New Albany girls embrace swimming state title defense
Handling success is nothing new for the New Albany girls swimming and diving team. But the beginning of the season still was different, if not especially meaningful, to the Eagles coming off their first team state championship.
A shortened season that did not begin until the week before Christmas because of the COVID-19 pandemic ended with the Eagles winning two events in the Division I state meet and relying on their depth to amass the rest of their 246.5 points, 26 more than runner-up Mason. Most of those key contributors return, carrying an appreciation for what it takes to survive a competitive field and an awareness of the new target on their backs.
“(The state championship) pushes us every day in practice,” said senior Ava Lachey, a UCLA recruit. “From last year (to) now, we can’t take anything for granted. We learned that a lot last year because we never knew what was going to happen. We’re working hard every day in and out of the pool.”
In his 26th season, coach Dave Wharton said he is doing his best to keep the Eagles “even-keeled” but acknowledged their past success, including two consecutive district championships and a state runner-up finish in 2020, helps that cause.
“There is no guarantee of anything,” Wharton said. “Everybody asks if we’ll repeat, and I am not saying we won’t, but we have to go earn it again like we had to earn everything every year. If they are hungry enough, they will race like they did last year. They will race hard.”
The entire championship 400-yard freestyle relay returns in senior and Ucsanta Barbara recruit Olivia Hovorka, Lachey, junior Carly Meeting and sophomore Ashlyn Morr. All but Morr were on the title-winning 200 medley relay, which was rounded out by Sydney Boals, who now swims at Florida State.
Other returning state competitors are senior diver and Wisconsin recruit Emma Skinner, classmates Marisa Downs (100 butterfly) and Evie Morris (50 free, 200 free relay) and juniors Elyse
Bergmann (500 free) and Hope Schimming (100 backstroke, 200 individual medley).
In a showcase of their depth, Lachey, Meeting and Morr were fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, at state in the 200 free.
“That just makes us a bigger target to go after (for other teams),” Meeting said. “That is pushing us to work harder. There’s definitely been more training. We have a lot more pool time this year and more time in the weight room, then pushing each practice. We learned the mental mindset last year of practicing every day like it’s your last.”
Even with all the returning talent, Wharton expects to roll out varied lineups throughout the regular season, much as he has throughout his tenure.
“It’s all a shell game every year, trying to figure out the right strategy all the way through,” Wharton said. “We still have the depth. It’s interesting to see. They look pretty strong.”