The COVID-19 pandemic forced Minnesota to run its high school girls swimming & diving season with no year-end state meet. The season-ending competition for teams across the state were section meets, which typically qualify athletes for state.
You can find all of the section meet results here. We’ve pulled out team champions below and highlighted a few of the most notable swims.
2020 MSHSL Girls Section Championships
Big Schools (Class AA)
- 1AA – Farmington
- 2AA – Minnetonka
- 3AA – Eagan
- 4AA – Stillwater
- 5AA – Wayzata
- 6AA – Edina
- 7AA – Blaine
- 8AA – Moorhead
| Event | Top Time | |
| 200 medley relay | Andover | 1:42.99 |
| 200 free | Katie McCarthy, Edina | 1:49.70 |
| 200 IM | Megan Schultze, Coon Rapids | 2:03.06 |
| 50 free | Emily Pawlaski, Andover | 23.37 |
| 100 fly | Anna Ogren, Rochester John Marshall | 55.05 |
| 100 free | Haley Zelen, Shakopee | 51.82 |
| 500 free | Katie McCarthy, Edina | 4:51.19 |
| 200 free relay | Eden Prairie | 1:34.78 |
| 100 back | Abby Kapeller, Minnetonka | 55.29 |
| 100 breast | Caroline Larsen, Eden Prairie | 1:02.73 |
| 400 free relay | Minnetonka | 3:27.31 |
Section 2AA put up most of the state’s best times. Minnetonka’s Abby Kapeller was the defending state champ in the 50 free and 100 back, and she led all swimmers in the state in the 100 back at 55.29. Minnetonka also put up the state’s best 400 free relay time with Kapeller leading off in 51.09.
Edina’s Katie McCarthy was the top swimmer in both the 200 free (1:49.70) and 500 free (4:51.19). Meanwhile Eden Prarie had the state’s best 200 free relay, which included a 23.8 leadoff from Caroline Larsen, the freshmen who led the state in the 100 breaststroke.
8th-grader Grace Rabb was a standout in section 7AA. The Andover swimmer went 55.69 to tie Blaine junior Allison Schrank for the 100 back title. That’s a drop of almost a full second from last year, when a 7th-grade Rabb finished 9th in the state meet. Rabb is just outside the top 100 in all-time USA Swimming history for the 13-14 age group in that event.
Rabb’s Andover team blazed a 1:42.99 to win the 200 medley relay. That’s three tenths faster than the time it took to win the state title last year and is the top time in the state. More impressive, that relay had 8th-grader Rabb split 25.6 on backstroke and 7th-grader Cate Pawlaski 29.3 on breaststroke. Seniors Emily Pawlaski (24.1 fly) and Elsie Groebner (23.8 free) rounded out the relay.
Small Schools (Class A)
- 1A – Mankato West
- 2A – Breck
- 3A – Delano
- 4A – Visitation
- 5A – St. Cloud Cathedral
- 6A – Sartell
- 7A – Mesabi East
- 8A – Grand Rapids
| Event | Top Time | |
| 200 medley relay | Hutchinson | 1:45.82 |
| 200 free | Maya Burkstrand, Holy Angels | 1:52.72 |
| 200 IM | Hailey Farrell, Hutchinson | 2:05.43 |
| 50 free | Grace Hanson, Hutchinson | 23.27 |
| 100 fly | Taylor Williams, Benilde St. Margaret’s | 55.50 |
| 100 free | Grace Hanson, Hutchinson | 50.45 |
| 500 free | Hailey Farrell, Hutchinson | 5:03.76 |
| 200 free relay | Delano | 1:38.43 |
| 100 back | Emma Kern, Delano | 54.60 |
| 100 breast | Hallie Drossel, Melrose | 1:05.66 |
| 400 free relay | Hutchinson | 3:30.58 |
Hutchinson dominated the single-A schools from section 3. Junior duo Grace Hansen and Hailey Farrell combined for the top time in the state in 6 total events for class A. Hansen leads the 50 free and 100 free, while Farrell topped the 200 free and 500 free. Hansen’s sprint times were faster than the best times in class AA.
The two combined on the 200 medley and 400 free relays, which hit state-leading times for class A. Hansen was actually better leading off that relay (50.03) than she was individually (50.45) and Farrell was 51.5 on the anchor leg.
Delano also had a pair of state leading events from section 3. Emma Kern had class A’s best 100 back time at 54.60 – the other event where the top A swimmer was faster than the top AA swimmer. Delano also led the state A ranks in the 200 free relay, with Kaia Georges leading off in 24.39.
Sad that America is no longer free…Hope the Federal Government will cut funding to states which are hurting our youth!!!
Pretty weak, overall. MN has set a high standard the last years. Stadden (sp?), Smith, kozielscy, etc.
Yeah, way to encourage swimmers.
many girls sat out high school season due to Minnesota’s governors crazy restrictions
The high school season was shortened by three weeks. Smith hasn’t swum high school since 7th grade.
You also have to remember that all of these meets had a max of four teams in them. All things considered, there were some very impressive times that came out of these meets. To say that they are pretty weak is pretty ignorant.