Texas 6A High School Championships – Girls Preview

UIL Swimming and Diving State Championships – DISTRICT MEETS

• Jan. 21 – Jan. 22
• SCY Yards (SCY)
• Results

The UIL Texas 5A/6A swimming and diving state championship meet will be held Feb. 18 – Feb. 19 in Austin, TX at the University of Texas. The state recently held their district meets to determine which athletes would move on to regionals. The regional meets will be held Feb. 4 – Feb. 5. 

UIL Qualifying System 

• District Meets: Held in districts with more than six individuals or relays in any event. 
• Regional Meets: The top six individuals and relays qualify for the regional meet. There are eight regional meets. 
• State Meet: The top two from each regional along with the next eight fastest swimmers overall advance to the state meet. 
• This system is divided into 5A/6A classes, with 5A being smaller schools and 6A larger schools. 

2021 6A State Championships Top 5 Teams

1. The Woodlands – 207
2. Johnson – 176
3. Southlake – 165
4. Westlake – 157
5. Westwood – 132

The Woodlands girls were 6A state champions in 2021, with Johnson and Southlake fighting for second. Based on the available district meet results, the Woodlands looks strong to repeat, but some of the other top schools in the state also have some swimmers to watch. 

2022 6A Girls Swimmers to Watch

200 free

• Amelia Bodenstab – Sophomore – Lake Travis: 1:50.09
• Jemma Burns – Junior – Westlake: 1:50.12
• Caroline Frazier – Sophomore – the Woodlands: 1:51.61

The Woodlands had a strong performance from sophomore Caroline Frazier, her district time would have finished sixth at the state meet last year. Jemma Burns, a junior from Westlake, was seventh in the 100 free last year at the state meet. Her 1:50.12 from her district meet would have placed fourth last year. 

200 IM 

• Kate Christian – Junior- Lake Travis: 2:03.06
• Jada Scott – Junior – Johnson: 2:03.41 
• Paige Taber – Senior – the Woodlands: 2:04.76 

Junior Jada Scott was state runner-up last year and is the fastest returning swimmer in the event from that meet. She was 2:03.41 at her district meet, two seconds off of her time from state (2:01.59). Paige Taber, a senior from the Woodlands, was fourth in the event last year with a time of 2:03.92, she was less than a second from that with her district time. 

50 Free

• Lily Bachl – Senior – Westlake: 23.71
• Ava Casperson – Sophomore- Kingwood: 23.86
• Liv Garriss – Senior – the Woodlands: 23.93

Senior Lily Bachl was 9th in the 50 free at the state meet last year. The Air Force-commit from Westlake was 23.71 at her district meet, improving on her time from state last year (24.08). 

100 Fly

• Montse Spielmann – Freshman – Ronald Reagan: 55.27
• Kassidy Kitchel – Sophomore – Memorial: 55.63
• Amelia Bodenstab – Sophomore – Lake Travis: 55.79

Freshman Montse Spielmann swam a time of 55.27 in the 100 fly, a time that would have been state runner-up last year. Kassidy Kitchel and Amelia Bodenstab, both sophomores, swam district times that would have been good enough for third at the state meet last year. 

100 Free

• Marley Lovick – Freshman – the Woodlands:  51.12
• Jada Scott – Junior – Johnson: 51.16 
• LIly Bachl – Senior – Westlake: 51.67

Jada Scott was also the runner-up in the 100 free last year, where she swam a 49.71. Freshman Marley Lovick from the Woodlands was slightly faster than Scott with her district time, finishing .04 ahead of Scott. 

500 Free

• Aliana Marakovic – Freshman – Westlake: 4:55.54
• Madeleine Dunn – Senior – James Bowie: 5:01.82
• Kaitlyn Surratt – Senior – Kingwood:  5:02.02

Westlake freshman Aliana Marakovic swam a 4:55.54, which would have placed third at the state finals last year. Seniors Madelein Dunn and Kaitlyn Surratt produced district times that would have placed top eight. Dunn is committed to swim at Tufts, while Surratt is another Air Force-commit. 

100 Back

• Paige Taber – Senior – the Woodlands: 55.00 
• Alexis Newman – Senior – Kingwood: 55.35 
• Kate Christian – Junior – Lake Travis: 55.85

Alexis Newman is the defending state champion and Paige Taber the defending state runner up in the 100 back. Newman won the event in 54.76 last year. The Kingwood senior is committed to swim college at Arizona. Taber was a half-second faster at her district meet than at the state meet last year. 

100 breast

• Hannah O’Leary – Junior –  Roundrock: 1:03.73
• Hannah Pecze – Freshman – Vista Ridge: 1:04.33
• Kyla Foxhoven – Junior – Westlake: 1:05.95

Westlake junior Kyla Foxhoven is the fastest returning swimmer in the 100 breast. She was state runner-up last year with a time of 1:04.12. Hannah O’Leary was fourth in the 200 IM last year, and swam a 1:03.73 at her district meet. That time would have won state last year. Freshman Hannah Pecze from Vista Ridge swam a district meet time of 1:04.33, another potential top eight finishing time.