February 13, 2016
Carmel Girls Run Away with National Record 30th Consecutive State Championship
The Carmel girls swimming and diving team won nine of 12 events in claiming a national record 30th consecutive state championship at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis on Saturday.
Senior classmates Claire Adams and Veronica Burchill each won four events to help the Greyhounds accumulate 438 points, the second-most in state finals history. The nine individual and relay crowns the school won today also tied the record the Greyhounds set a year ago.
Hamilton Southeastern edged out Chesterton by one-half point for the runner-up spot (193.5-193) followed by fourth-place Zionsville with 164 and Northridge in fifth with 150.
Now with the longest streak in any sport in any state, Carmel broke the tie it held with Punahou High School (Honolulu, HI) which had won 29 straight boys swimming and diving crowns from 1958-86.
Adams became the first to win the 100 backstroke four straight years setting the state record during Friday's prelims in 51.65. She also won the 100 freestyle and led off the winning 200 medley relay team and anchored the 400 freestyle relay. By winning four times, she went a perfect 16-for-16 during her high school career to become the most decorated swimmer in state history surpassing Carmel's Emily Ayers who won 14 during her 1992-95 career.
Burchill also leap-frogged Ayers for second-most all-time finishing with 15 state titles. She broke her own state record set during Friday's prelims in the 100 butterfly (52.13) by finishing the championship heat in 51.79 to repeat as event champ. She also led off the winning 200 free relay and 400 free relay and swam the third leg on the 200 medley relay.
Junior teammate Emma Nordin finished as a double-champion winning the 200 and 500 freestyle and Burchill's younger sister Sammie Burchill won the 200 individual medley. It was also the 10th state championship under coach Chris Plumb who surpassed former Carmel coach Tony Young for the most in state history.
Homestead freshman Jackie Brenn showed promise of things to come by winning the one meter diving competition with 485.45 points. She was the first freshman diver to win the state title and the first from her school to win the event. Hamilton Southeastern's Robyn Clevenger won the 50 freestyle in 22.91 and Yorktown freshman Emily Weiss took home the 100 breaststroke hardware in 1:02.20.
Carmel's Claire Adams wins Mental Attitude Award
Carmel High School senior Claire Adams was recognized following the state championship meet by the IHSAA Executive Committee as this year’s winner of the Mental Attitude Award.
Claire has a chance to become the first Olympian from her school. She is a member of the United States National Team at this time leading up to the Olympic Trials this summer. She is the Junior World Record Holder in the 100 meter backstroke and was the national champion in the 100 meter backstroke and 200 meter backstroke last summer in California.
Besides being a member of the swimming team, Adams maintains a 4.0 GPA and is a member of Greyhound Connections, a volunteer organization which students help the transition of the school's new students.
She is the daughter of Todd and Kimberly Adams of Carmel and will attend the University of Texas where she intends to double major in Education and Spanish and will swim for the Longhorns.
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. The Committee presented $1,000 to Carmel High School's general scholarship fund in the name of Claire Adams.
The 42nd Annual IHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals
Indiana University Natatorium, IUPUI, Indianapolis
February 12-13, 2016
| Top 10 Teams |
| 1. |
Carmel |
438 |
| 2. |
Hamilton Southeastern |
193.5 |
| 3. |
Chesterton |
193 |
| 4. |
Zionsville |
164 |
| 5. |
Northridge |
150 |
| 6. |
Crown Point |
122 |
| 7. |
Homestead |
114 |
| 8. |
Penn |
100 |
| 9. |
Carroll (Fort Wayne) |
97 |
| 10. |
Fishers |
95 |
State Champions
200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Claire Adams 12, Kendall Smith 12, Veronica Burchill 12, Trude Rothrock 10) 1:39.86.
200 Freestyle: Emma Nordin, 11, Carmel, 1:47.95.
200 Individual Medley: Sammie Burchill, 11, Carmel, 1:57.99.
50 Freestyle: Robyn Clevenger, 12, Hamilton Southeastern, 22.91.
One Meter Diving: Jackie Brenn, 9, Homestead 485.45 points.
100 Butterfly: Veronica Burchill, 12, Carmel, 51.79. State Record
100 Freestyle: Claire Adams, 12, Carmel, 48.83.
500 Freestyle: Emma Nordin, 11, Carmel, 4:52.09.
200 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Veronica Burchill 12, Kendall Smith 12, Grace Pangburn 9, Kelly Pash 9) 1:31.59.
100 Backstroke: Claire Adams, 12, Carmel, 52.39.
100 Breaststroke: Emily Weiss, 9, Yorktown, 1:02.20.
400 Freestyle Relay: Carmel (Veronica Burchill 12, Trude Rothrock 10, Sammie Burchill 11, Claire Adams 12) 3:16.15.
Top 10 State Championship Record Streaks Across the Nation
Longest streaks of consecutive state championships, all sports, all states
30: Carmel, Ind., girls swimming, 1986-2016.*
29: Punahou, Honolulu, Hawaii, boys swimming, 1958-86.
28: Bolles, Jacksonville, Fla. boys swimming, 1988-2015.*
27: Mt. Anthony Union, Bennington, VT, wrestling, 1989-2015.*
27: Pickford, Mich., boys track and field, 1952-78.
27: St. Xavier, Louisville, Ky., boys swimming, 1989-2015.*
26: Hopi, Keams Canyon, Az., boys cross country, 1990-2015*
26: Mt. St. Charles Academy, Woonsocket, R.I., boys hockey, 1978-2003.
25: Paulsboro, NJ, wrestling, 1983-2007.
24: Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI, boys swimming, 1990-2013.
24: Wilson, Tacoma, Wash., boys swimming, 1960-83.
*Active streak.
(Source: National Federation of State High School Associations)
State Records During Saturday's Championship Finals
100 Butterfly: Veronica Burchill, 12, Carmel, 51.79.
State Records During Friday's Preliminaries
100 Butterfly: Veronica Burchill, 12, Carmel, 52.13.
100 Backstroke: Claire Adams, 12, Carmel, 51.65.
Career State Championships by an Individual (Individual and Relay Events)
16: Claire Adams, Carmel, 2013-16.
15: Veronica Burchill, Carmel, 2013-16.
14: Emily Ayers, Carmel, 1992-95.
11: Lindsay Benko, Elkhart Central, 1991-94.
11: Lacey Locke, Carmel, 2010-13.
10: Allison Bock, Lafayette Jefferson, 1987-90.
10: Debbie Daniel, Anderson, 1981-84.
10: Katie Simmons, Carmel, 1997-2000.