Carmel High Claims Another Swimming World Girls Mythical National Championship
The Carmel (Ind.) High School swimming dynasty has been nothing short of remarkable. The Greyhounds have won 38 consecutive Indiana girls state championships, a national record that grows yearly. This year, they are once again Swimming World’s Mythical Girls National Champions.
Carmel earned the title by scoring 193 points, which was 60 points clear of the 133 points by Santa Margarita Catholic, a California program that was the independent schools champ. This crown marks Carmel’s ninth overall mythical girls’ championship.
“It was a great blend of youthful exuberance with some great leadership and experience,” said Carmel coach Chris Plumb, who has led the Greyhounds to the past 18 state titles. “That brought a lot of energy and excitement to the group.”
In February, the Greyhounds scored 433 points to dominate their way to another state title. Their scoring total was more than double the points of any other school. With a title streak unmatched by any school in the country, the pressure is something the Carmel swimmers feel, but also get used to.
“When you are at Carmel, it comes with the pressure of winning state championships and the goals of winning national championships. We view it as knowledge being passed down and standing on the shoulders of giants, like the girls like to say,” Plumb said. “But it is about taking advantage of your turn and putting some flair on it. We want to learn from lessons from the past but at the same time make it fun and new.
“Pressure is always there. Last year, we had our 200 free relay disqualified (at regionals). We went into the meet with only two relays instead of three. That added pressure. But pressure is a privilege and that helps us get better. We have been there, done that and thrive in those situations.”
Three Carmel swimmers were double-event winners during the state meet: Alex Shackell (100 fly, 100 back), Lynsey Bowen (200 free, 500 free) and Molly Sweeney (200 IM, 100 breast).
“Obviously when you have the talents of Alex Shackell, Molly Sweeney and Lysney Bowen you have a lot you can do. But they bought into it and swam the events we needed,” Plumb said.
Shackell’s 100 butterfly and Bowen’s 500 freestyle were state records. Shackell broke the state record in the 100 fly when she recorded a 50.57 during prelims before winning in 50.25, more than three seconds ahead of the field. She later won the 100 backstroke in 51.63, just 13 hundredths off another state record.
Shackell used that momentum this summer to make her first Olympic team, earning a gold and a silver medal as a part of U.S. relays.
“It is such a huge win for the program,” Plumb said of Shackell making the Olympic team. “Oftentimes, Carmel is thought of as a high school team and it has been one of my goals to change that mentality. High school for us is only the beginning, not the end. Alex sent a great message that was sent to our entire community. It can be done here and I can stop answering that question.”
She wasn’t the only elite swimmer on the high school team.
Bowen crushed the field in the 500 freestyle, swimming a 4:40.74 to break her own state record of 4:42.81 from 2023. She beat the field by nearly seven seconds. Bowen, a Florida commit, also won the 200 free in 1:45.74.
Sweeney swam a 1:56.38 in the 200 IM to beat the field by 3.5 seconds. The sophomore was also the only swimmer to go under the minute-marker in the 100 breast, doing so in 59.47.
But again, it takes more than three swimmers to keep a dynasty going.
Alexandra Ward and Alyssa Street made the finals in the 200 free and 500 free. Kayla Barr and Lucy Enoch were finalists in the 200 IM, with Enoch also making the final in the 100 breaststroke. Faith Gorey was a finalist in the 50 free and 100 butterfly, while Melaina Munson was a finalist in diving. Grace Dougherty took third in the 100 free and seventh in the 100 backstroke.
“It is always what we pride ourselves on, developing the next wave of swimmers. It takes more to win than one or two athletes,” Plumb said. “The idea that you can achieve great things here even as young swimmers is something I wanted to pass on. We want our athletes to continue to dream bigger and better.”
FINAL OVERALL TEAM SCORES
- Carmel, IN – 193
- Santa Margarita Catholic, CA – 133
- Bolles School, FL – 94
- South Florida HEAT, FL – 93
- Riverview, FL PUB – 85
- Phillips Exeter, NH – 80
- Penn, IN PUB – 79
- Sacred Heart Academy, KY – 75
- Hatboro Horsham, PA – 66
- Germantown Academy, PA – 54
Scoring is based on the format used in high school competition, where athletes can compete in two individual events and two relays, or one individual event and three relays. Many thanks to Bob Klapthor for his dedicated years of service in collecting times and compiling the national championship scoring.