ROCHESTER, Minn. – Farmington High School will be well represented at the Class AA State Meet after five athletes qualified during the Section 1AA Girls Swimming & Diving Championships held November 5–7. The three-day meet featured swimming prelims and finals at the Rochester Recreation Center, while diving events were contested at the Blanchard Aquatic Center in Lakeville.
Mikaela Udell led the way with a record-setting performance in the 200-yard freestyle. The sophomore won the event in 1:54.85, breaking the Rochester Recreation Center pool record while securing her individual spot at state. Udell also contributed to state-qualifying efforts in the 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.
The 200 medley relay team — composed of Micaela Cardoza, Taylor Gergen, Alyssa Bower, and Udell — placed sixth in the final with a time of 1:51.36, well under the state cut of 1:52.45. The same group also advanced in the 400 freestyle relay, finishing fifth in 3:39.46 to earn another trip to Minneapolis.
Individually, Taylor Gergen qualified in the 100-yard breaststroke with a fifth-place time of 1:07.08 and added a ninth-place finish in the 100 butterfly. Parker Risch joined the state roster with a fourth-place swim in the 100 breaststroke, touching the wall in 1:06.71.
In diving, Claire Gergen placed seventh overall with a score of 254.20, while freshman Brooke Kunz earned 11th place at 231.45, giving Farmington two top-12 finishers on the board.
TOP TIGERS
– Mikaela Udell: 1st place in 200 freestyle (1:54.85 – new pool record), state qualifier; also qualified in 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays
– Taylor Gergen: 5th place in 100 breaststroke (1:07.08), state qualifier; also qualified in both relays
– Parker Risch: 4th place in 100 breaststroke (1:06.71), state qualifier
– Alyssa Bower: State qualifier in 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays; also placed 11th in 100 butterfly (1:01.50) and 4th in 500 freestyle (5:15.56)
– Micaela Cardoza: State qualifier in 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays; 4th in 200 freestyle (1:58.38) and 6th in 100 freestyle (55.14)
– Claire Gergen: 7th place in diving (254.20)
– Brooke Kunz: 11th place in diving (231.45)
UP NEXT
Farmington's state qualifiers will compete at the MSHSL Class AA State Girls Swimming & Diving Championships, held November 13-15 at the University of Minnesota's Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.
FOLLOW ALONG
For full results, state meet information, and updates throughout the postseason, follow Farmington Tigers Athletics on Instagram, X, and Facebook @tigerfarmington.
