All-Observer swimming: Meet the top high school swimmers in the region
A pair of state championship underclassmen headline the 2025-26 All-Observer boys’ and girls’ swim teams.
Marvin Ridge junior Michael Rice is the boys’ swimmer of the year for the second straight season.
Rice, an Auburn recruit, won the NCHSAA 7A state championship in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly this season. He set a new meet record in the 100 butterfly was named meet MVP for the second straight season.
Myers Park sophomore Emma Grace Richardson is girls’ swimmer of the year. Richardson won the NCHSAA 8A state title in the 100 butterfly and she swam on state championship relay teams (200 medley, 200 freestyle).
Richardson helped Myers Park win its fifth straight state title.
Myers Park’s Ben Sharrer is boys’ coach of the year after leading the Mustangs to their first state title in 50 years.
Providence Day’s Kristina Bond is girls’ coach of the year. Bond led the Chargers to the first NCISAA Division I state title in school history.
Providence Day was 92 points clear of the field.
All-Observer boys’ swimming
50 Freestyle — Carter Medlin, Providence: The Panthers’ junior won the 8A state title in 20.97 seconds.
100 Freestyle — Kyle Wilburn, Cox Mill: The Chargers’ junior, a Queens University commit, was the 7A state runner-up in 44.84.
200 Freestyle — David Sammons, Charlotte Latin: The Hawks’ sophomore set a state meet and school record to win the NCISAA Division I state title in 1:35.94.
500 Freestyle — Santi Alzate-Celin, Charlotte Country Day: The Buccaneers’ senior, a University of Florida commit, won his third consecutive NCISAA Division I state title in 4:24.59.
200 Individual Medley — Harrison Short, Charlotte Latin: The Hawks’ junior, a Villanova University commit, was the NCISAA Division I state champion in 1:52.55.
100 Backstroke — Jackson Kroh, North Lincoln: The Knights’ junior won the 5A state championship in 50.46, and was also 5A state championship’s most outstanding swimmer.
100 Butterfly — Michael Rice, Marvin Ridge: The Mavericks’ senior won the 7A state championship in a state meet record 46.72.
100 Breaststroke — Jack Martin, Myers Park: The Mustangs’ junior finished third at the 8A state championships in 55.67.
Diving — Nate Robinson, Myers Park: The Mustangs’ won the 8A state diving championship with 440.85 points.
200 Medley Relay — Marvin Ridge (Caleb Winardi, M. Rice, Dylan Stewart, Colton McBryde) and Myers Park (Peter Cassidy, William Hager, J. Martin, Logan Chow): The Mavericks’ relay won the 7A state title in 1:31.50, while the Myers Park team won the 8A state championship in 1:31.49.
200 Freestyle Relay — Marvin Ridge (Thomas Bai, D. Stewart, M. Rice, C. McBryde): The Mavericks won the 7A state title in 1:24.27.
400 Freestyle Relay — Myers Park (P. Cassidy, Veer Puri, W. Hager, J. Martin): The Mustangs’ relay won the 8A state championship in 3:06.18.
SECOND TEAM
50 Freestyle — Thomas Greathouse, Charlotte Latin, Jr.
100 Freestyle — P. Cassidy, Myers Park, Sr.
200 Freestyle — M. Rice, Marvin Ridge, Sr.
500 Freestyle — Teddy Peterson, Cannon School, So.
200 Individual Medley — J. Martin, Myers Park, Jr.
100 Backstroke — C. Winardi, Marvin Ridge, So.
100 Butterfly — D. Sammons, Charlotte Latin, So.
100 Breaststroke — Tripp Cooler, Cannon School, Jr.
Diving — Mason Kramer, Charlotte Catholic, Sr.
200 Medley Relay — Charlotte Country Day (S. Alzate-Celin, Austin Yang, Andy Butler, Griffin Cagle).
200 Freestyle Relay — Charlotte Latin (T. Greathouse, Ben Spiegler, D. Sammons, Tyler Dugan).
400 Freestyle Relay — Charlotte Latin (T. Greathouse, D. Sammons, Harrison Smith, Harrison Short).
All-Observer girls’ swimming
FIRST TEAM
50 Freestyle — Emma Grace Richardson, Myers Park: The Mustangs’ sophomore was 8A state runner-up in a school-record 22.87.
100 Freestyle — Katherine Guenther, Myers Park and Eliza Wallace, Ardrey Kell: Guenther, a Duke University commit, was third at the 8A state championships in 50.28, while Wallace, a University of Tennessee commit, was 8A state runner-up in 50.25.
200 Freestyle — K. Guenther, Myers Park: The Mustangs’ junior was 8A state runner-up in 1:47.84.
500 Freestyle — Olivia Jacobsen, Charlotte Catholic: The Cougars’ senior was 6A state runner-up in 4:56.25.
200 Individual Medley — Avery Klamforth, Myers Park, Sr.: The Mustangs’ senior, a University of Texas commit, was 8A state runner-up in 2:00.14.
100 Backstroke — Karina Plaza, Myers Park: The Mustangs’ sophomore won the 8A state title in 53.76.
100 Butterfly — E. Grace Richardson, Myers Park: The Mustangs’ sophomore won the 8A state championship in a school-record time of 52.51.
100 Breaststroke — E. Wallace, Ardrey Kell: The Knights’ senior won the 8A state title here in 59.87.
Diving: Reagan Leckner, Charlotte Catholic — The Cougars’ junior, a West Virginia University commit, was the 6A state champion with 469.60 points.
200 Medley Relay — Myers Park (K. Plaza, Taylor Weaver, E. Grace Richardson, A. Klamfoth): The Mustangs’ quartet won the 8A state title in an All-American qualifying time and state meet record of 1:40.99.
200 Freestyle Relay — Myers Park (E. Grace Richardson, Taylor Weaver, Elizabeth McIntyre, K. Guenther): The Mustangs’ relay won the 8A state championship in 1:33.92.
400 Freestyle Relay — Myers Park (K. Plaza, Mary Drummond, A. Klamfoth, K. Guenter): The Mustangs’ relay was the 8A state runner-up in 3:24.48.
SECOND TEAM
50 Freestyle — Caroline Mallard, Charlotte Country Day, Sr.
100 Freestyle — Zona Smith, Providence Day, So.
200 Freestyle — Z. Smith, Providence Day, So.
500 Freestyle — Julia Zetter, Weddington, Fr.
200 Individual Medley — K. Plaza, Myers Park, So.
100 Backstroke — Elise Berl, Carmel Christian, Fr.
100 Butterfly — Taylor Klein, Charlotte Country Day, Sr.
100 Breaststroke — Annie Shall, Providence Day, So.
Diving — Avery Noonan, Christ the King, Fr.
200 Medley Relay — Ardrey Kell (Olivia White, E. Wallace, Elise Ullman, Louise Vidarsson)
200 Freestyle Relay — Charlotte Country Day (T. Klein, Kaylee Daniel, Sophia Ruiz, C. Mallard).
400 Freestyle Relay — Providence Day (Maddy Boland, Z. Smith, Georgia Howard, Zetta Bartee).
This story was originally published April 8, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
