North's Anna Bunnell to close out storied diving career at IHSAA state finals
EVANSVILLE — Anna Bunnell was training in gymnastics just a few years ago.
She had been involved in the sport since her youth and was always flipping and doing handstands. But then she was convinced to start a career in diving when she was a freshman at North High School.
"(It was) because of the flipping," Bunnell said.
Bunnell stress fractured her back, however, while on a beam before her sophomore year and gave up her gymnastics career to focus on diving full-time. The rest is history.
Now a senior, Bunnell quickly became one of North's most accomplished divers. She's played a key part in the Huskies' recent success, breaking multiple school records and qualifying for the IHSAA state diving finals in each of the last two seasons.
She clinched her first regional title on Tuesday night, the first for a City girls diver in 15 years.
"Being a regional champion was something that I never really planned on," said Bunnell, a University of Southern Indiana signee. "But there was a lot of hard work and a lot of preparation that went into it. So it's been incredible."
"She's improved year-to-year," North coach Jake Downs added. "It seems like every year and every meet, she's breaking her own school records. It's been pretty fun to watch."
Bunnell has experienced disappointment as a North diver, such as falling one place short of the state finals as a sophomore. It was after the meet in Jasper that "the switch flipped" and she took diving more seriously.
She worked more on her strength and flexibility, and her mental focus was sharper. She still carries her gymnastics habits as a diver.
"I'm definitely quick and have a lot of lower body strength," Bunnell said. "So I really just try and do that, keep my legs tight and point my toes."
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North will be well represented at this weekend's state finals at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis. The Huskies' 200 medley and freestyle relay teams also qualified, as well as freshman Gabrielle Irvin in the 100 backstroke.
After finishing 25th in last year's preliminaries, Bunnell's goal this time around is to place in the top 16. All of the Huskies want to continue making noise at state to cap off one of their best seasons in program history.
"I know Anna's excited to get back to the state meet," Downs said. "She was disappointed in how she did last year, but she's used that as a motivational tool to come back this year stronger. We're excited to see her go and compete and the whole team as well."
Courier & Press sports reporter Treasure Washington can be reached via her email, treasure.washington@courierpress.com, and on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Twashington490.
IHSAA girls swimming and diving state finals
Where: IU Natatorium in Indianapolis
When: Swimming prelims are Friday at 5 p.m. CT. Diving prelims and semifinals are Saturday at 8 a.m. All finals then begin at noon on Saturday.
Streaming: IHSAAtv.org ($15)
Participants from SW Indiana: Castle, Jasper and North's 200 medley teams; Jasper, Mount Vernon and North's 200 freestyle teams; Castle and Jasper's 400 freestyle teams; Castle's Ava Butterfield, Addison Carlile, Karina Iglesias and Ailyn Zurliene; Jasper's Nicole Fant, Kara Kurucz and Lillian Wertman; North's Anna Bunnell and Gabrielle Irvin; Tell City's Gabrielle Ettensohn.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: IHSAA girls swimming: North's Anna Bunnell closes career at state
