Central Ohio’s top swimmers, divers ready for state
Two weeks from now, central Ohio swimmers and divers will get their chance to shine at the Division I and Division II state meets in Canton.
New Albany's girls team will seek its third consecutive Division I state championship. Coming off a third-place Division I state finish, Dublin Jerome's boys will try to reassert themselves as one of the state's top public school programs, as will Upper Arlington, which was state runner-up in 2020 and 2021 and placed sixth last year.
Sectional meets take place this weekend, followed by the Division II district meet Feb. 16 and Division I district two days later, both at Ohio State. State competition runs Feb. 21-25.
Here are 10 area swimmers and divers, five boys and five girls in alphabetical order, to watch in the postseason. All rankings are from Swimmeet.com:
BOYS Eric Albers, Wellington
Ranked second statewide in Division II in the 100-yard breaststroke (56.43 seconds) and ninth in the 200 individual medley (1:58.96), the senior and Ohio State recruit will try to improve on last year's finishes of fourth and fifth in those events, respectively, at state.
Grant Gooding, Upper Arlington
Gooding, a Louisville signee, is defending Division I state in the 100 breast. He owns the state's top 100 breast time (54.9) by more than a second and ranks second in the 200 IM (1:50.87).
Hamish Patel, New Albany
The defending district diving champion and a two-time state qualifier, Patel will try to bring the area its first diving title since 2020, when Wellington's George Callanan and Worthington Christian's Lena Morgan swept the Division II competitions. Patel ranks sixth statewide (473.3).
Eli Stoll, Jonathan Alder
The Ohio State-bound senior is set to defend his Division II state championship in the 100 backstroke. Stoll ranks second statewide in the 100 back (51.55) and third in the 200 IM (1:54.16).
Hudson Williams, Olentangy Liberty
Williams, a senior who has signed with North Carolina State, is defending Division I state champion in the 50 free and will try to improve on his thirdplace finish in the 100 back. He ranks first statewide in the 100 back (46.7) and 100 free (43.23), second in the 50 free (20.58) and seventh in the 500 free (4:42.18).
GIRLS Emily Brown, Dublin Coffman
Brown, a junior who committed to Tennessee in September, swept the 200 free and 500 free Division I state titles in each of her first two seasons. Brown, also owns this year's top time in the 500 free (4:55.84) as well as the 100 back (54.21) and is second in the 200 free (1:50.8).
Carrie Furbee, Grandview Heights
The sophomore ranks first statewide in Division II in both the 50 free (23.31) and 100 free (51.15) and sixth in the 100 butterfly (57.64).
Libby Grether, Dublin Jerome
Top-ranked statewide in the 200 free (1:50.31), fourth in the 500 free (4:58.17) and seventh in the 100 fly (56.39), Grether is a senior and Kentucky recruit.
Hayden Hollingsworth, Upper Arlington
The sophomore has clocked the state's fastest time in both the 50 free (23.16) and 100 fly (54.18) and fifth best in the 100 free (51.53) this year.
Carly Meeting, New Albany
Before she continues her career at Florida, Meeting will try to repeat as 50 free and 100 back state champion. Meeting, who also swam the lead leg of the winning 400 free relay at state, is ranked first in the 100 free (50.98) and third in the 50 free (23.57) and 100 fly (55.16). dpurpura@dispatch.com @dp_dispatch