2023 WIAA Girls Division I Championship
- November 11, 2023
- Waukesha South Natatorium, Waukesha, WI
- SCY (25 Yards)
- RESULTS
TOP 5 TEAM SCORES
- Middleton – 212.5
- Verona Area – 202
- Arrowhead – 198
- Brookfield East – 196
- Badger Co-op – 163
The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) hosted their girls swimming & diving state championships earlier this month. WIAA is split into 2 divisions for swimming & diving, Division I and Division II.
Middleton made history with the win, becoming the first team to claim the Division I title without winning an individual or relay event, which speaks to the depth of the team. In fact, their highest finishes came in the 500 free and 200 free relay, where they took 2nd. In addition to the historic nature of the title, the win comes in a whirlwind of success for Middleton, marking the school’s 3rd state title in 8 days. Middleton also won state titles in boys soccer and boys volleyball the week before the swimming & diving win.
Waukesha South/Mukwonago sophomore Ella Antoniewski was one of the stars of the meet, winning the 200 free and 500 free. In the 200 free, Antoniewski was simply unstoppable, roaring to a 1:47.14 to win the event by well over 3 seconds. She was out pretty fast, splitting 51.97 on the opening 100 thanks to splits of 24.98 and 26.79. She held strong through the back half, splitting 27.68 and 27.69 respectively coming home, marking a 2nd 100 split of 55.37. It was a huge swim for the underclassmen, establishing a new career best. One of the faster high school state records in the country, Antoniewski still has some work to do in order to crack Katie Drabot‘s WIAA Record mark of 1:44.21, which has stood since 2015. Still, as just a sophomore, Antoniewski still has 2 years left to drop a little less than 3 more seconds.
She then went on to win the 500 free in an equally excellent performance, roaring to a 4:47.16. She was out fast, splitting 1:52.51 on the opening 200, just about 5 seconds off her time from the 200 earlier in the meet. She then held basically mid-to-low 58s per 100 the rest of the way, getting well under 4:50. That swim also establishes a new personal best for Antoniewski. She’s got Drabot’s WIAA Record of 4:43.09 in her sights in this race as well. That record has stood since 2014, meaning it will turn a decade old at next year’s championship.
Antoniewski was big on the 400 free relay as well, leading off in 49.96, which marked her first time under 50 seconds in the event.
Brookfield East star Maggie Wanezek continues to show why she’s one of the top swimmers in Wisconsin state history. The Wisconsin 2024 recruit won the women’s 200 IM in a new personal best of 1:58.43, winning the race by well over 4 seconds. She was out like a bullet, splitting 25.69 on fly and 28.68 on back for a sizzling 54.33 on the first 100. Breast was the weakest point of her race, coming in at 35.40, though that’s still a pretty solid split for a highschooler. Wanezek came home in 28.66 on free, making her 2nd 100 a 1:04.06.
Wanezek would go on to win the 100 back in WIAA Record fashion, throwing down a head-turning 50.97. That’s a massive swim for a high school state meet, coming in just under her own WIAA Record mark of 51.09, which she swam last year. With the performance, Wanezek now ties the legendary Missy Franklin for 15th all-time in the girls 17-18 age group.
Though Brookfield East didn’t win the event, Wanezek was phenomenal on the 200 medley relay, leading off in 23.91 to establish another career best and give her team a big lead. She did, however, help her team to a win in the 400 free relay, leading that one off in 49.53. Younger sister Caroline Wanezek (sophomore) split 51.41 on the 2nd leg, Paris Fullerton (senior) clocked a 54.13 on the 3rd leg, and senior Audrey Olen anchored in 50.25, putting them into the finish in 3:25.32.
It was Germantown that won the relay, seeing Isabelle Barger (24.84), Abby Bruss (29.04), Julia Saxman (24.22), and Caden Kelly (23.45) combine for a 1:41.55.
Waukesha West/Catholic Memorial senior Livi Wanner took the 50 free in 22.82, winning the race by 0.40 seconds. The Minnesota 2024 recruit clocked her career best of 22.78 at her conference meet at the end of October. Wanner also claimed victory in the 100 free, where she swam a 49.43 to win by nearly a second. Like the 50 free, Wanner’s personal best of 49.34 was set at her conference meet.
Wanner also helped the Waukesha West/Catholic Memorial 200 free relay to victory, leading the team off in 22.97. Senior Elizabeth Beam (23.62), Avelyn Brown (24.12), and senior Karlee Marusik (23.51) rounded out the relay, which earned the win in 1:34.22.
De Pere/West De Pere junior Carly Larson clocked a 53.77 to win the 100 fly. Heading to Liberty in the fall of 2025, Larson’s performance marks a new personal best in the event.
Badger Co-op senior Mac Thomas posted a 1:02.87 to win the 100 breast. It was a stunningly tight race, seeing Verona Area sophomore Annika Curran take 2nd in 1:02.90 and Eau Claire Memorial senior Gabi Augustyn come in 3rd with a 1:02.91. First of all, the swims marked personal bests for all 3 athletes. Thomas, a UConn recruit, was out the fastest, splitting 29.18 on the opening 50. Augustyn, a Harvard recruit, came home the fastest, going 33.14 on the 2nd 50.
Diving went to Germantown’s Fynn Langley, who won with a score of 497.00.
Is that a new national Public HS record for Maggie?
Could be wrong, but I think Middleton was also the first school on the boys side to win the state meet without winning a single event as well. The school has had incredible depth for many years in swimming here in Wisconsin.
Midwest has a knack for producing top female backstrokers
Smoliga, Beata, Bootsma, Stadden…
Regan Smith