Milan’s Mary-Kate Wayne Named Monroe County Region Girls Swimmer of the Year for Second Consecutive Time
A remarkable blend of athletic versatility and focused dedication has earned Mary-Kate Wayne, a standout swimmer from Milan High School, the Monroe County Region Girls Swimmer of the Year title for the second year running, as announced by The Monroe News. Wayne’s success extends beyond the pool, demonstrating the benefits of cross-training and a commitment to team success.
Wayne first gained recognition as a swimmer at Milan, but her athletic pursuits aren’t limited to a single discipline. She also competes in shot-put and discus for the school’s track and field team, a practice she initially began in middle school. “I did it in middle school, but I couldn’t my freshman year because I tried water polo,” Wayne explained. “I went back to throwing my sophomore year.”
This participation in track and field proved crucial to her swimming performance. According to Wayne, diversifying her athletic focus “really helps me to not burn out,” adding, “Sometimes you get tired of swimming. It’s good to have something that’s not pool related.” This strategy of stepping away from the pool to “get grounded” clearly paid dividends.
Wayne achieved a second-place finish in the breaststroke at the Division 3 state finals and was recognized as the Most Valuable Swimmer at the Monroe County Championships. Her coach, Dan Hiekka, emphasized the positive impact of her multi-sport involvement. “Mary had a tremendous season,” Hiekka stated. “It all started last spring as she swam when still doing track. She had a tremendous summer USA season and put in the work to get ready for the fall.”
Milan High School mirrored Wayne’s success, securing its 26th consecutive Huron League championship and dominating the county championship. Wayne highlighted the team’s collaborative spirit as a key factor in their achievements. “The season went amazing,” she said. “As a team, we really came together and gave it our best. We definitely had the team aspect, the girls and the coaching staff.”
Her teammates elected Wayne as team captain, a role she embraced with quiet leadership. “This year Mary embraced her role as a captain and was a tremendous leader by example,” Hiekka noted. “Mary is not the most vocal, but her performances in the pool at practice and racing spoke volumes. She showed up every practice to get better and helped lead our team to great heights.”
Wayne’s individual accomplishments at the county championships were particularly impressive. She achieved a lifetime best of 1:02.45 to win the butterfly and a season-best 1:06.81 to win the breaststroke, in addition to contributing to a pair of winning relays. “Our team did great at both the league and the county meet,” she said. “I am really proud of how well we did.”
The Milan swimmers maintain a strong sense of pride in their nearly three-decade-long winning streak in the Huron League. Wayne expressed confidence in the team’s future. “The group of girls coming up is strong,” she said. “I think they will hold it together. There is more to come. Each year we look for the next one. It’s something that we adore.”
At the state finals, in addition to her second-place finish in the breaststroke, Wayne placed 15th in the butterfly and contributed to Milan’s medley relay team, which finished 10th. The Big Reds finished 12th overall in the team standings. Wayne recorded a time of 1:05.49 in her signature event, the breaststroke.
While acknowledging the strength of her competition, particularly Ellery Chandler of East Grand Rapids (who won the breaststroke in 1:01.6 and is committed to swimming at Arkansas), Wayne remained focused on her own performance. “The girl who won it…she won by a lot. It wasn’t really close,” Wayne said. She added, “I was seeded second, but there were some other girls right behind me. I just tried to stay as close as I could to the girl who was seeded first.”
Despite finishing just shy of the top spot, Wayne expressed satisfaction with her result. “I was sad I was done at Milan, but not too sad because I know I’ll be swimming next year,” she said. In early November, Wayne committed to continue her swimming career at Wayne State University. “I definitely liked the team aspect and the coaching staff there,” she explained. “Their swimming program is strong.” She anticipates pursuing a degree in nursing, though she remains open to exploring other options.
