Woodlands Girls, Boys Capture UIL District 13-6A Swimming & Diving Championship as Miller, Otwell Earn Top Honors
- The Woodlands Student Center
- Jan 23
- 7 min read
Cold weather shifts championship schedule; deep field highlights strength of District 13-6A programs
Friday, Jan. 23, 2026 – 8:42 p.m.
SWIMMING & DIVING
Shenandoah, Texas — The 2026 UIL District 13-6A Swimming & Diving Championship was held Friday at the Conroe ISD Natatorium after cold-weather forecasts prompted district officials to adjust the traditional meet schedule. Normally split across two days, with diving contested Friday and swimming on Saturday, the championship was condensed to ensure all events were completed before conditions worsened.
When the final relay concluded and team points were tallied across all 24 events, The Woodlands High School emerged as the district champion in both the girls and boys divisions, continuing a long-standing tradition of success built on depth across swimming and diving disciplines. The Woodlands girls finished first overall, followed by Grand Oaks High School in second and The Woodlands College Park in third. On the boys side, The Woodlands claimed first place, with Grand Oaks finishing second and Oak Ridge High School securing third.
Senior Brooke Miller of The Woodlands was named Girls Swimmer of the Meet, continuing a four-year run of district titles in sprint freestyle events.
A member of the Class of 2026, Miller once again finished first in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle, cementing her place as one of the most consistent performers in district history.
On the boys side, Karson Otwell, a junior from Oak Ridge High School in the Class of 2027, earned Swimmer of the Meet honors.
Otwell’s first-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke, combined with relay contributions, accounted for a significant share of Oak Ridge’s overall team points and anchored the team’s third-place finish.
Woodlands head swim and dive coach Jeremy Wade said Miller’s value extended far beyond individual victories. In addition to her sprint wins, Miller swam the butterfly leg on the girls 200-yard medley relay and served as the anchor on the 200-yard freestyle relay, providing crucial scoring opportunities in high-pressure situations.
Miller’s success has long been defined by her specialization as a straight sprinter. Events like the 50 and 100 freestyle leave little margin for error, rewarding explosiveness, consistency, and confidence—qualities Miller has demonstrated throughout her varsity career.
The district championship marked Wade’s ninth district title in his nine seasons leading the program at The Woodlands High School. With the postseason approaching, Wade said the focus now turns to recovery, refinement, and timing.
“Getting the timing right is a big focus,” Wade said. “Last year the winter storm really derailed us. If we can stay on track and get this next week of training in, we’ve already done the work. Now it’s about one more good week, then a good week of rest, and we’ll be in the running.” - Coach Wade
Diving Results
Diving events were also contested Friday as part of the adjusted championship schedule, with placements contributing directly to the overall team standings in both divisions.
In girls one-meter diving, The Woodlands claimed the top two finishes. Sophomore Brooklynn Grant, a member of the Class of 2028, finished first, followed by senior teammate Whittier Molloy (Class of 2026) in second. Junior Mia Cieslar (Class of 2027) of The Woodlands College Park placed third, adding important points that helped College Park secure a podium finish in the girls team standings.
The boys one-meter diving event was also won by The Woodlands. Junior Valentino Alvarez (Class of 2027) earned first place, continuing a season of consistent high finishes. Sophomore Camden Ruttkay (Class of 2028) of The Woodlands College Park placed second, while junior Elijah Smith (Class of 2027) of Oak Ridge High School finished third, contributing key points to Oak Ridge’s third-place team finish.
What Stood Out at the Meet
As the meet unfolded, it became clear that while The Woodlands separated itself in the team standings, the overall level of swimming and diving across District 13-6A remains among the strongest in the region. One performance that stood out on deck came from sophomore Maximus Simons (Class of 2028) of The Woodlands, who won both the 50-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle—an uncommon combination that speaks to both sprint speed and distance strength typically seen at the state level.
Across the meet, multiple programs advanced swimmers and divers into finals and scoring positions, with relays and diving events playing a decisive role in the team outcomes. That depth of quality competition, even in a meet dominated by one program, reflected a district where athletes are regularly tested against postseason-caliber fields.
Advancing to the Postseason
With district competition complete, swimmers and divers now turn their attention to the Region 4-6A Championships, scheduled for Feb. 5–7 at the Conroe ISD Natatorium. Qualifiers from that meet will advance to the UIL State Swimming & Diving Championships, set for Feb. 20–21 in Austin.
The Woodlands High School – Team Contributors
The Woodlands girls’ district championship was built on contributions across every event group. Alongside Miller’s sprint victories, sophomore Kaia Finanger (Class of 2028) delivered one of the most impactful performances of the meet, winning both the 200-yard individual medley and the 500-yard freestyle. Junior Lily Wiles (Class of 2027) added first-place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100-yard butterfly, while freshman Anelle Guglielmello (Class of 2029) contributed valuable points in distance events and relays. Combined with strong relay performances and diving depth, The Woodlands established itself as the top-scoring girls program in the district.
The Woodlands boys mirrored that balance. Sophomore Maximus Simons led the way with wins at both ends of the freestyle spectrum, while senior Daniel Rautenbach (Class of 2026) captured district titles in the 100-yard backstroke and the 100-yard butterfly. Junior Sahil Singh (Class of 2027) and sophomore Hannes Petzold (Class of 2028) added scoring finishes in individual medley and distance events, and Alvarez’s diving win strengthened the overall team total. Strong relay performances throughout the meet allowed The Woodlands to maintain first place through the final events.
Grand Oaks High School – Top Performers
Grand Oaks High School finished second overall in both the girls and boys standings, relying on consistency across events. On the girls side, junior Sloane Rocha (Class of 2027) placed second in the 200-yard individual medley and contributed relay points, while senior Mackenzie Johnson (Class of 2026) added scoring finishes in sprint freestyle events and relays.
The Grand Oaks boys were paced by senior Bryce Fenter (Class of 2026), who placed second in the 200-yard freestyle and contributed in relays, and senior Tyler Cloth (Class of 2026), who added points in freestyle events. Depth across heats and relays allowed Grand Oaks to secure second place in the final team standings.
The Woodlands College Park – Top Performers
The Woodlands College Park girls finished third overall, highlighted by strong performances across swimming and diving. Sophomore Izabella French (Class of 2028) placed third in the 500-yard freestyle, while senior Mariana Orozco (Class of 2026) added points in freestyle events and relays. Junior diver Mia Cieslar’s third-place finish in one-meter diving played a key role in College Park’s podium finish.
The College Park boys were led by senior Daniel Del Carmen-Ju (Class of 2026), who placed second in the 100-yard freestyle and added points in sprint freestyle events and relays. Sophomore Camden Ruttkay’s second-place diving finish further strengthened the team’s overall point total.
Oak Ridge High School – Top Performers
Oak Ridge High School finished third in the boys standings, led by Swimmer of the Meet Karson Otwell (Class of 2027). In addition to his individual win, Otwell added relay points and sprint freestyle finishes that accounted for a large share of Oak Ridge’s team scoring. Junior Elijah Smith’s third-place finish in one-meter diving provided additional momentum late in the meet.
The Oak Ridge girls relied on depth across multiple events. Sophomore Victoria Elliot (Class of 2028) and senior Kiersten Avery (Class of 2026) contributed scoring finishes in individual races and relays, with Oak Ridge advancing swimmers into finals and consolation heats throughout the championship.
Conroe High School – Top Performers
Conroe High School contributed points in both divisions through steady individual and relay performances. On the girls side, junior Carli Taylor (Class of 2027) recorded a scoring finish in the 100-yard butterfly, while senior Morgan Van Vossen (Class of 2026) placed fourth in the 100-yard backstroke. The Conroe boys were led by senior Jeremy Jimenez (Class of 2026), who finished second in the 100-yard butterfly and added relay contributions.
Caney Creek High School – Top Performers
Caney Creek High School earned team points through depth across multiple events. Senior Ellis Schiel (Class of 2026) and junior Lexi Padgett (Class of 2027) contributed scoring finishes in freestyle and backstroke events on the girls side. The boys team added points through swimmers advancing into preliminary and consolation heats in both sprint and distance races, reflecting steady program growth.
Freshman Spotlight
Freshman Kaia Finanger (Class of 2028) of The Woodlands stood out not just for her event wins, but for the range of events in which she scored. Competing successfully in both individual medley and distance freestyle as a first-year varsity swimmer, Finanger showed the versatility and endurance typically seen in upperclassmen, marking her as one of the district’s emerging underclassmen to watch as postseason competition continues.
On the boys side, freshman Caynen Smarr (Class of 2028) of The Woodlands placed third in the 50-yard freestyle and added relay points, competing alongside upperclassmen in multiple finals and contributing to the boys district championship effort.
District 13-6A continues to stand out as one of the most competitive swimming and diving districts in the state, with multiple programs consistently advancing athletes deep into championship rounds. As teams prepare for regionals and beyond, the broader community now rallies behind these student-athletes, wishing them success as they represent their schools and district on the postseason stage.
The Woodlands Student Center Staff
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