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When Carmel girls swimming coach Chris Plumb is asked to pick his best, most-dominant team it’s a major-league understatement to say he has a lot to choose from.

After all, the Greyhounds easily kept the greatest dynasty in high school sports rolling at the 49th Annual IHSAA State Finals by claiming a national-record-extending 37th consecutive state championship.

This time, however, Plumb’s team did it in perhaps the most dominating fashion ever.

Consider:

• Carmel took first-place in a state-record 10 (of 12) events, breaking the mark of nine event titles that Carmel teams in 2015 and 2016 claimed;

• The Greyhounds ran up a state-finals record 498 points, beating their previous mark of 479 set in 2021. The margin of victory of 265 points (Fishers finished second with 233 points) is the third-widest ever – just one point behind the 2015 Carmel squad and 14 off the 2021 team’s margin of victory;

• Carmel set five state records in the preliminaries, then broke four of those again in the finals along with setting the new mark in the 200 freestyle relay. Two of those new records – the 200 medley relay and the 200 free relay -- were also National records.

So, coach Plumb, is this Carmel’s most dominating team ever?

“I’ve been asked what team this one is comparable to,” Plumb said as he was about to accept the state’s Coach of the Year award. “The 2015 team would be the one, but we were breaking their records today. That team was fast, but this one is deep. I’d have to say these two teams are 1-A and 1-B

“And don’t ask me which one is which.”

Carmel left no doubt where this meet was headed right from the start.

The 200 medley relay of Berit Berglund, Molly Sweeney, Alexandra Shackell and Meghan Christman swam to a 1:36.98 clocking, breaking the mark Carmel set in Friday’s prelims and shattering the national record of 1:38.13 by a Fort Collins, Colo., school in 2018.

Next came sophomore Lynsey Bowen’s win in the 200 IM (1:45.49) before Sweeney captured the 200 IM in 1:56.82.

Carmel then accomplished a feat it hadn’t achieved since 2011 when Shackell, a sophomore, made it four wins in the first four events by setting a state record in the 50 free at :21.93. She set the old mark of :22.05 in the prelims. The race was probably the best of the day as Shackell just edged Penn junior Lily Christianson’s :22.09. Christianson had won the event her freshman and sophomore seasons.

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After Center Grove’s Mia Prusiecki won the diving for the second straight year (478.30), Shackell set her third meet record with :50.89 clocking in the 100 butterfly.

Christianson came back from her loss in the 50 free to win the 100 free in :48.59. Bowen then claimed her second individual title with a new meet record in the 500 free (4:42.81), before Sweeney, Grace Dougherty, Shackell and Christman combined to set a meet and national record in the 200 free relay (1:30.23).

For Shackell, it was her fourth win with four meet records and two national records. It is believed no other swimmer in state history has accomplished such a feat as a sophomore.

“It definitely comes from the hard work we put in,” Shackell said, “but it’s definitely more than myself. You want to succeed for your team, your coaches and your parents.”

Berglund carried on the Carmel train by winning the 100 backstroke for the fourth straight year, this time in :51.8 before Molly Sweeney (:59.78), Vivian Wilson and Lucy Enoch claimed a 1-2-3 sweep in the 100 breaststroke. Sweeney and Enoch, incidentally, are freshmen. The Greyhounds’ senior group of Berglund, Christman, Wilson and Erin Cummins capped the day and their careers with a win in the 400 free relay (3:21.84).

“It’s been great to have the leadership of those older girls to show the younger ones the way,” Plumb said. “The show them how it’s done, what you have to do to keep the tradition going and that the culture of the program is passed on.”

Penn finished third in the team standings (156 points), just ahead of Hamilton Southeastern (148) and Zionsville (141).

The meet was held at the Indiana University Natatorium for the 41st straight year.

Carroll’s Kirsten Lee named Mental Attitude Award recipient

Kirsten Lee of Carroll High School in Fort Wayne was named the recipient of the Mental Attitude Award by the IHSAA Executive Committee after today’s state meet.

She qualified for the State Finals in 100 and 200 freestyle and was a part of two Charger relay teams. She is the first Carroll girls swimmer to earn the mental attitude award.

Academically, she ranks fourth in her senior class of 573. Kirsten was a 2022 AP Scholar with Honor, as well as a National Merit Semifinalist for the Class of 2023. She also is apart of the National and Spanish Honor Societies and the Freshman Mentoring Program.

Kirsten is the daughter of Sonya & Brad Lee of Fort Wayne. She will be attending the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs where she will pursue her studies in Aeronautical Engineering. She will also swim for the Falcons.

Each year the IHSAA Executive Committee selects a senior who was nominated by her principal and coach and was determined to have best demonstrated mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s proud corporate partners, presented $1,000 of the Carroll High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Kirsten Lee.

The 49th Annual IHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals
Indiana University Natatorium, IUPUI, Indianapolis
February 10-11, 2023

Final Results 

State Champions
200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Berit Berglund 12, Molly Sweeney 9, Alex Shackell 10, Meghan Christman 12) 1:36.98 National HS Record
200 Freestyle: Lynsey Bowen (10) Carmel 1:45.49 
200 Individual Medley: Molly Sweeney (9) Carmel 1:56.82 
50 Freestyle: Alex Shackell (10) Carmel 21.93 State Record 
One Meter Diving: Mia Prusiecki (11) Center Grove 478.30 points
100 Butterfly: Alex Shackell (10) Carmel 50.89 State Record 
100 Freestyle: Lilian Christianson (11) Penn 48.59 
500 Freestyle: Lynsey Bowen (10) Carmel 4:42.81 State Record 
200 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Molly Sweeney 9, Grace Dougherty 11, Meghan Christman 12, Alex Shackell 10) 1:30.23 National HS Record 
100 Backstroke: Berit Berglund (12) Carmel 51.80 Fourth consecutive state title in this event
100 Breaststroke: Molly Sweeney (9) Carmel 59.78 
400 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Meghan Christman 12, Erin Cummins 12, Berit Berglund 12, Vivian Wilson 12) 3:21.84

State Records During Saturday's Championship Finals (5)
200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Berit Berglund 12, Molly Sweeney 9, Alex Shackell 10, Meghan Christman 12) 1:36.98
50 Freestyle: Alex Shackell (10) Carmel 21.93
100 Butterfly: Alex Shackell (10) Carmel 50.89 
500 Freestyle: Lynsey Bowen (10) Carmel 4:42.81 
200 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Molly Sweeney 9, Grace Dougherty 11, Meghan Christman 12, Alex Shackell 10) 1:30.23

State Records During Friday's Preliminaries (5)
200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Berit Berglund 12, Molly Sweeney 9, Alex Shackell 10, Lucy Enoch 9) 1:38.51
200 Individual Medley: Molly Sweeney (9) Carmel 1:55.88
50 Freestyle: Alex Shackell (10) Carmel 22.05 
100 Butterfly: Alex Shackell (10) Carmel 51.16 
500 Freestyle: Lynsey Bowen (10) Carmel 4:43.42