2021 GIRLS MHSAA DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONSHIPS
- November 19-20, 2021
- Holland Aquatic Center, Holland, Michigan
- SCY (25 yards)
- MHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving Central
- Final Results
If she wanted, McKenzie Siroky could be a highly-touted swimming recruit in the NCAA right now.
Top programs would be vying for her services after what she did at the Michigan State (MHSAA) High School Division I Championships on the weekend, but instead, she’ll be playing a different sport in collegiate competition.
Siroky, who won the MHSAA Division I state title last January as a sophomore in the girls’ 100 breaststroke, announced her commitment to play women’s ice hockey with Division I Minnesota Duluth in September.
But despite having her sights on an NCAA career on the ice rink rather than the swimming pool, Siroky continued to excel in the water this past weekend at the MHSAA Division I State Championships, successfully defending her title in the 100 breast while breaking a pretty impressive record in the process.
Siroky, representing Livonia Stevenson High School, put up a time of 1:00.48 in the 100 breast preliminaries, breaking the seven-year-old state record of 1:00.56 set by six-time NCAA All-American Miranda Tucker in 2014.
A native of Livonia, Mich., Siroky went on to win the final in 1:00.85, having cracked the 1:01 barrier for the first time two weeks prior at the KLAA Conference Meet (1:00.86).
Siroky’ mother, Michele Ann Siroky, died in 2017 after a battle with cancer. She was also a state champion swimmer in high school for Livonia Stevenson and went on to compete at Michigan State.
Siroky also owns an impressive 50 free best time of 23.04, but come the fall of 2023, she will turn all of her focus to being a goal-scoring forward for the Bulldogs.
I have known the extended family for years, as we belonged to the same summer swim club as they did. Solid swimmer from a very solid family. Her mother was best friends and swam with Sheila Toarmina at Livonia Stevenson.
I have a very good friend who was a hocky player and then started running in high school. Never qualified for state in cross country or track and went to college as a D2 walk on. Fast forward she won Grandmas marathon in Duluth non the less and led the first bit of the Boston Marathon and ran at the Olympic trials in marathon distance.
Sounds like hocky breeds some strong worth ethics and great multi sport athletes!
Congratulations McKenzie! I hope you enjoy Duluth. Your Mom would be so proud of you!
I always wonder about these kind of latent athletic abilities. Like, so much of “the great ones” being great is dependent upon their parents as a child making the right pick for them (and from there, of course, proper coaching and selection biases come into play).
Like what if Michael Phelps’ mom had pushed him towards basketball instead.
Is she related to 1996 Olympian and breaststroke wunderkind Jilen Siroky, or is it just a happy coincidence?
I couldn’t find any connection.
Amazing. Does Duluth have a swim team where she could moonlight?!
No UM Duluth does not have a swim team. That was discontinued in the early eighties
I’m from Michigan & swam against Miranda and lived in Duluth a while. Hoping all the best for you, McKenzie! Way to represent both sports! You’re Mom would be so proud of you.💓
I know that SwimCloud rankings aren’t perfect since they grossly overrate distance times, but with her two best events being the 50 free and the 100 breast, she is listed as the 64th best recruit in the class of 2023. That’s pretty damn legit, and she’d have her choice of nearly any D1 swim program had she decided to go that route. She must be really good at hockey (or like it that much better than swimming) to pass that up.
Duluth?? There is a reason all their buildings are connected by underground tunnels, hopefully the rink is included in the habitrail
On a more serious note, its nice to have options and i wish her the best.
How often is she in the water? She’s SERIOUSLY fast but if she’s not swimming club, that’s even more impressive. Makes you wonder how good she is at hockey if swimming is her off sport