Kandt Named 'Swimmer of Year' As He Leads Simley to Medley School Record

Simley High School senior Alec Kandt was named the Section 1A Swimmer of the Year after leading the school's 200 Medley Relay team to victory Saturday in the 2013 Section 1A championship.

The team set a Simley school record of 1:40.44 in the race. Kandt, Michael Greene, Nick Pieper and Michael Ausen will compete in the state tournament starting Thursday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

The relay team is seeded second going into the state tournament.

Kandt, who began swimming varsity as a seventh grader, will be heading to Michigan State in the fall. Kandt is seeded first in the 100-yard breaststroke and second in the 100-yard fly.

"We as parents were excited and proud," Alec Kandt's father, Jeff, wrote in an email.

Simley High School has more about which swimmers will be competing in the state tournament:

Congratulations to the Simley Boys Swimming & Diving team for their spectacular performances at the Section 1A tournament on Saturday!  Individual award winners were: Michael Modica took 9th place in the 200 free & 10th in the 500 free (STATE QUALIFYING), Tanner Anderson took 16th in the 200 IM, Jake Woodruff took 12th in the 200 IM, Nick Pieper took 9th in the 200 IM & 9th in the 100 fly, Michael Green took 4th in the 200 IM (STATE QUALIFYING) & 2nd in the 100 breaststroke (STATE QUALIFYING), and Josh Halloran took 12th in the 1-meter diving, and Ebenezer Ojo took 8th in the 1-meter diving, Nathan Stone took 4th in the 1-meter diving, Michael Ausen took 6th in the 100 free & 4th in the 100 back (STATE QUALIFYING), Cameron Childs took 11th in the 100 back, Nathan Mathison took 11th in the 100 breaststroke, and Alec Kandt was the 2013 Section Champion in the 100 fly (STATE QUALIFYING) & Section Champion in the 100 breaststroke (STATE QUALIFYING).  The team of Michael Ausen, Michael Modica, Michael Greene, and Alec Kandt took 4th place in the 400 Free Relay (STATE QUALIFYING), and the team of Alec Kandt, Michael Greene, Nick Pieper, and Michael Ausen were the 2013 Section Champions in the 200 Medley Relay (STATE QUALIFYING).  That team also broke the Simley Varsity record. A Special Congratulations to Alec for being selected as the Section 1A Swimmer of the Year! The State Tournament will be held this Thurs, Friday, & Saturday at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. All 3 days start at NOON.