Northwest Herald girls swimming preview: 5 to watch in 2025

Bella Fontana, Crystal Lake South co-op, sr.

Fontana, who is committed to Bowling Green, is the reigning Northwest Herald Girls Swimmer of the Year after an impressive junior year. Fontana was named Co-Most Valuable Swimmer at the Fox Valley Conference Invite and captured her first individual state medal (16th in the 200-yard freestyle). She also competed in the 100 free (21st) at state, and as part of the team’s 400 free (20th) and 200 free (27th) relays.

Rachel Johnson, Dundee-Crown co-op, jr.

Johnson qualified for state in three events last year (one individual, two relays), just missing the consolation finals in all of them by placing 17th. She took 17th in the 200 free and swam on the 200 medley and 400 free relays. At the FVC Invite, Johnson won the 100 free and 100 backstroke, breaking the conference record in the latter, and was named co-Most Valuable Swimmer.

Eliana Niemi, Dundee-Crown co-op, jr.

Niemi also returns for D-C co-op, which will be looking to claim back-to-back FVC titles after dethroning Crystal Lake South co-op last year. Niemi was a part of the team’s 17th-place state finishers in the 200 medley and 400 free relays. At the FVC Invite, Niemi finished first in the 50 free.

Olivia Rohde, Huntley, so.

Rohde had a strong freshman campaign as one of the Red Raiders’ strongest swimmers and will be counted on as a leader despite being an underclassman. Rohde was a part of the team’s third-place 200 free and 400 free relays at the FVC Invite. This year, she will try to make the state cut in the 100 breaststroke and is within reach of the team record for time.

Kaitlyn Tomaszewski, Dundee-Crown co-op, sr.

Tomaszewski was on D-C co-op’s 17th-place state finisher in the 200 medley, along with Johnson and Niemi. At the FVC Invite, she finished first in the 100 breaststroke and was a part of the team’s conference-record finisher in the 200 medley relay, along with Johnson and Niemi.