Thomas Bass Named State Swim Champ

Thomas Bass of Milbank was named the high point state champion for males ages 15-16 at the 2026 South Dakota State A Long Course Championships in Rapid City. He claimed the title in six events. 

The three-day state meet took place at the Roosevelt Swim Center from July 24-26. The Milbank swimmers compete with the Watertown Area Swim Club (WASC). The Dolphins earned second in the state meet for the eighth straight year. They accrued 3,514  points. 

Parent Amy Bass said, “The outdoor meet saw a record high temp on Saturday. It was a very hot weekend for (state) swim.”  Rapid City recorded a brutal high temperature of 108°F. According to local records, this marked the single hottest day recorded in Rapid City since official tracking began 138 years prior in 1888.

Top-10 Team Finishes and Points Accumulated:

1. Sioux Falls Swim  – 6,066.5 
2. Watertown Area Swim –  3,314
3. Rushmore Swim of Rapid City  – 2,867 
4. Aberdeen  Swim – 2,398 
5. Dakota Riptide of Mitchell  – 1, 858 
6. Pierre Swim –  1,634.5  
7. Brookings Swim  – 1,398.5  
8. Yankton Swim –   916  
9. Black Hills Gold of Spearfish –  660.5 
10. Southwest Swim Club of Marshall. Minnesota – 454

Milbank Swimmers: 

Crosby Bass

Sophia Bass

Thomas Bass

Santiago Culhuac and Quetzalli Culhuac (relay teams)

Chloe Hermans

Jade Hermans

Pierce Mathiason

Jada Leigh Wellnitz

TyLynn Wellnitz 

Highlights for the Milbank swimmers included top -three finishes from S. Bass in the girls 13-14 division, Mathiason in the boys 15-16 division, and J.L. Wellnitz in the girls 15-16 division. Brianna Hermans coaches in the Milbank facility and assists the WASC team at meets.

Results for Milbank Swimmers:

Submitted Photos