Tribune Notebook: Willmar Stingrays honors their team members
Apr. 14—WILLMAR — The Willmar Aquatic Racing Stingrays celebrated their 2025-26 season Saturday, handing out a large number of awards. The youth swimming and diving club team handed out honors for the Outstanding Ambassador Award, The Sportsmanship Award, Senior Scholarship Awards and recognition for state qualifiers.
Also honored were athletes who recorded mile certificates for participation. Noelle Becker received the Outstanding Ambassador Award. Soren Newberg and Samantha Arends received Senior Scholarship Awards.
Individual record-breakers also were honored, including: Lila Arcilla, Arends, Dominick Devine, Manny Heinen, Laila Marker, Chloe Miedema, Rachel Morkrid, Levi Nelson, Britta Newberg, Jorgen Newberg, Isaac Sheets, Samuel Sheets and Marin Wallestad. Coaches awards also were awarded to Macy Anderson, Alec Lorenz, Eve Madsen, Morkrid, Miles Nelson, Jorgen Newberg, Leah Quale and Elias Saint. High Point winner awards went to Arcilla, Logan Devine, Hailey Fernelius, Ryder Fernelius, Cici Groshen, Cora Martinka, Ben Miedema, Chloe Miedema, Levi Nelson and Griffin Steffensen.
"We're so proud of everything our swimmers accomplished this year," Stingrays assistant coach Jodi Fernelius said in a statement. "Their hard work really shows. " The team, which started training in September, competes in meets beginning in October and running through March.
The Stingrays are members of USA Swimming. Members attend schools in Willmar, New London-Spicer, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City, Litchfield, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, Community Christian School and the area home school co-op. For more information on the Stingrays, visit the website .