The Winter sports season is over, and here at KRWC we will once again name the best of the best from the Wright County Area in Winter sports. The focus today will be on Boys Swim and Dive and Girls Gymnastics. Congratulations to all the athletes and coaches on a great winter sports season.
Girls Gymnastics:
Athlete of the year: Lauren Hanson, Sr., Monticello. Hanson won the all-around state championship in Class AAA in 2025, but this year the Magic moved up to Class AAAA. It didn’t stop Hanson or the Magic from winning it all at the highest level! Hanson won her second straight All Around championship for Monticello. Hanson totaled a score of 38.65 to win the All-Around championship for the second straight year. Overall, Hanson finished first on uneven bars, 3rd on balance beam, and 4th on both the floor and vault.
Lauren Hanson, above, has won back-to-back state All Around Championships at State in Gymnastics.
Coach of the year: Lisa Moran, Monticello. Moran took over the coaching reigns at Monticello in 2023 from Kelly Osland, and she has not only kept the Magic a contender, but she has also made them a champion! After moving up from Class AAA last season, the Magic won the state championship in AAAA this spring, and Moran also coached Lauren Hanson to her second straight All Around state title. Morin graduated from Monticello and has been a part of the Monticello program for over thirty years.
Lisa Moran, Monticello gymnastics coach, led the Magic to the Class AA state championship in early March.
Team of the Year: Monticello Magic. Pretty obvious, but well deserved! In the last two years, the Magic have taken second in state in AAA in 2025 and won the state championship in AAAA this fall. Hanson is the leader of this team, but Keatyn Nowacki finished fifth in the All Around, Alana Backlund finished 11th on uneven bars, Sienna Zepeda, 14th on uneven bars and Alisha Grue, 45th on floor.
Above, the Monticello gymnastics team celebrates their state championship at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in early March.
Boys Swim and Dive:
Swimmer of the year: Morgan Sims, Buffalo. Morgan grew up playing basketball and football but turned to swimming in 8th grade and hasn’t looked back. The Sophomore at Buffalo high school has the height 6’1 and strength to be a great swimmer, and thanks to finishing 6th at the Class AA state tournament in the 500 free in late February, Sims was named our KRWC Swimmer of the year. Sims also was on the relay teams that qualified for state at Buffalo. In only this third year of swimming, Sims is one of the swimmers to watch in the state for the next couple of years.
Morgan Sims, above, from Buffalo is our 2026 KRWC Wright County Area Swimmer of the year.
Coach of the Year: Nathan Youngs, Dassel-Cokato. Youngs guided the Chargers to 7th place at the 2026 State Boys Swim and Dive meet at the U of M Aquatic Center in late February. The former St. Cloud St. graduate was instrumental in the great individual season for Dominic Borg, and the 200 and 400 relay teams that performed well at state. Youngs favorite moment was their 400-relay win over Buffalo in the final home meet of the year. The Chargers trailed by almost 40 seconds but rallied to set a pool record and win the race behind Borg closing strong.
Nathan Youngs, above, is our 2026 Wright County Area coach of the year in Boys Swim and Dive.
Team of the Year: Dassel-Cokato Chargers. The Chargers finished 6th overall in state in Class A, and were led by Dominic Borg, a Sr., who finished 6th in the 100 free and anchored the 200 free relay which took 3rd in state and the 400 free relay which also took 3rd. Making up the 200 and 400 relay teams, were Borg, Matthew Defries, Parker Josephson, and Noah Sarff.
Above, the DC Chargers compete at the Class A MSHSL Boys Swim and Dive meet in early March. As a team the Chargers finished in 6th place in Class A.
