 11-12 NAG record holder in the 100 breast (1:02.02), earned runner-up finishes in the 200 breast (2:15.63) and 200 IM (2:03.36) right behind YMCA of the Chippewa Valley 17-year-old Gabi Augustyn (2:15.35 200 breast and 2:03.02 200 IM). Grace Koenig-Song also dropped more than a second in the 100 free (51.03), three seconds in the 100 back (58.75), and 14 seconds in the 500 free (4:59.22).
Men’s Recap
Four-time NCAA champion Max McHugh made just his racing appearance since being hired as a part-time assistant coach at St. Thomas (Minn.) last year.
The 24-year-old Minnesota graduate has clearly kept up his training, as he swept the 100 breast (51.51) and 200 breast (1:54.97) with times that would rank 9th and 41st in the NCAA this season, respectively. McHugh’s lifetime bests are 49.90 and 1:48.76, both from the 2022 NCAA Championships. Last year, he won the NCAA title in the 100 breast (50.00) and placed 3rd in the 200 breast (1:49.91).
Schroeder YMCA Swim Team 17-year-old Sam Lorenz dominated the 100 back individually with a winning time of 47.29 before going even faster (47.18) leading off the 400 medley relay. His best time is 46.83 from last April. Lorenz, a Wisconsin commit (’24), also took the 200 back title in 1:46.08, within a couple seconds of his personal-best 1:44.39 from April.
Madison Aquatic Club 17-year-old Finnley Conklin placed 2nd behind McHugh in the 100 breast (54.03), just a blink shy of his personal-best 54.00 from December. He added a runner-up finish in the 200 breast (2:03.60), four seconds slower than his personal-best 1:59.02 from 2022. Conklin also hit new career-best marks in the 50 free (21.37) and 200 free (1:42.01), placing 3rd and 2nd, respectively.
Conklin’s Madison Aquatic Club teammate, 14-year-old Max Garbacz, showed off his versatility by tallying four lifetime bests. He dropped about a second in the 100 back (51.68), half a second in the 100 breast (59.29), half a second in the 200 breast (2:08.06), and four seconds in the 400 IM (4:02.96). Garbacz also clocked a 1:55.64 200 IM, about a second off his personal-best 1:54.46 from last month.
Pleasant Prairie Patriots 11-year-old Bo Breckenridge had a major drop in the 1000 free. His time of 11:17.53 crushed his previous-best 11:35.61 from last month by more than 18 seconds.
