Sabre Swimming/Diving Enjoying Another Great Season

The Sartell-St. Stephen swimming and diving team finished the regular season unbeaten at 9-0.  The Sabres are Central Lakes Conference champs and they won the True-Team Section championship in October.  Sartell is the favorite to do well at the section meet November 10-11.

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Sartell head coach Hannah Nelson and swimmers seniors Holly Lenarz and Madeline Francois joined me on WJON.  The Sabres have had a winning tradition with numerous state tournament entries, conference championships, true team titles and section championships.  Nelson credits the success of the program to swimmers starting at an early age on club teams.  Lenarz says she started swimming competitively at 11 years old but began her swimming at Jack Splash swim lessons.  Francois has a similar experience also starting at Jack Splash and swimming competitively at 11.  Both Lenarz and Francois competed at the varsity level since the 7th grade and qualified for the State Meet last season.

Lenarz is more of a distance swimming.  She swims the 200 individual medley, and the 500 freestyle.  Francois is more of a sprinter and she participates in the 50 and 100 freestyle events.  Both participate on the Sartell relay teams.  Both Lenarz and Francois explain the relays are a lot of fun when you can participate with and cheer on teammates.  Both Lenarz and Francois have expectations to finish in the top 8 in the state meet in their events this season.

Sartell has more swimmers/divers with state tournament aspirations.  Nelson says sprinter Julie Larson, diver Shayla Scepaniak, and distance swimmer Megann Jobin could also place well at sections.  Nelson says the program is a good shape with some 8th graders showing well on the team too.

Sartell is preparing for the Section Championships which will be November 10-11 in Brainerd.  Teams don't qualify for state meets but individuals do. The top two finishers in the section meet qualify for the state meet but individuals can also qualify if they meet the time requirement.

Sartell was well represented last season and expects similar if not better representation this year.  This is Nelson's 4th year as head coach.  She says they have 12 seniors and this has been a special group.  Nelson indicates she is very proud of this team and the culture they've created.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Hannah, Holly and Madeline it is available below.