The Dexter girls’ swimming and diving team is simply one of the elite programs in the state of Michigan. Their consistency and quality of swimmers and divers is simply amazing. Simply, they are what other programs aspire to be.
But there is nothing “simple” about what they do. Dexter swimmers are dedicated to their sport and most swim year-round and the results of their hard work show up every year in the water and on the scoreboard.
And leading the way for the past two plus decades has been Coach Cory Bergen, who begins his 24th year coaching the lady Dreadnaughts. During the first 23 years, Bergen has won 220 dual-meets – yes, 220!!! – while losing just 64 and many of those losses have come against much bigger schools such as Saline.
The Dreads finished 11th in the state last year with 109 points after winning their 21st consecutive SEC White Division Championship – yes, 21 in a row!
Dexter heads into the 2019 season with plenty of swimming depth and some strong divers.
“The goals for this year are the same as every year,” says Bergen. “We want to continue the development of young athletes and a continued good team culture.”
Bergen says they also would like to develop more potential scorers at this year’s state meet.
Top returning swimmers include seniors Zoe Michos and Elizabeth Merz; juniors Charlotte Schultz, Hailee Waters, Lauren Witte, Sam Durrant and Kamille Balcom; and sophomore Elysa Grossman.
Schultz was fifth in the 500 free and sixth in the 200 free at the state finals last year. Grossman was 11th in diving at last year’s state finals. And Dexter took eighth in the 400 free relay at states with Merz, Waters, Schultz and Jordan Maisch, who graduated.
Top newcomers include freshman Lily Witte, Vivian Kinnard and Holly Durand.
