Katie Ryerse Aafedt, Class of 1996

Katie played Soccer and ran track for Edina, earning a total of 8 varsity letters. In soccer, she was named to the All-Lake Conference team twice, was an All-State Honorable Mention, led the team to the State Tournament and was a Team Captain. In track, she also earned All-Lake Conference recognition. Katie continued playing Soccer for Gustavus Adolphus College where she was All Conference & All Region 3 times and an All-American one time. Katie helped the team advance to the NCAA DIII Championships three times and was a Team Captain her senior year. In 2014 Katie took over as Edina Girls Soccer Head Coach after being an assistant for 12 years. Since then, the teams have twice been All-Lake Conference Champions finished 2^nd place in the 2021 State Tournament. Katie was named Section Tournament Coach of the Year twice and State Coach of the Year in 2021. Katie and her husband David Aafedt live in Edina and have three children who each play a wide variety of sports.

Bill Garner, Coach

Bill played Varsity Soccer for Richfield High School, continued on to play for Augsburg College, graduating in 1979. After college he stayed active with the sport by coaching, refereeing, running camps and clinics. In 1985 Dave Jenson asked Bill to join him leading the Edina High School Boys team. For the last 37 years they have led their teams to the State Tournament 10 times and won four AA State Championship titles including three consecutive years from 1999-2001. Bill has been named Minnesota High School Section Two Soccer Assistant Coach of the Year three times in 1995, 2001 & 2019. Bill lives in Minneapolis with his wife Leigh Ann and their two sons, Liam and Landon.

Curt Giles, Coach

Curt grew up in Canada, played 4 years of hockey for University of Minnesota-Duluth, then played in the NHL for 14 years including for the Minnesota North Stars where he was a 3-time team MVP, 2-time team Captain, made it to the Stanley Cup Final game twice and played in over 1000 games. In 1999, Curt took over from Willard Ikola as the Edina Boys Hockey Coach. During his 23 years at the helm, the EHS Boys Hockey team has made it to the State Tournament 13 times including nine consecutive years from 2007-2015, and won the Class AA Championship title four times. Curt and his wife, Mary Pat live in Edina near their 2 grown children and 3 grandchildren.

Bryan Grohnke, Class of 1964

As a Senior and second-year team Captain Bryan led the 1963-64 Edina Varsity basketball to an undefeated (24-0) season, the Lake Conference Championship, Region 5 Championship and its first ever trip to the State Tournament where he was the leading scorer in the Tournament at 29 points per game and was named to the All-Tournament team. Bryan was also named to the All-Lake Conference and Scholastic Magazine’s All-America Teams. Over his 3-year career at Edina Bryan still ranks 2^nd all-time in season field goals (260) and season point totals (645), he’s 3^rd in season scoring average (23.8ppg) and 6^th in total career points (1265). Bryan earned an additional 3 Varsity letters playing for the Edina Baseball team. Following high school Bryan enlisted in the US Army then settled Fairfax, VA. Bryan passed away in November 2020 and is represented by his wife, Beth.

Drew Johnson, Class of 2010

Joining the Edina High School Swim Team in 9^th grade and went on to collect 6 team records including 100, 200, 500 Freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 Freestyle Relay & 400 Freestyle Relays. Drew also helped the team reach the State Tournament each of his four years and earned 16 total medals including seven State Championships: 2 for 100 Freestyle, 2 for 200 Freestyle, 2 for 400 Freestyle Relay and 1 for 200 Freestyle Relay. Drew was a team Captain, an 11-time National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA) All-American, was named the Minnesota Boys Class AA Swimmer of the Year both his junior and senior years, was named to the All-Lake Conference and All-State teams each of his four years and helped propel Edina to three consecutive State Championship titles in 2008, 2009 & 2010. Drew received a scholarship to the University of Minnesota and continued swimming competitively in the Big Ten and NCAA. Drew and his wife Mary Meehan recently returned to the Twin Cities and are expecting their first child in September 2022.

Sami Reber Cowger, Class of 2011

Sami earned seven varsity letters at Edina, 4 in hockey and 3 in soccer. In hockey, Sami was All-Lake Conference four times, All-State twice, on the Minnesota State Hockey All-Tournament team three consecutive years and a Minnesota Ms. Hockey finalist. Her senior year she was team Captain for both the Soccer and Hockey teams. Sami continued playing hockey for Harvard University helping the team win the Ivy League Championships four consecutive years, earning All-Academic honors each year and as a Senior team Captain, winning the BeanPot Championship and finishing in 2^nd place in the NCAA Tournament. Following college, Sami returned to Minnesota and in 2016 landed her “dream job” of coaching the Edina Girls Varsity Hockey Team. In her 6 years as coach, Sami has led the team to the Minnesota State Hockey Tournament every year and has won the Championship four times including 3 consecutive years in 2017-2019 and has an overall record of 138-11-2. The 2017 title was the Edina Girls’ program first ever Championship and earned Sami the American Family USA Girls Hockey Coach of the Year Award. Sami and her husband Mitch Cowger live in Richfield and like spending time with family & friends, traveling and playing golf.

Ashley Holderness Swanda, Class of 1992

Ashley got her first of 3 Varsity letters in swimming as a 7^th grader. However, early in 10th grade Ashley was diagnosed with Lyme disease and had to quit swimming. In her three years of competing for EHS Ashley earned 3 Varsity letters, was named All-Lake Conference and State Tournament Championship all three years. Ashley joined Hornettes and Cheer teams in grades 10-12, earning 3 more varsity letters. As a sophomore at the College of St. Benedict and with the Lyme disease now cured, Ashley joined the swim team and went on to become Conference Champion four times, named to the All-American team for 100 Butterfly & 200 Butterfly, was as Academic All-American, and a Team Captain her senior year. Ashley was named College of St. Benedict Athlete of the year for 1996 and is a member of the College of St. Benedict’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Ashley and her husband Andy live in Edina and have 4 kids in college, all of them also accomplished Edina athletes.

Kari Sanderson Cox, Class of 1991

Starting as a 9^th grader, Kari made the Varsity Girls Tennis team and helped the team win the State Tournament Team Championship title each of the next 4 years. Kari was named the WCCO Outstanding Athlete Award for tennis in 1989, won the Doubles State Tournament with Kaelie Rivers in 1990, was named to the National All-American team, was a Team Captain, took 3^rd place in the Individual Singles State Tournament and was ranked 139 by the USTA for U-18 Girl’s Singles. Kari also played basketball earning 3 more Varsity and was team Captain her senior year. Kari also won the 1991 Edina High School Athena Award. Kari earned a full ride Tennis scholarship to Northwestern University where she competed in the Big10 & NCAA for 4 years, then got a Master’s Degree of Physical Therapy in 1998 from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Kari is a Physical Therapist at Twin Cities Orthopedics and lives in Edina with her husband Matt and their 3 daughters.

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