Illinois H.S. State Meet a Showcase for Growth of Women’s Sports

Illinois High School State Meet a Showcase for Growth of Women’s Sports

From Nov. 14–15, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) marked a milestone, as the 50th Girls Swimming & Diving State Championships returned to the FMC Natatorium in Westmont, Ill. This venue has played host to the IHSA state meet since 2021, and in its fourth year as the championship site, the facility once again delivered an environment worthy of the meet’s golden anniversary.

Bloomington High School’s Jenny Priester, a six-time finalist in the 1990s who went on to compete for Kentucky in the NCAA and Southeastern Conference Championships, recalled the atmosphere of the first IHSA state meet in an interview with the IHSA.

“The Illinois high school state swim meet was the loudest meet I have ever been to,” Priester said.

The 50th anniversary marked a chance to reflect on the evolution of girls swimming and diving in Illinois. For decades, New Trier High School and Evanston Township High School shouldered the responsibility of hosting, trading the meet back and forth between their historic pools and creating an atmosphere that became synonymous with IHSA state weekend. Their traditions, packed stands, and unmistakable championship energy helped shape what the meet is today.

Aaron Gabriel, a coach for Reach Aquatics (RA-IL) and former St. Charles standout, explained the importance of the milestone.

“(It’s) a great reminder that the beginnings of female participation in organized sport was really not all that long ago, and that we should be grateful for all the progress that has been made,” Gabriel said. “The girls state meet in Illinois has developed its own tradition, one that carries its own unique and compelling legacy.”

Preliminaries on Friday set the stage as top swimmers delivered season-best and lifetime-best performances, shaking up projections and raising anticipation for the finals. By Saturday, the competition reached a peak with powerhouse programs defending their lanes and underclassmen stepping up among established seniors. Several races came down to final-stroke sprints, and diving added extra suspense with tightly contested scoring.

As the girls move from their high school season into club swimming in the coming weeks, Gabriel emphasized how essential club programs are in building a swimmer’s foundation while complementing the lessons learned during high school competition.

“In Illinois, as in most states, club swimming has a crucial role,” Gabriel said. “It is the foundational element of swim competition, providing the time required to develop aerobic systems and to slowly implement improvement in skills. I believe the high school season is also crucial, as it teaches specific things club swimming generally doesn’t – a shared mission, the value of racing frequently, how to cooperate, the collective benefits of group sacrifice.”

Here are the results from the state-championship competition:

Results

• Event 1 (200 Yard Medley Relay)
  • A – Stevenson (1:42.89)
• Event 13 (200 Yard Free – AWD)
  • 1 and Under
    • Ava Gensler (WASH – 4:37.83)
  • 2 and Over
    • Daniella Berger (STEV – 2:08.29)
• Event 2 (200 Yard Free)
  • Paige Kowal (RSRY – 1:47.68)
• Event 3 (200 Yard IM)
  • Kate Farrell (SCN – 1:59.84)
• Event 14 (50 Yard Free – AWD)
  • 1 and Under
    • Ava Gensler (WASH – 56.66)
  • 2 and Over
    • Daniella Berger (STEV – 26.54)
• Event 4 (50 Yard Free)
  • Aria Grossenbach (STEV – 22.85)
• Event 6 (100 Yard Fly)
  • Ariyana Nieckula (RSRY – 53.53)
• Event 15 (100 Yard Free – AWD)
  • 1 and Under
    • Ava Gensler (WASH – 2:14.03)
  • 2 and Over
    • Daniella Berger (STEV – 58.18)
• Event 7 (Girls 100 Yard Free)
  • Aria Grossenbach (STEV – 49.19)
• Event 8 (Girls 500 Yard Free)
  • Kate Farrell (SCN – 4:50.90)
• Event 9 (Girls 200 Yard Free Relay)
• Event 10 (Girls 100 Yard Back)
  • Thea Bike (SCN – 53.66)
• Event 16 (Girls 100 Yard Breast – AWD)
  • 1 and Under
    • Addi Miller (OSW – 2:19.53)
  • 2 and Over
    • Daniella Berger (STEV – 1:16.04)
• Event 11 (Girls 100 Yard Breast)
  • Nelli Sandor (STEV – 1:02.16)
• Event 12 (Girls 400 Free Relay)
  • A – St Charles North (3:24.79)

Team Standings

1. Stevenson – 236
2. St. Charles North – 227
3. Rosary – 211
4. New Trier – 185
5. Hinsdale Central – 141