Newsday's top girls swimmers to start the 2024 season
Clockwise, from left: Samantha Anderson, Meghan Brady and Calista Chen.
Newsday's annual look at the top Long Island high school girls swimmers for the fall of 2024, listed in alphabetical order.
Samantha Anderson, Manhasset, Jr.
Anderson placed seventh in the Federation in the 200 freestyle (1:52.15) and sixth in the 500 freestyle (4:59.18). She finished second in Nassau in the 200 freestyle (1:53.27) and second in Nassau in the 500 freestyle (4:59.65).
Meghan Brady, Sayville/Bayport-Blue Point, Jr.
She finished 10th in the Federation in the 200 freestyle (1:54.07), 12th in 100 freestyle (53.04) and was a member of the sixth-place 200 freestyle relay team (1:39.05). She finished first in Suffolk in the 200 freestyle (1:54.10) and third in Suffolk in the 100 freestyle (52.94).
Calista Chen, Bellmore-Merrick, Jr.
She finished second in the Federation in the 100 backstroke in 55.51 and 14th in the 200 individual medley (2:09.38). She finished second in Nassau in the 100 backstroke (55.86) and fourth in Nassau in the 200 IM (2:08.11).
Adeline Chen, Manhasset, Fr.
She finished second at the Nassau 1-meter diving championships with a score of 455.60.
April Chun, East Meadow, Sr.
April Chun Credit: Anna Sergeeva
The Army commit placed eighth in the Federation in the 500 freestyle (5:00.09) and 12th in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.29). She finished second in Nassau in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.00) and fourth in Nassau in the 500 freestyle (5:05.85).
Erica Czeremcha, Half Hollow Hills/Kings Park, Sr.
She finished 13th in the Federation in the 200 freestyle (1:55.78) and 10th in the 500 freestyle (5:11.25). She was also a member of the sixth-placed 200 medley relay team (1:49.89). She finished first in Suffolk in the 500 freestyle (5:11.76) and second in Suffolk in the 200 freestyle (1:55.13).
Sadie Davidoff, Sacred Heart, So
She finished seventh in the 500 freestyle (4:59.35) and 19th in the 200 freestyle (1:57.62) at the Federation championships. At the CHSAA intersectional championship, she finished second in the 500 freestyle (5:04.44) and third in the 200 freestyle (1:57.44).
Una Diaz, Long Beach, Fr.
She placed third in Suffolk in the 100 backstroke (57.47) and 11th in the Federation (57.49). She placed 15th in the 200 IM (2:09.52).
Regan Fried, Bellmore-Merrick, Sr.
The Bryant University commit finished fourth in Nassau in the 100 backstroke (1:00.56) and seventh in the 100 butterfly (1:00.73).
Madelyn Gebhard, Garden City, Soph.
Gebhard finished sixth in Nassau in the 500 free in 5:20.63, and 22nd in the Federation in 5:17.03. She also finished fifth in Nassau in the 200 free in 1:59.57.
Kate Gironda, Ward Melville, Jr.
She finished 20th in the Federation in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.30) and third in Suffolk (1:06.82). She also finished fifth in Suffolk in the 50 freestyle in 25.21.
From left: Lily Gormsen, Emilly Herr and Sasha Karafin.
Lily Gormsen, Sacred Heart, Jr.
The 2023 Newsday swimmer of the year and University of Virginia commit won the 500 freestyle (4:47.72) and finished fourth in the 200 free (1:50.43) at the Federation championships, both with All-American consideration times. She was also a member of the state runner-up 200-yard freestyle relay (1:37.99) and sixth-place 400-yard freestyle relay (3:35.52). At the CHSAA intersectional championship, she won the 100 free in 51.25, breaking the meet record she set last year as a sophomore (52.10).
Abby Hendershot, Sayville-Bayport-Blue Point, Jr.
She finished fourth in Suffolk in the 200 freestyle (1:59.09) and fifth in Suffolk in the 100 freestyle (54.39).
Emily Herr, Shoreham-Wading River, Sr.
The Villanova commit finished second in the Federation in the 100-yard butterfly (55.42) and third in the 200 IM, both with All-American Consideration. She finished first in Suffolk in the 200 IM (2:03.90) and first in Suffolk in the 100 butterfly (55.17).
Sasha Karafin, Bellmore-Merrick, So.
She finished fifth in the 500 freestyle (4:57.88) and ninth in the 200 freestyle (1:53.95) at the state Federation championships. She finished third in Nassau in the 500 freestyle (4:59.80) and third in Nassau in the 200 freestyle (1:54.26).
Kayla Kulier, Hicksville, Jr.
She finished 11th in public schools in the 500 freestyle (5:06.27). She placed fourth in Nassau in the 200 freestyle (1:56.59) and sixth in Nassau in the 100 backstroke (1:01.06).
Sarah Larsen, Sacred Heart, Sr.
The Wisconsin commit finished fifth in the 200 free (1:51.67), second in the 500 free (4:51.94) and was a member of the runner-up 200-yard freestyle relay team (1:37.99) and the sixth-place 400-yard freestyle relay (3:35.52) team at the Federation championships.
Cherry Lee, Jericho, Jr.
Lee finished 26th in the Federation in the 200 individual medley (2:11.54) and ninth in Nassau (2:14.22). She also finished seventh in Nassau in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.49).
Yuna Lee, Jericho, Soph.
She finished fifth in Nassau in the 100 fly (59.27) and 22nd in the Federation (58.87). She also finished eighth in Nassau in the 200 IM (2:12.66).
From left: Madison Lin, Julia Lucca and Sarah Lucca.
Madison Lin, Syosset, Jr.
Finished eighth in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.12) and ninth in the 200 IM (2:07.78) at the Federation championships. She finished first in Nassau in both the 100 freestyle (53.43) and the 200 IM (2:06.06).
Julia Lucca, Hauppauge-Smithtown, Fr.
She finished 10th in the Federation in the 50-yard freestyle (24.23) and 10th in the 100 backstroke (58.22). She was a member of the Federation champion 200-yard medley relay team (1:44.71) and the fourth-place 400 freestyle relay team (3:33.24)
Sarah Lucca, Hauppauge-Smithtown, Fr.
Lucca finished third in the Federation in the 50 freestyle (23.70) and eighth in the 100 butterfly (56.95). She was a member of the state champion 200 medley relay team (1:44.71) and the fourth-place 400 freestyle relay team (3:33.24).
Sofia Lyons, Sacred Heart, So.
She placed first in Catholic Schools in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.35) and second in the 200 IM (2:10.58).
Brooke Orner, Longwood, So.
She finished 10th in the Federation in the 100 freestyle (53.55) and 19th in the 100 back (59.58). In Suffolk, she placed second in the 100 freestyle (52.34) and fourth in the 100 backstroke (58.54).
From left: Kayra Patan, Natalie Wu and Vivienne Zangaro.
Kayra Patan, Herricks, Soph.
She finished 11th in the Federation in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.23) and third in Nassau (1:07.53). She also finished sixth in Nassau in the 200 IM (2:11.81).
Shannon Reddington, Manhasset, Jr.
She finished fourth in Nassau in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.84) and fifth in Nassau in the 50 freestyle (25.59). She placed 23rd in the Federation in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.78) and was a member of the 11th-placed 200 medley relay team (1:50.13)
Samantha Schnappauf, Sacred Heart Academy, Sr.
The St. Bonaventure commit finished second in Catholic Schools in the 100 butterfly (59.50) and third in the 500 freestyle (5:09.51).
Amanda Tedesco, Connetquot, Fr.
In Suffolk, she finished sixth in the 50 freestyle (25.22) and ninth in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.45). She finished 20th in the Federation in the 50 freestyle (24.89).
Lauren Woody, Sayville-Bayport-Blue Point, Sr.
She finished sixth in Nassau in both the 100 butterfly (59.80) and the 100 backstroke (1:00.06). She placed 25th in the Federation in the 100 butterfly (59.23), and was a member of the sixth-place 200 freestyle relay team (1:39.05).
Natalie Wu, Herricks, Jr.
Wu finished ninth in the Federation in the 100 butterfly (57.36) and fourth in Nassau (57.57). She also won the Nassau 50 freestyle title (24.29).
Vivienne Zangaro, Long Beach, Soph.
Zangaro finished sixth in the Federation in the 200 freestyle (1:51.78) and fourth in the 500 freestyle (4:52.90). She finished first in Nassau in the 500 freestyle (4:55.61) and in the 200 freestyle (1:50.91).