Bold statement: The Indiana high school swimming scene just crowned its champions, and the stories behind these wins reveal grit, leadership, and a new wave of record-setters. But here’s where it gets controversial: what do these triumphs say about youth athletics today, and who gets remembered when the spotlight moves on? This rewrite preserves every key detail from the original while clarifying and expanding where helpful for beginners.
State Champions crowned in Girls Swimming & Diving
INDIANAPOLIS - Recap to come... (Recap will cover final relays, individual winners, and standout performances.)
Concord’s Catie Brenneman earns Mental Attitude Award
Catie Brenneman of Concord High School was named the recipient of the Mental Attitude Award by the IHSAA Executive Committee after today’s state meet. This honor recognizes a combination of scholastic achievement, leadership, sportsmanship, and athletic effort.
Academically, Catie ranks fourth in her senior class and is a member of the National Honors Society. She has been named a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and NISCA All-American for the past three years and is a four-year All-Conference selection in the Northern Lakes Conference.
This year, she qualified in the 100 and 200 freestyle events and was a member of Concord’s 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams. Catie qualified for state all four years of high school and earned medals every year heading into today’s meet. As a freshman, she broke Olympian Lindsay Benko’s sectional record in the 200 free and now holds school records in the 200 free, 500 free, and 200 IM.
Outside of school, she will be a 10-year 4-H club member this upcoming summer and has been a long-time volunteer, where she assists with younger members and the annual Elkhart County Fair. Catie also is a volunteer with the Concord Swim Club and Concord Junior High Swim Team as a timer.
Catie, the daughter of Dan and Angie Brenneman of Elkhart, Indiana, will attend the University of Notre Dame, where she plans to major in marketing and compete for the Fighting Irish swimming team. She becomes the second girls swimmer from Concord to earn this award, joining her sister, Grace Brenneman, who received the honor in 2022.
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 Concord High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Catie Brenneman.
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The 52 Annual IHSAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals
Indiana University Natatorium, IU Indianapolis
February 13-14, 2026
Top 10 Teams
- Carmel 326.5 40th consecutive team championship
- Fishers 227
- Carroll (Fort Wayne) 227
- Zionsville 201
- Penn 157
- Hamilton Southeastern 141
- Chesterton 138
- Valparaiso 122
- Center Grove 76
- Munster 73
State Champions
- 200 Medley Relay: Carmel (Leah Debosch 10, Molly Sweeney 12, Ellie Clarke 10, Sophia Floyd 11) 1:40.90
- 200 Freestyle: Emily Wolf (11) Fishers 1:45.84
- 200 Individual Medley: Ellie Clarke (10) Carmel 1:57.73 200th title by a Carmel individual or relay team
- 50 Freestyle: Maris Williams (11) Carroll (Fort Wayne) 22.86
- One Meter Diving: Adelyn Flessner (12) North Central (Indianapolis) 529.30 Repeat state champion
- 100 Butterfly: Molly Sweeney (12) Carmel 52.78
- 100 Freestyle: Kate Fetters (11) Carroll (Fort Wayne) 49.52
- 500 Freestyle: Emily Wolf (11) Fishers 4:43.25 Repeat state champion
- 200 Freestyle Relay: Carroll (Fort Wayne) (Kate Fetters 11, Maris Williams 11, Jordyn Glassley 11, Naomi Bowland 11) 1:32.63 First-ever relay title for school
- 100 Backstroke: Ellie Clarke (10) Carmel 53.08 Repeat state champion
- 100 Breaststroke: Molly Sweeney (12) Carmel 59.24 Third state title in four years
- 400 Freestyle Relay: Carroll (Fort Wayne) (Jordyn Glassley 11, Kate Fetters 11, Naomi Bowland 11, Maris Williams 11) 3:21.30
Contest-wide context: These results underscore Carmel’s enduring dominance, while teams like Fishers, Carroll, and Zionsville showcased depth across sprinters and distance events. The Mental Attitude Award highlights the importance of character and perseverance alongside raw speed and technique, reminding commentators and fans that leadership and scholastic achievement are valued as highly as medals.
Want to join the discussion? Do you think a Mental Attitude Award should factor more into college recruiting decisions, or should it remain primarily a narrative honor? Share your take in the comments.
