The St. Dominic swim team is winning races and working hard this season, and a dynamic duo leads the team: sisters Sarah and Kate Nelson.

The Nelson sisters are no strangers to success and they are hoping to bring victory to the St. Dominic swim team this year. Sarah, a junior, and Kate, a freshman, have qualified for a total of seven events at state and hope to continue this streak for the rest of the season.

Sarah has been on the team for three years and has qualified every year. She will be heading to the state meet in the 100 Butterfly, 100 Freestyle, 50 Freestyle and the 200 Individual Medley, and will be a part of the state relay team.

Kate Nelson, a freshman, has made a tremendous impact on the team. She has qualified for the 100 Breaststroke and 100 Freestyle already and is trying to qualify in several more events. With Kate’s help, the relay team has also qualified.

The relay team consists of junior Madeline Stransky, senior Alexis Liszewski, Sarah and Kate. They have qualified for the 200 Medley Relay and 200 Freestyle Relay. The girls are hoping to qualify for the 400 Freestyle Relay as well.

“It is super exciting to have Kate on the team. I think she was really the missing piece of this relay, and now with her, we can bring a whole team,” said Sarah.

Coach Jacquie Moutray is more than thrilled for this season’s events and the team’s performance.

“To qualify a relay team for state, everyone has to work together and be on their game. Knowing that we have already qualified two out of three relays is really special,” said Coach Moutray.

In addition to their state cuts, the Nelson sisters have also brought some exposure to the swim team. Sarah and Kate managed to grab the attention of Mid Rivers Magazine, St. Charles County newspaper, and the St. Louis Review. The girls are excited about the public noticing St. Dominic swim for the first time.

“The attention is exciting because Dominic swim has never gotten any publicity before. And now the spotlight is on me and Sarah and I think it is really great,” said Kate.

Not only did these swimmers achieve a state cut, but junior Annie Neumann will also be attending the state meet to dive. Neumann received a score of 443, a new conference record, to punch her ticket to state.

In addition to the state swimmers, the rest of the team has been working hard throughout the season. St. Dominic finished third in the Fort Zumwalt North Invitational on January 7, three places higher than last year. The team is hoping to win the AAA conference meet on February 8 and 9 at McCluer-South Berkley, starting at 3:00 p.m.

Sarah and Kate are sure to succeed at the upcoming state meet and will pave the way for an unprecedented swim team in the future. With the end of the season approaching, the St. Dominic swim team is sure to be a tough competitor and the girls should be proud of their accomplishments.