(2-14-21) Seven of eight defending state champions repeated in their events and the Carmel Greyhounds carried home the team trophy once again at the 47th Annual IHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals.
The state finals were contested at the Indiana University Natatorium at IUPUI without spectators for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carmel, the national leader in any sport with its 35th consecutive crown, racked up a state record 479 points and motored to a 279-point final advantage, another record, over runner-up Fishers with 200. Chesterton was third with 172, Zionsville fourth with 151, and Franklin Community rounded out the top five with 141.
The streak of 35
Head Coach Chris Plumb becomes the all-time state titles leader with 24.! Previous record was held by former Carmel XC & Track Coach Chuck Koeppen.
Entering the weekend’s big meet, the eight defending state champions competing tied a state record which was also reached in 1980, 1987 and 1993.
South Bend St. Joseph’s Mary Catherine Pruitt capped her senior season with a third consecutive state title in the 500 freestyle and Zionsville junior Devon Kitchel was the only double-winner on the day repeating in 200 individual medley and the 100 butterfly.
Morgan Casey of Fishers took home honors in one meter diving for the second straight year as did Kristina Paegle of Bloomington South in the 100 freestyle.
Carmel swept all three relays for the third consecutive year and had three individual winners as Gretchen Lueking and Berit Berglund both repeated in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke, respectively. MacKenna Lieske stepped up to win the 100 breaststroke from lane 6.
With the 24th state championship of his career, 15 now with the girls team, Carmel head coach Chris Plumb became the leader in Indiana high school sports history. He had been tied with former Carmel cross country and track coach Chuck Koeppen with 23.
The 47th Annual IHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals
Indiana University Natatorium, IUPUI, Indianapolis
February 12-13, 2021
| Top 10 Teams | ||
| 1. | Carmel | 479 |
| 2. | Fishers | 200 |
| 3. | Chesterton | 172 |
| 4. | Zionsville | 151 |
| 5. | Franklin Community | 141 |
| 6. | Homestead | 136 |
| 7. | Hamilton Southeastern | 130 |
| 8. | South Bend St. Joseph | 126 |
| 9. | Carroll (Fort Wayne) | 114 |
| 10. | Penn | 96 |
State Champions
200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Berit Berglund 10, Margaret Love 12, Hayley Reed 11, Colleen Duffy 12) 1:40.38
200 Freestyle: Gretchen Lueking (11) Carmel 1:45.48
200 Individual Medley: Devon Kitchel (11) Zionsville 1:57.69
50 Freestyle: Lilian Christianson (9) Penn 22.66
One Meter Diving: Morgan Casey (12) Fishers 517.30
100 Butterfly: Devon Kitchel (11) Zionsville 52.93
100 Freestyle: Kristina Paegle (11) Bloomington South 48.78
500 Freestyle: Mary Catherine Pruitt (12) South Bend St. Joseph 4:45.73
200 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Meghan Christman 10, Madelyn Christman 12, Colleen Duffy 12, Gretchen Lueking 11) 1:31.21
100 Backstroke: Berit Berglund (10) Carmel 52.09
100 Breaststroke: MacKenna Lieske (11) Carmel 1:02.13
400 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Gretchen Lueking 11, Berit Berglund 10, Meghan Christman 10, Madelyn Christman 12) 3:18.84
Margaret Love of Carmel named Mental Attitude Award recipient
Senior Margaret Love of Carmel High School was recognized following the state championship meet by the IHSAA Executive Committee as this year’s winner of the Mental Attitude Award.
She was a state finalist in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke as well as two Greyhound relay teams this weekend
Academically, Love has earned a 4.40 GPA She has taken 29 Advanced Placement, Honors or Project Lead the Way courses during her four years. She has volunteered with numerous events, coached younger swimmers and helped organize Carmel’s annual Champions Together Unified Swimming Relays. Love was also the First Chair Bass Clarinet in the school band for three years.
Margaret is the daughter of Bill and Sandra Love of Carmel. She will be attending Purdue University in the fall where she will study Biomedical Engineering or Pre-Med while swimming for the Boilermakers.
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 partner, presented $1,000 to Carmel High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Margaret Love.
A look back….1986-87 The First of 35
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