Catlin Gabel, winner of a combined six girls and boys small-school swimming titles since 2020, is trying to maintain its momentum this season under a new coach.
Nicki Klein-Richter, who coached at two high schools in Las Vegas, has taken over a program that won both team titles in the 4A/3A/2A/1A meet last year. She is Catlin Gabel's fourth coach in six seasons.
“Those are some big shoes to fill,” said Klein-Richter, who replaced Danny Weinberg. “I'm hopeful we can repeat that again. We did lose a lot of swimmers from last year to this year, but we've got some incredible swimmers.”
Klein-Richter – whose daughter, Abby Richter, was a 12-time state champion in Nevada and a college All-American at Virginia – has been impressed by the Eagles' work ethic.
“I know they have a winning reputation,” she said. “Hard work beats talent any day, and that's what we see a lot of at Catlin. These kids put in the work. It's their nature to succeed. I see a lot of positive determination.”
Catlin Gabel's girls team, which outscored runner-up Sweet Home 87-44 at state last year, appears to be in good position to contend for another title. The Eagles lost Summer Whittle, who won state titles in the 50-yard freestyle and 100 backstroke as a freshman before transferring to 6A Lincoln, but have enough talent left over to make another run.
Junior Tia Chakrapani, the reigning state champion in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly, is back. Junior Chloe Moreau placed in two events at state last year (third in 200 freestyle, fourth in 100 freestyle), and senior Addi Dauler (50 freestyle) and sophomore Xinyu Luo (100 butterfly) were state qualifiers.
Klein-Richter has taken a cautious approach with Chakrapani, who has been slowed by back issues.
“We don't want to push her,” Klein-Richter said. “We haven't been putting her in the relays. We just want to let her set the pace because we know what she's capable of. She will be someone that will come through for our district and state meets, for sure.”
The Eagles are showing their versatility this season. Chakrapani has flashed her speed in the 50 freestyle. Moreau and Luo have been steady in freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly events. Dauler has swam the 500 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 100 backstroke as well as the butterfly leg of the medley relay.
Dauler, a first-team all-state soccer player who ranks No. 5 in state history with 126 career goals, has committed to Johns Hopkins (Md.) for soccer.
“She's an incredible athlete,” Klein-Richter said. “Wherever you put her, she will thrive. She has such a competitive nature.”
Catlin Gabel swept the three relays in last year's state meet, but the loss of Whittle and the graduation of Jane Hanson means the Eagles must rely on some new blood in the events. That could come in the form of senior Ariana Bajaj and freshmen Aryla Bajaj and Chloe Zhang.
Klein- Richter is confident Catlin Gabel will have a formidable squad come district and state.
“Everybody was telling me, 'Summer is gone,' but one swimmer does not make a team,” she said. “I said, 'We can pull this together,' and they have pretty much done that.
“Watching them swim against 6A schools, I'm like, 'We can do this.' We know what we're up against at districts and state. They have that winning mentality.”
The Eagles have competed mostly against 6A teams, except for the Valleydale Swimvitational, a 4A/3A/2A/1A meet featuring 13 teams at Lewis & Clark College. Shorthanded Catlin Gabel, which did not have Chakrapani, finished fifth in the meet behind Corbett, La Grande, Valley Catholic and Pendleton.
Catlin Gabel's boys team, which has won three of the last four state titles, faces an uphill battle to repeat.
The Eagles graduated Adam Li, a double-champion last year, and three members on each of their champion freestyle relay teams. They have some building blocks, however, in senior Ethan Thomas and sophomore Coe Dauler.
jerryu@osaa.org
Subscribe
