Check out the team-by-team girls swimming preview with the top returners, newcomers and information on each team in the McHenry County area.

Here are five girls swimmers to watch in the Northwest Herald area this season.

Richmond-Burton girls swimmer Eleni Gewalt had an impressive postseason, which earned her a second consecutive Northwest Herald Girls Swimmer of the Year award.

Woodstock North's Hannah Blaksley broke the school record in the 100 free and qualified for her first IHSA Girls Swimming and Diving State Meet, tying for 26th in the 50 free. The Thunder senior was voted by readers as the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week.

Richmond-Burton senior Eleni Gewalt won two more state medals and Cary-Grove sophomore Maggie Bendell became the first from her school to win a state medal in diving at Saturday's IHSA Girls Swimming and Diving State Meet finals.

Gallery

Images from the IHSA State Swimming and Diving Championships at FMC Natatorium in Westmont on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021.

Richmond-Burton's Eleni Gewalt will add two state medals to her collection and Cary-Grove's Maggie Bendell will take hold of her first after each qualified for Saturday's IHSA Girls Swimming and Diving State Meet finals at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont.

Seven local swimmers qualified for next week's IHSA Girls Swimming and Diving State Meet at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont, including repeat qualifiers in Richmond-Burton's Eleni Gewalt and Huntley's Ella Young.

A year after no state meet was held because of the COVID-19 pandemic, local swimmers will compete Saturday at sectionals with a chance to qualify for the IHSA Girls Swimming and Diving preliminaries at FMC Natatorium in Westmont on Nov. 12.