In the Pool: A dozen Fort Collins-area girls swimmers to watch this winter
It's winter, and that means it's time to head indoors for high school sports.
Much like track and field in the spring, the girls swimming season is always a sprint. The state meets are Feb. 6-9, meaning state is just two months away with a two-week holiday pause breaking up the season.
As always, though, there are plenty of talented local swimmers who will be in championship contention.
Here are a dozen girls swimmers (or divers) to watch this winter in the Fort Collins area.
(Note: This is the third in a series of Coloradoan articles highlighting winter athletes. Next up will be district hockey, skiing and girls wrestling teams.)
Ella Gaca-Thiele, Fossil Ridge
Gaca-Thiele made a big splash as a freshman, earning top-five finishes at the Class 5A state meet last winter as a freestyle standout.
She's also an integral part of Fossil's team under first-year coach Krista Nero as a relay swimmer, helping the SaberCats to top-10 spots in the 200-yard and 400-yard state freestyle relays.
Expect Gaca-Thiele to challenge the state's top 5A swimmers this season.
Elle Gray, Fort Collins
Colorado's top returning high school diver is right here in Fort Collins.
Gray took runner-up honors in 5A as a mere sophomore last season, tallying a score of 448.20 points at just 15 years old.
Ranked first in the state, the junior should be among a handful of favorites for the 5A diving title come February.
Cody Monajjem, Wellington
The home-schooled Eagles standout was sensational as a freshman last season, collecting accolades.
Monajjem took double runner-up honors in the 200 free and 100 backstroke, swept city and league titles in the 200 free and earned the Patriot League 100 back crown.
Wellington was already competitive in its inaugural season. But with Monajjem back and a roster doubled in size, she could be the anchor for a sophomore surge.
Teresa Collingwood, Rocky Mountain
The Lobos senior is as versatile as they come in the pool. Last season, she swam freestyle, backstroke, relays and individual medleys, earning top-5 city finishes in all those categories.
After top-20 finishes at 5A state in the 200 medley relay and 200 individual medley, Collingwood should help Rocky stay solid after the loss of seniors Mia Waldron and Naomi Duran.
Sienna Hawbaker, Windsor
Hawbaker is the Wizards' top returning swimmer after a strong showing last season in Class 4A, where she took top-5 finishes in the 200 IM and 100 breastroke.
She's also key on Windsor's relay squads, swimming the medley and anchoring the freestyle races.
Hawbaker has the potential to be a championship contender at the state level.
Hannah Testa, Poudre
The junior Testa is one of the Impalas' team captains and is one of their best returning swimmers.
She took seventh in the city last year in the loaded 100 breaststroke field and helped the 200 free relay team finish fifth.
Testa and teammates like Sarah Lindquist and Maddie Duveneck could have Poudre pushing to qualify for a 5A state finals spot across several events.
Addison Jones, Liberty Common
Jones is another quintessential utility player, swimming and excelling in several events for the Eagles, who placed sixth as a team at the Class 3A state meet in 2023.
She finished eighth in the 500 free, had top-10 city finishes in the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly. The junior will be especially integral in relays, as Liberty Common's 200 free relay team came with 0.2 seconds of the 3A title in February.
Gracie Thornton, Fossil Ridge
Thornton was another member of a strong Fort Collins-area freshman class last season, helping the SaberCats to the top local 5A team finish at state.
She finished ninth in the 100 fly at state and swam on seventh-place relay squads in the 200 and 400 free relays, all after recording four top-5 city finishes.
With a deep roster full of standouts like Thornton, Grace Knight and Madison Arnold, the SaberCats are poised to reclaim their city championship this season.
Emma Soto, Fort Collins
The Lambkins had a team of super seniors last year. Soto, though, will get her chance this season as one of Fort Collins' top options.
Soto puts in the hard work in grueling events, placing sixth in the city in the 100 back and fourth in the 500 free distance event last January.
Savannah Casady, Poudre
Casady is Poudre's sprinter in the pool, swimming the blink-and-you'll-miss-them freestyle events that are thrilling for fans.
After an eighth-place city finish last season, Casaday is already off to a strong start this year, racing to wins against Windsor in the 50 and 100 free.
Julia Zheng, Fossil Ridge
The Fossil senior was already among the best freestyle swimmers in the city last season, placing top five in the 50 and 100 free.
She was also instrumental to the SaberCats' relay squads, including her role as leadoff leg on their seventh-place 400 free relay unit at state with Thornton and Gaca-Thiele.
Keolani Morrow, Rocky Mountain
Morrow will be another crucial piece of Rocky's team this season.
She set the stage for a breakout campaign last year, finishing third at the city meet in the 100 free and competing for the Lobos' top-five 200 medley and 400 free relay crews.
Morrow will also have crucial state experience under her belt after helping Rocky's 200 medley relay team place 15th in Class 5A.
Bonus Names to Know:
Abby Daharsh, Liberty Common
Kayla Knifong, Windsor
Sarah Hughes, Wellington
Sydney Ovesen, Fossil Ridge
Addison West, Fort Collins
Sarah Lindquist, Poudre
Quinn Barr, Liberty Common
Ann Claire Bosch, Windsor
Eva Lehmkuhler, Rocky Mountain
Josie Malzahn, Wellington
Grace Knight, Fossil Ridge
Maddie Maves, Fort Collins
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins swimming: 12 local girls swimmers to watch this season
