Newsday's All-Long Island girls swimming and diving team 2023
The All-Long Island girls swimming and diving first team at Newsday studios on Tuesday, December 12, 2023. Front row, from left: Abby Han of Carle Place-Locust Valley, Emily Herr of Shoreham-Wading River, Sarah Larsen of Sacred Heart, Sofia Burns of Hauppauge-Smithtown, Rachel Yang of Jericho. Back row, from left: Coach Mary White of Sacred Heart, Sarah Lucca of Hauppauge-Smithtown, Lily Gormsen Sacred Heart, Julia Lucca of Hauppauge-Smithtown, Vivienne Zangaro of Long Beach, Coach Sean Montalvo of Hauppauge-Smithtown. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Newsday Swimmer of the Year: Lily Gormsen, Sacred Heart Academy, Jr.
Sacred Heart’s Lily Gormsen had big shoes to fill, but she’s proved she’s up for the challenge. Her sister, Cavan, dominated the New York swim world for years, but now that she’s graduated, Lily has stepped up in her place.
“It’s a running joke in my house that I’m going to beat all of her times,” she said.
She won the 500 free (4:47.72) and finished fourth in the state in the 200 free (1:50.43), both with All-American consideration times at the Webster Aquatic Center last month, earning her Newsday’s Swimmer of the Year honors.
She was also a member of the runner-up 200-yard freestyle relay (1:37.99) and sixth-place 400-yard freestyle relay (3:35.52).
At the CHSAA intersectional girls swimming championship, she won the 100 free in 51.25, breaking the meet record she set last year as a sophomore (52.10).
Coach Mary White is looking forward to seeing what Gormsen will accomplish as a senior.
“She just keeps getting better and better," White said, "and I know she’ll have another spectacular season next year.”
Suffolk Swimmer of the Year: Sofia Burns, Hauppauge-Smithtown, Sr.
After six years on the Hauppauge-Smithtown swim team, Sofia Burns wanted to make her last New York State Federation swim championship count.
She can check that off her list.
She finished seventh in the Federation in the 100 free in 52.45 and sixth in the in the 100 back (56.99). She was also a member of the state champion 200-yard medley relay team, making Hauppauge-Smithtown the two-time defending champion of the event. The medley relay team has gone undefeated throughout the last two seasons. For that, Burns is Newsday’s Suffolk Swimmer of the Year.
She will continue her swim career at Bucknell. “I was looking for a team that made me feel at home like what I have here,” Burns said. “I loved the campus, and am looking forward to everything Bucknell has to offer academically and athletically.”
FIRST TEAM
Emily Herr, Shoreham Wading River, Jr.
She finished third in the state in the 200 IM (2:02.85) and second in the 100 fly with an All-American consideration time of 55.42.
Julia Lucca, Hauppauge-Smithtown, 8th Grade
She finished 10th in the state in the 50 free (24.23), 10th in the 100 back (58.22) and was a member of the state champion Hauppauge-Smithtown 200 medley relay team (1:44.71)
Sarah Lucca, Hauppauge-Smithtown, 8th Grade
She finished third in the state in the 50 free (23.70), eighth in the 100 fly (56.95), and was a member of the Hauppauge-Smithtown state champion 200 medley relay team (1:44.71).
Sarah Larsen, Sacred Heart, Jr.
She finished fifth in the state in the 200 free (1:51.67), second in the 500 free (4:51.94) and was a member of both the runner-up 200-yard freestyle relay team (1:37.99) and the sixth-place 400-yard freestyle relay (3:35.52) team.
Rachel Yang, Jericho, Sr.
She won the state diving championship two years in a row. This season, she was the only diver to earn over 500 points, finishing with 518.
Vivienne Zangaro, Long Beach, Fr.
She placed sixth in the state in the 200 free (1:51.78), and fourth in the 500 free with an All-American consideration time of 4:52.90. She was a member of Long Beach’s 400-yard freestyle relay team which finished in fifth (3:34.94).
Marissa Demarco, Longwood, Sr.
She finished third in the Federation in the 100 breaststroke in (1:04.09). At the Suffolk championship, she placed first in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.78) and third in the 200 IM (2:12.17).
Abby Han, Carle Place-Locust Valley, Sr.
She finished third in both the 100 butterfly (55.55) and the 100 backstroke (55.83) at the Federation championship.
Hauppauge-Smithtown 200 Medley Relay Team: Julia Lucca, Sarah Lucca, Mary Grace Waring, Sofia Burns
The group earned Hauppauge-Smithtown its second consecutive 200 medley relay win with an All-American consideration time of 1:44.71.
Newsday Coach of the Year: Sean Montalvo, Hauppauge-Smithtown
Montalvo led Hauppauge-Smithtown to its third undefeated season, winning 27 consecutive meets. Hauppauge-Smithtown also won the Suffolk swim championship for the third year in a row and was a runner-up at the Federation championships.