BARABOO — Platteville freshman Maddy Albert-Nelson burst onto the prep swimming scene earlier this year with a string of record-breaking performances earlier this year.
Saturday, Albert-Nelson broke her own freshman team record in the 100-yard butterfly for the third time this year and punched her ticket to Friday’s WIAA Division 2 state championships.
Albert-Nelson finished eighth in the 100 fly with a new freshman team record time of 1:01.83 to earn her state berth. She will be 16th in Friday’s 100-yard butterfly final. The WIAA D2 state championship meet will begin at 6 p.m. at the UW Natatorium in Madison.
Albert-Nelson had a busy day at Saturday’s sectional. She began the day by teaming with sophomores Allison Brehm and Clare Drefcinski, and freshman Erin Walker to finish eighth in the 200-yard medley relay with a season-best time of 2:00.68. They shaved two seconds off their previous best.
“That was a fantastic way to start the meet and the meet only got better from there,” said Hillmen head coach Liz Peters.
Later in the day, Albert-Nelson, Brehm and Drefcinski teamed with sophomore Shelby Smith and combined dropped five seconds off their seed time to place 10th in the 200 freestyle relay with a season-best time of 1:48.77.
Next up, Brehm dropped three seconds in her signature event, the 100-yard breaststroke to finish 10th and establish a new sophomore team record time of 1:14.51. The previous record was held my current assistant coach Elissa Bahr.
The Hillmen closed out the meet with Albert-Nelson, Drefcinski, Smith and Brehm cut an incredible 13 seconds off their seed time to finish 10th in the 400 freestyle relay with a new season-best time of 4:03.72.
“These ladies worked diligently all season long putting in many miles in the pool as well as morning dryland training twice a week,” added Peters. “I’ve seen their potential all along and it was extremely rewarding to witness it all come together. I’m very proud of my entire team, we had an amazing season and to top it off with a showing at the state championships is icing on the cake.”
WIAA Division 2 Baraboo Sectional
(from Saturday, Nov. 5 @ Baraboo)
Team scores — 1.Madison Edgewood 426, 2.McFarland 359, 3.Baraboo 297, 4.Sauk Prairie 240, 5.Monona Grove 169, 6.Monroe/New Glarus 130, 7.Stoughton 105, 8.Jefferson/Cambridge 90, 9.River Valley 84, 10.Lodi/Wisconsin Heights 73, 11.Platteville/Lancaster 68, 12.Edgerton 67, 13.Portage 61.
Platteville/Lancaster state qualifiers
100 butterfly — 8.Maddy Albert-Nelson (P/L) 1:01.83.
Platteville/Lancaster results
200 medley relay — 8.Pla/Lan (Albert-Nelson, Allison Brehm, Erin Walker, Clare Drefcinski) 2:00.68. 200 freestyle relay — 10.Pla/Lan (Albert-Nelson, Brehm, Smith, Drefcinski) 1:48.77. 100 breaststroke — 10.Brehm (P/L) 1:14.51. 400 freestyle relay — 10.Pla/Lan (Albert-Nelson, C. Drefcinski, Shelby Smith, Brehm) 4:03.72.
