The Division 1 Wisconsin State Swimming and Diving meet saw junior Avery Singel qualify. With the weight of River Falls on her shoulders as the school’s lone qualifier, Singel took 22nd place after being seeded 24th.

Singel missed out on qualification for the State semifinals by two spots overall, scoring 146.45 and needing 150.1 to advance.

Singel qualified for State as a freshman, but missed out a year ago. That setback was all the motivation she needed to get right back to where she belongs. The experience of returning to State could be a big one for Singel as she can learn from the competition to continue to thrive next season.

“Seeing the other top divers in the state can help better her as a diver because she sees what dives she needs to do to compete with the best,” Diving Coach Brady Sievers said.

The offseason will be a big one for Singel, seeking one final push for improvement to end her high school career on the right note.

“The experience of going to State can provide motivation to make it back next year and perform even better,” Sievers said.

Singel leads the River Falls squad by example, showcasing proper execution as well as the work that needs to be put in to achieve goals.

“The type of leadership Avery provides is she has a lot of experience,” Sievers said. “Her form and technique in her dives is something new divers can watch and learn from.”

River Falls seniors Grace Hansen, Annie Ottem, Lauren Weiss and Kate Widner now move on to the next part of their lives; however, Head Coach Caitlin Brudzinski said their impact will still be felt by the team.

“All four of our seniors have been swimming on the high school team since they were freshmen,” Brudzinski said. “They have grown so much in the last four years and it's been a pleasure to coach them. They truly are leaders on the team, in and out of the pool. We will definitely miss their presence next year.”