Gatchell Caps Breakthrough Season With 3rd At State

Nina Gatchell didn’t even have time to catch her breath in between the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 100-yard breaststroke races Saturday at the Illinois High School Association state swimming and diving finals held at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont.

But somehow the Evanston junior managed to accomplish the best State finish for a Wildkit swimmer since 2010.

Gatchell raced to a 3^rd place finish in the breaststroke to cap a breakthrough season, and led Evanston to a 12^th place finish in the team standings with 50 points. Coach Kevin Auger’s squad also counted a 6^th place finish from senior Vanya Gojakovic in the 200 individual medley, a 9^th place effort from the 200 medley relay team, and 16^th place performances from Gojakovic in the 100 backstroke and the 200 freestyle relay unit.

The team effort marked the best showing for the Kits in the team standings since the 2018 squad placed 10^th. Hinsdale Central ruled the team competition Saturday with 236 points, with New Trier next (220) and Stevenson 3^rd (171).

Gatchell took on a bigger (4-event) load for the Wildkits this fall, qualifying for State in two relays and the breaststroke and individual medley. She rose to the occasion with a 3^rd place clocking of 1 minute, 3.61 seconds Saturday and chased New Trier rival Riley McNeal (1:03.30) and Warren sophomore Alexis Kiriakopoulos (1:03.33) right down to the final touch on the wall.

“I can’t believe I pulled it off!” Gatchell exclaimed after becoming the first ETHS swimmer since newly-inducted Hall-of-Famer Sarah Thompson to score a top 3 finish at State. Thompson placed 2^nd in the 200 freestyle and 3^rd in the 500 freestyle back in 2010.

Diver Lucy Hogan won the state title as a senior in 2018 and also scored runner-up finishes as a sophomore and freshman.

“I know I can go faster than I did today, but it’s really hard competing in a long meet like this two days in a row,” said Gatchell regarding the two-day test that included preliminary swims on Friday. “I wasn’t even able to cool down after the relay because there wasn’t enough time. I started to get into the pool, but then I got back out, got dressed and sat down for five minutes just to collect myself.

“Swimming this many races is something I never did before --- I backed down from doing it last year. Maybe this is just how I flow (and swim) better, because I’ve never been a big fan of announcing everyone’s name before a race. I just like to get up on the blocks and go.”

Gatchell improved on her prelim time of 1:03.76 but couldn’t improve her position. Still, the outcome was the satisfying result of her intense focus on the breaststroke every day in practice even as she branched out into other events to boost Evanston’s overall team performance.

She wound up in the lane next to New Trier rival McNeal for the finale in the last head-to-head matchup between the two juniors for the 2026 season. Gatchell had defeated McNeal for the sectional title last weekend by posting the fastest breaststroke time in Illinois at that time.

Saturday, it was McNeal’s turn in the spotlight in the back-and-forth jockeying for success that has marked the rivalry since both swimmers entered high school and opted to focus on the same event.

“I knew before the sectional, and before State, that I could do the times I needed to do. I worked on the breaststroke for at least 10 minutes every single day in practice, no matter what else was going on,” Gatchell pointed out. “My starts and my swimming have come a long way, and I really built up a lot of speed this season.

“Riley and I started competing against each other freshman year and it’s definitely a friendly competition. We helped each other through the (college) recruiting process (Gatchell has already committed to attend Penn State) and we keep up with each other on Facetime.

“We go back and forth pushing each other. This weekend we agreed to root for each other and racing against her every two weeks or so (dual meet, Central Suburban League South division meet, sectional) is what got me ready for State. But I’ve managed to separate myself from comparing myself to her. She’s my competition --- and she’s also my friend.”

Gatchell’s breathless performance was definitely the highlight for the Kits on the season’s final weekend.

“Nina was in the race right until that last touch,” praised Auger. “Another two yards in that race and she might have chased them both down. Today (compared to the prelims) her turns were a little stronger and her underwater turns were a little tighter. I think she’s already the best swimmer in that (finals) group.

“Last year Riley swam a 1:02 and Nina was at 1:06, so she’s really closed the gap on her. Nina will make Riley a better swimmer going forward, and Riley has set a standard now for Nina to chase. They’ve made each other better.”

Gatchell teamed with Gojakovic, Maggie Brennan and Talia Wexler to win their consolation heat in the medley and an overall 9^th place finish. Saturday, they were clocked in 1:45.23 after just missing making the championship heat with Friday’s 1:45.74 showing that ranked 9^th in the field. Only the top 8 times landed berths in the championship heat.

In the 200 freestyle relay, the unit of Gojakovic, Gatchell, Wexler and Maddie Baxter stumbled to a time of 1:37.40 that was slower than the time they turned in for the prelims of 1:36.89.

Gojakovic added to her impressive career resume by climbing two places to 6^th in State in the IM after recording an 8^th place finish as a junior. The Northwestern University recruit had designs on a higher finish in the IM, where she was clocked in 2:03.75 Saturday compared to 2:03.65 in the prelims.

But she had no trouble finding the right perspective after also earning 16^th in the backstroke in a slower-than-expected 57.23.

“Now my senior year is over and I obviously have more learning to do. As I move on (to Northwestern) I’ll continue to be focus and disciplined and try to continue to grow and learn in the sport of swimming,” she said.

“Maybe my times weren’t what I wanted to show today. But I gave everything in every practice, in every race, and it’s insane just how much I’ve learned. I wouldn’t trade it (her four years at ETHS) for anything. This was a learning experience that will make me a better swimmer.”

Gojakovic will graduate owning two individual school records (50 freestyle and 200 individual medley) and also has a share in two relay records during her tenure.

“You have to look at Vanya’s entire senior year, her career, and not just the last time she entered the water today,” noted Auger. “She’s had a tremendous four years for us.

“Vanya trains so hard, she thinks big, and she attacks every single practice set and every race in her lane. I can’t say enough good things about her. She never stops. She never lets up.”

Gatchell also credited Gojakovic for helping her reach the next level this season.

“She doesn’t swim the breaststroke (in open competitions), but having her next to me in practice, she pushes me fully every single day. She’s insane,” complimented Gatchell. “Put her in any event and she’d be in the top 5 at State. I owe a lot of my season to her.”

Evanston’s other entries fell short of advancing out of Friday’s prelims. Gatchell settled for an IM time of 2:10.29, Susannah Keller missed the cut in the 500 freestyle in 5:10.13, and the 400 freestyle relay foursome of Keller, Baxter, Wexler and freshman Cora Kwon was disqualified while posting a time of 3:42.66.