Led by Christianson, Penn girls swimming will be amongst state's best this winter
MISHAWAKA – Lily Christianson has already had a decorated career.
The Penn senior wants even more, though, as she begins her final season in the pool for the Kingsmen.
Christianson leads an experienced Penn team that’s coming off a third-place finish at the state finals a season ago. Individually, Christianson was the state champion in the 100-yard freestyle and had three, second-place finishes at the state finals in the 50-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle relay and 200-yard medley relay.
Christianson won the 50-yard freestyle state titles in 2021 and 2022. She broke the old state record with her time of 22.03 seconds in February, but lost by 0.09 seconds to Carmel’s Alexandra Shackell.
“My goal is to go all-out in the 50 and take back my state title,” Christianson said. “Then, hopefully I can get another one so I can win two this year instead of just one. I feel like that’s my big goal this year. ... I’m very excited this year. We have new training, and I have full trust in it. I’m very excited to see where I’m at. I competed in a recent meet and feel like I’m right on track with where I need to be.”
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Christianson, who’s committed to North Carolina State, said she’s put in plenty of work in the offseason to finish her high school career off in style.
“I’ve always been lifting weights, but I’ve been more devoted to it recently and I care more about it,” Christianson noted. “Nutrition is key, too. You have to do so many little things to just drop 0.01 seconds off your time in this sport, and I’m willing to do that. It’s just about getting into a routine and a consistency.”
While Christianson leads the Kingsmen, there’s plenty of other talent returning for Penn. The other three on the medley relay last year — Avery Woods, Annika Guenther and Alayna Riggins — return. Guenther and Riggins were also on the 200-yard freestyle relay as well. The third relay event, the 400-yard freestyle, sees Woods, Vanessa Domalewski and Ebba Fox return after a 10th-place finish at state.
Individually, Guenther finished ninth in the 100-yard breaststroke and 15th in the 200-yard individual medley at the state finals, while Riggins added a sixth-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly and ninth-place showing in the 50-yard freestyle.
There are other new faces that will be in the mix as well, per Penn coach Jess Preston.
“We’ve added some key pieces,” Preston said. “We have some freshmen that could score some big points for us in Molly Barnes and Lauren McGrath. And we’ve got Kaia Podlin, a move-in from Bremen who was a top eight finalist for Bremen (in the 100-yard butterfly in 2021-22). So, our team is pretty stacked.”
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It’s almost impossible to beat Carmel in girls swimming, with the Greyhounds winning 37 state titles in a row in the sport. With a loaded roster returning, though, Preston believes his team could take second place at the state finals. They’ve finished runner-up twice in program history (1981, 2013).
“It’s attainable for sure,” said Preston of a potential second-place finish. “A lot of things have to go our way, as far as staying healthy. Injuries can come into play, or if you have a disqualification on a relay. Second place should be the goal. It’s hard to say you want to shoot for second place, but right now, Fishers would be the team to beat for second, and I think we can race with them. I think we can give them a good run for their money.”
Plenty of other talented girls swimmers from the South Bend area return
While Penn has the most complete team around the South Bend area, other state-qualifying individuals should have successful seasons again this winter.
Concord finished sixth at state last season. It was a senior-heavy team for the Minutemen, but its top scorer was now-sophomore Catie Brenneman. As a freshman last year, she placed in four events at the state finals: fifth in the 200-yard freestyle, eighth in the 500-yard freestyle, fourth as part of the 400-yard freestyle relay and eighth as part of the 200-yard freestyle relay.
The only other state qualifier returning for Concord is sophomore Mya Ernsberger, who was on the 200-free relay and competed individually in the 100-yard backstroke.
South Bend Adams sophomore Addy Szakaly placed eighth at state in the 100-yard backstroke and also advanced in the 200-yard individual medley. She is also one of two members of the 400-yard freestyle relay team, alongside classmate Willa Kricheff, that return after finishing 14th at the state meet. They also advanced to state as part of the 200-yard freestyle relay.
Northridge has a state placer returning in sophomore Izzy Melvin, who was 10th as part of the 200-yard medley relay team and 14th in the 100-yard breaststroke. The Raiders also return state qualifiers in junior Faye Hunsberger and sophomore Audrey Yeater off the 400-yard freestyle relay team.
Mishawaka senior diver Lilly Deeds placed 15th at the state finals as a junior last year.
Saint Joseph sophomore Claire Dobrydney advanced to state in both the 200- and- 500-yard freestyle races, but did not place in either one.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Led by Christianson, Penn girls swimming will be amongst state's best
