Women's Swim & Dive Recognized by BOS

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors recognized the women's swim and dive team on their second straight state championship on Tuesday, May 15. You can watch a video of the presentation here. Congratulations again to the team for their many accomplishments this season!

All-Met Team Populated by Warhawks!!

The awards and recognitions from a successful season continued today with the name of the Washington Post All-Met team. Warhawk Swim and Dive was well-represented on this year's team with 1 first-team member, 3 second-team members, 3 honorable mentions, the fastest women's 200 freestyle relay in the region, and 1 coach of the year!

Congratulations go out to the following athletes:

1. Anna Keating -- 1st team All-Met
2. Elizabeth Kuhlkin -- 2nd Team All-Met
3. Madeline LaPorte -- 2nd Team All-Met
4. Jack Galbraith -- 2nd Team All-Met
5. Rachael Holp -- Honorable Mention All-Met
6. Sam Duncan -- Honorable Mention All-Met
7. Kyle Wu -- Honorable Mention All-Met
8. Women's 200 Freestyle Relay -- Anna Miller, Alexandra Dicks, Anna Keating, Elizabeth Kuhlkin
9. Coach Foos -- Women's Swim and Dive Coach of the Year

You can see the full list of All-Met honorees for the men's team and women's teams by clicking on the links.

Madison Shines at States

Congratulations to the men's and women's swim and dive teams on their outstanding performances at the Class 6 State Championships this weekend. The women repeated as state champions by edging out Yorktown by a score of 217.5 to 207. The men finished as runners-up for the second year in a row, losing to Langley by a score of 235 to 186. Both teams relied on some of the deepest rosters in the state to drive their success.

The women's victory was particularly sweet given the adversity the team had to overcome. Not only was Maddie Grosz injured and not able to compete in dive, but the team lost the 400 freestyle relay in preliminaries to an early start. These set-backs did not deter the women as they drove to their second-consecutive state title. The girls put forth strong swims throughout the night to overcome the challenges laid before them. More impressive is the fact that the team won the state while winning only one event, the 100 breaststroke captured by Anna Keating.

The men worked hard all night to overcome exhaustion and lingering illness. While times were off from regions the boys continued to fight throughout the night. Their relays were among the very best in the state, which helped place the team second. Jack Galbraith had a stand-out night , finishing third in the 100 butterfly and fourth in the 100 backstroke.

The teams will look to continue their string of success next season!

State Meet Preview

States are this weekend and the meet is going to be very exciting! The girls are positioned to repeat as state champs while the men will be battling with Langley, Oakton and Robinson for the title. Preliminaries will play a huge role in determining how our teams do again this season.

The folks at Reach for the Wall interviewed Coach Foos as part of their coverage of the meet. A recording of the conversation is available here.

Congratulations to Sam Duncan!

Congratulations to Sam Duncan on finishing third in this morning's state dive championship. Sam performed magnificently throughout the competition. His third-place finish improved on his performance last year at states. Sam's score also earned him All-American consideration. Well done, Sam!

Madison Sweeps Northern Region Titles

The men's and women's swim and dive teams both took home the Northern Region crown tonight in a spirited meet against many of the state's top teams. The men narrowly defeated second-place Langley by a score of 291 to 286, while the women cruised to a nearly 100-point victory over runner-up Oakton.

Both wins were the result of a complete team effort. More than 30 athletes competed over the weekend with nearly all scoring points. Both teams also overcame the loss of top athletes due to sickness during the meet. In a meet settled by so few points victory is the result of everyone's effort and contributions. Without men moving up in consolation heats and relays improving on initial seeds the team would not have pulled out the victory.

The team boasted a number of region champions in both individual and relay events, including:

• Anna Keating - 200 IM (tied) and 100 breaststroke
• Sam Duncan - men's diving
• Elizabeth Kuhlkin - 50 freestyle
• Women's 200 medley relay (Rachael Holp, Anna Keating, Darby Galbraith, Anna Miller)
• Women's 200 freestyle relay (Anna Miller, Alexandra Dicks, Anna Keating, and Elizabeth Kuhlkin)
• Women's 400 freestyle relay (Rachael Holp, Julia Downing, Genevieve Gemond, and Elizabeth Kuhlkin 

The teams will move on to compete in the state championship in two weeks. The dive competition will occur at Oak Marr Rec Center on Friday, February 16. The swim competition will be held at George Mason University on Saturday, February 17.

Madison Captures the Concorde

Congratulations to both the men's and women's swim and dive teams on their victories tonight at the Concorde District championship. The men's team edged out second-place Oakton by 16 points in a very spirited and exciting meet. The women won their second-consecutive district title by defeating second-place Oakton by a score of 546 to 449.5.

The team set nine new school records during the meet, including:

• Women's 200 medley relay (Rachael Holp, Anna Keating, Madeline LaPorte, and Anna Miller)
• Anna Keating in the 200 IM
• Madeline LaPorte in the 100 butterfly
• Elizabeth Kuhlkin in the 100 freestyle
• Madeline LaPorte in the 500 freestyle
• Women's 200 freestyle relay (Julia Downing, Anna Keating, Anna Miller and Elizabeth Kuhlkin)
• Darby Galbraith in the 100 backstroke
• Anna Keating in the 100 breaststroke
• Women's 400 freestyle relay (Madeline LaPorte, Julia Downing, Rachael Holp, and Elizabeth Kuhlkin)

The team also posted a number of All-American performances, including:

• Women's 200 medley relay (automatic)
• Anna Keating (automatic) and Rachael Holp (consideration) in the 200 IM
• Sam Duncan (consideration) in the dive
• Maddie Grosz (consideration) in the dive
• Jack Galbraith (consideration) in the 100 fly
• Madeline LaPorte (consideration) in the 100 fly
• Madeline LaPorte (automatic) in the 500 freestyle
• Anna Keating (automatic) in the 100 breaststroke
• Men's 400 freestyle relay (consideration) (Patrick Kuhlkin, Jack Galbraith, Cole Dyson, and Kyle Wu)
• Women's 400 freestyle relay (consideration)

Concorde District Meet Sheet

The meet sheet for the Concorde District Championship is now available. It is going to be a very exciting and close meet - especially on the men's side. So everyone needs to come prepared to do their very best! Meet for the bus at 3:30 on Friday afternoon for preliminaries. We will warm-up first at 4:15. See you then!

Concorde District Championship Line-Up

The line-ups for this week's Concorde District Championship is now available here (a list by athlete's name is here). Please check to confirm whether you will be competing this weekend or not. All athletes competing in the meet will need to attend practice at least once. If you are in a relay please coordinate with your teammates so that you all attend practice on the same day at least once this week. That way we can work on relay take-offs.

Keep in mind that there is an early release on Thursday and no school on Friday. You MUST be sure to take care of yourselves physically so that you are fully prepared for the meet. That includes the following:

• Go to bed early on Thursday night and get plenty of rest.
• Get up and moving Friday morning. Either go to practice (for club swimmers) in morning to get warmed up or go for a light workout or jog. Regardless, be sure to wake up by mid-morning so that you are not sluggish at the meet.
• Keep your hydration up all week but especially on Friday. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Stay away from soda and other junk foods as they will negatively impact your performance.
• Mentally prepare to swim Friday's preliminaries as if it's finals. Meets are lost on Friday so be sure to compete as if a championship is at stake because it is. Locked heats means that a poor swim on Friday can lower your scoring potential.
• Stay focused all week on achieving our team goals. Everything you do impacts not only yourself but all of your teammates as well. So make good choices!

Good luck to everyone. Let's go Warhawks!!

Preliminary meet sheets for Westfield

The preliminary line-ups for tomorrow's meet against Westfield are now available (you can find a list by athlete's name here). We tried to get all seniors into at least one individual event, which means that some of you will be in different events than normal, so check the line-up carefully. It is also flu season so be aware that things can change at a moment's notice so be ready for anything! Please meet for the bus at 4:30. It will be a long meet as dive will go first and then swim, so please come mentally prepared for a different meet experience. See you tomorrow afternoon!

Athletes of the Meet - Oakton and Patriot

Congratulations to Will Noel and Rachael Holp for being named athletes of the meet for our meet against Oakton. And congratulations to Cole Dyson and Elizabeth Kuhlkin for earning recognition as athletes for our meet against Patriot.

1. Will is being recognized because of his two very strong performances on Friday night. Will's split in the 200 medley relay was one of his best all season. And his time in the 50 freestyle was easily his best performance all season. Will also provides a steady and strong leadership to the team each day in practice.
2. Rachael is being honored because of her strong performances in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke. Rachael's strong finish in the 200 IM helped her edge out Oakton's swimmer by less than 2-tenths of a second. Rachael continued her strong meet by finishing first in the 100 back with a season-best time.
3. Cole put forth a strong meet on Saturday night - especially in the 500 freestyle. Cole improved his time in the 500 by nearly 10 second. Cole put forth his very best effort in all of his races. And despite the fact that he was not feeling well Cole never complained or made excuses for his times and places. 
4. Elizabeth is one of the steadiest and hardest working athletes on the team. She continues to have great swims week after week. And she does it with a positive attitude and willingness to work and improve. 

There were several other individuals who earned honorable mention for their efforts on behalf of the team:

1. Gracie Feuchter - Gracie earned recognition because of her strong leadership and concern for her team. Friday night was senior night and an opportunity for Gracie to receive the spotlight. But Friday was also the night that the required dive was a reverse, which she has not learned yet. Gracie worked all week (on her own and during practice) but did not feel comfortable with the dive. And so she made a very difficult decision to voluntarily take herself out of the meet so that her team could score more points. Her self-sacrifice took immense character and is an example the kind of young woman Gracie is.
2. Christopher Card - Christopher continued his strong first season with clutch performances in the 100 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay. Chris also does a good job of seeking feedback and looking for ways to continue his improvement.
3. Michael Hynes - Michael set a new personal best in the 200 IM with a sub-2:00 time. He also provided a strong let in the 400 freestyle relay helping keep his team in third place.
4. Anna Sullivan - Anna is a steady performer who gives our team flexibility each week. Against Oakton she provided her best-ever high school 200 freestyle. She also had a very strong let in the 400 freestyle relay.
5. Julia Downing - Julia had a great time in the 50 and 100 freestyles. She is dedicated to improving each week and is never complacent about her performances. Her desire to continually improve provides a positive role model for younger members of the team.
6. Darby Galbraith - Darby continued her strong freshman campaign by posting region cuts in the 100 back and 100 fly. She also serves as an integral member of the 200 medley relay, which posted a time that would have finished fifth in last year's state championship.
7. Garrett Hoyt - Garrett's performance in the 500 freestyle was worthy of recognition not necessarily because of his time (which was good for one of the first times he's ever tried the event) but because of his willingness to try it at all. Garrett accepted his role in the 500 with a positive attitude. His willingness to sacrifice on behalf of his team is certainly noteworthy.
8. Erica Rice - Erica continues to improve her 200 IM over the past two nights. She set a personal-best time in the 200 IM on Friday night and then eclipsed it again on Saturday night. Erica continues to find ways to provide depth to her team and is an important part of our overall success.
9. Owen Murphy - Owen continues to grow and improve in his first season with Madison. He only started diving last year and has already made significant strides as a diver and athlete. Owen made the region cut in the first week and now continues to learn new dives that will make him an even more successful competitor in the future.
10. Hunter Moss - Hunter also began diving last year. And he is already becoming a key contributor to the team. Hunter is also learning new dives and continues to inch closer to reaching the region standard of 200 points.

Oakton and Patriot Results

Congratulations to the men's and women's teams on successful weekends. This weekend required two meets against some of the best teams in the state. In our meet on Friday against Oakton the men's team won by a score of 173 to 142 while the women defeated the Cougars by a score of 187 to 128. On Saturday night the men continued their winning weekend by defeating Patriot by a score of 166 to 146 while the women lost a very close meet to the Pioneers by a score of 156.5 to 155.5.

Next opponent: We will close out the regular season next Friday against Westfield at Cub Run.

Preliminary Meet Sheet for Patriot

The preliminary meet sheet for Saturday's meet with Patriot is now available. You can also find a breakdown by athlete by clicking here. We have a number of athletes that are either missing the meet or are sick so you find yourself in different events than normal. Please prepare yourself to be flexible and your very best in whatever races you find yourself! We will meet for the bus at 4:30 so please be on time. See you then!

Preliminary Meet Sheet for Oakton

The preliminary meet sheet for tomorrow night's meet against Oakton is now available. It will be a very competitive meet against a very talented opponent so come ready to be at your very best! Both teams will be recognizing their seniors. So let's make sure that our seniors are the ones with a night to remember! We will meet for the bus at 4:30 so see you there.

E Award Recipients - Concorde Invitational

Congratulations to the following athletes for earning their "E" for effort this past week in preparation for the Concorde Invitational:

1. Anna Sullivan
2. Ryan Breedlove
3. Cole Dyson
4. Erica Rice
5. Jonathan Laredo
6. Ian Cobb
7. Anna Miller
8. Lilly Jacobs

Athletes of the Meet - Concorde Invitational

Congratulations to Heather Tuft and Brayden Philpott on being named athletes of the meet from the Concorde Invitational.

Heather earned recognition on the strength of her 100 butterfly. In that race Heather set a new personal-best time by dropping nearly three full seconds. Her hard work over the past several weeks, including consistent attendance over winter break, is paying off. Her positive attitude and willingness to make sacrifices makes Heather a valuable member of our team.

Brayden was named athlete of the meet for his strong performance in the 100 breaststroke. His time was nearly two full seconds faster than his previous best time in a high school meet. Brayden may only be a freshman but he is quickly establishing himself as a key contributor to the team.

There were a number of other athletes that deserve honorable mention for their performances:

1. Men's 200 freestyle relay - The team consisting of Joseph Clayton, Christopher Card, Reece de Kramer, and Will Noel posted the third fastest time all season in this event. They also just missed making a region cut, which would have been the second relay group to do so this season. 
2. Joseph Clayton - Joseph continued his impressive freshman year with another strong performance in the 200 freestyle and 200 freestyle relay. He represents the latest generation of freestyle sprinters at Madison. 
3. Sam Duncan - Not only is Sam one of the best divers in Virginia, he is also a positive role model and leader. Sam successfully completed a new dive at the meet tonight, which helped lead his team to a first place finish. He is also helping support and encourage a number of his teammates that are brand-new to the sport. 
4. Nick Ruszkowski - While Nick may be new to the sport of diving he is quickly learning his trade. He continues to improve week after week and it showed again tonight. Every one of his dives earned at least 20 points, which is a major accomplishment for someone that began diving in the past year.
5. Lilly Jacobs - Lilly is another swimmer who set a new personal best in a high school meet. Her time in the 200 IM was nearly 2 seconds faster than her previous high school-best time. Lilly's hard work and dedication help maker her one of the most invaluable members of our team.
6. Caitlin Blankenship - Caitlin set a personal best in the 100 freestyle tonight by dropping a full second off her time. Despite missing more than a week at the beginning of the month, Caitlin worked hard all break to get back into shape. Her dedication is paying off as she continues to improve her times.

Concorde Invitational Results

Both the men's and women's teams put forth solid performances tonight at the Concorde District Invitational. Many athletes were at or below their season-best times, which is very encouraging as we move toward the end of the season. This meet gave many of our athletes an opportunity to compete in individual events for the first time this season.

Next opponent: We have a busy week next week. The team celebrates senior night as we face off against rival Oakton on Friday, January 12. Our meet against Patriot, which was postponed for snow this past Friday, will be made up on Saturday, January 13.

Preliminary Meet Sheet for Concorde Invitational

The Concorde Invitational will be held tomorrow night, January 6. The meet is at Oak Marr starting at 6:00 pm. The line-up changed somewhat from the one posted before break so please check the updated version here. Remember that this meet is largely for those athletes who do not normally have an opportunity to compete in an individual event. That means that many of you will not be competing. Please bring your equipment in case we need you. But your primary job will be to help support and encourage your teammates. We will meet for the bus at 4:30. See you then!

Meet with Patriot RESCHEDULED

Due to the snow day today our meet with Patriot is being rescheduled for Saturday, January 13. It will be at Oak Marr starting at 6:00 pm. All of the details are the same, though the meet lineup will change somewhat as a few athletes that could make the meet tonight will not be available that Saturday. A new lineup will be posted by next Thursday. Thanks so much for your patience!

Preliminary Meet Sheet for Patriot

The preliminary meet sheet for our meet against Patriot is now available. Given the holiday on Monday and snow today I am treating all athletes as eligible for this meet. Please arrive by 4:30 for the bus to Oak Marr. Remember that this week is the first time we'll have our new timing system. It should be an exciting time!