Captains Gruett, Houg honored at Hodag girls’ swim banquet

While there were many awards and accolades the Rhinelander High School girls’ swim team earned during the course of another successful season, the squad handed out only two awards on Monday at its season-ending awards banquet.

Millie Gruett and Emma Houg — the two seniors and two captains on the team — were honored with the Hodag Award for leadership during the event, held at the Cedric A. Vig Outdoor Classroom. 

The two had plenty of individual success this year. Gruett swam to a fifth-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly at state while Houg won three events at the Great Northern Conference meet and was voted GNC swimmer of the year. Furthermore, coach Jenny Heck said the two provided steady leadership for a squad that won the GNC and sectional titles for a seventh straight year, and finished third at state for a second year in a row.

“There’s a lot of awards we could give out because there’s been so much improvement and so many people that were so important. But I think a great team, like they mentioned earlier, that comes with success and happiness and all the things that this team has starts with leaders. And I think these two did a fantastic job and are deserving on their awards,” Heck said during the banquet.

Heck expanded upon the contributions both had on the team. In addition to taking fifth in the butterfly at state, Gruett swam the butterfly leg in the 200 medley relay that finished second at state and was part of the 200 freestyle relay that finished fourth. 

“What I would say about Millie is what really stood out to me for her is that she said in the beginning of the year, ‘I’m just going to have a really fun season, I’m just not going to put too much pressure myself, I’m gonna do the best I can and just enjoy it,’” Heck said. “I think it really showed every race, every meet. You just did a fantastic job, and you were just solid for everyone as a leader too, so really appreciate all you did.”

Heck lauded Houg for her selflessness. She swam the anchor leg of the 200 medley relay at sectionals, holding off a hard-charging Wittenberg-Birnamwood squad for the win. But Houg was subbed off the relay at state in favor of junior June Chiamulera, who had more flexibility in her program at state after failing to qualify in the event immediately following the medley relay, the 200 freestyle. 

The move paid off, ultimately as Chiamulera’s 24.51-second anchor leg was the fastest of any freestyler in the race, and helped the Hodags hold off Wittenberg and Madison Edgewood for the runner-up spot. 

“We truly will do things for the right reasons, and it’s very difficult sometimes we have to really make some hard decisions,” Heck explained. “I wanted to keep Emma on, but I really knew that we needed to put June on that. June came through, and Emma understood, and it was really special for all of us.”

Heck then presented Houg with an extra state runner-up medal as part of the 200 medley relay team.

Overall, Monday was a night to celebrate the team’s successes during the year. All 13 members of the squad earned varsity letters thanks to placing in the top six in at least one event at conference and/or achieving a pre-determined lettering time in at least one individual event. 

Especially considering that the Hodags lost three swimmers who swam four-event programs at state in 2024, Heck said it took everyone on the team to fill those voids and allow the team to replicate last year’s results. 

“It took everyone doing everything they could, and that role might not have been in the pool,” she said. “It might have been just something encouraging another teammate said to another person for being there and who wasn’t even swimming. There’s all those things that are important roles and I want to thank you girls for taking those roles seriously and having fun with each other too.”

In their remarks, both Gruett and Houg said, while the success was great, the bond they formed with their teammates was even greater. 

“Out of all my high school years, I believe that this team was the most supportive and fun group girls I’ve swam with. No matter what happened at the meets, or who had a good or bad day, everyone was always supportive of each other, which I think is a success that truly matters,” Gruett said.

Added Houg, “I think the most valuable thing is we could be happy for each other no matter what. Even if one person had a good meet or a bad meet, everybody was there for each other.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].