Northern Kentucky high school swimming and diving flexed its muscles last season, placing three girls teams and three boys squads in the top 10 of their respective standings at the KHSAA State Swimming and Diving Championships in Lexington.
From all appearances, the area is ready to mirror those figures and come out looking even better at the 2027 state meet. The new season begins this week.
“I thought it was a great showing at state,” said Jeff Floyd, who coaches the boys and girls swimming and diving teams at Ryle and has squads in action this weekend at the 2026 Simon Kenton Sprint & Dive Meet. “The area has depth. What happened last season showed that, and I think this season will be another strong one.”
What happened at the top of the 2026 state podiums at University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center was as simple as 1-2-3. Highlands won the combined team championship. Notre Dame Academy was runner-up in the girls team competition. Ryle was third at the boys meet.
All three local powers are counting on keeping that going.
“Our girls are going to be really strong and deep, I think deeper than last year,” Highlands coach Kevin Kampschmidt said. “It will probably be between us and Notre Dame with Ryle in the regional mix. On the boys’ side, we will need some underclassmen to step up. We lost a lot of seniors and have some holes to fill, but that is what makes this year exciting for us. Ryle and CovCath along with us should be the teams to keep an eye on.”
Highlands finished fourth in the girls state standings and Ryle was seventh. Beechwood (14th), Conner (17th) and St. Henry (20th) also crashed the state top 20 in a competitive meet won by Louisville Sacred Heart Academy.
Right behind Ryle at the boys state meet was Highlands in fourth. Covington Catholic placed ninth while Beechwood was just outside the top 20 in 22nd place, all behind champion Louisville St. Xavier.
That put 10 of the state’s top 42 boys and girls programs — nearly a quarter of Kentucky’s elite — within a single regional footprint in northern Kentucky.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a lot of success over the past several years, including four consecutive Region 7 championships and back-to-back state runner-up finishes,” said Notre Dame’s Jamie Kelly, the 2025-26 region coach of the year. “Those accomplishments are something we’re proud of, but we also recognize that every season brings a new group of athletes and new challenges.”
The new challenges include new challengers.
Long a bastion of state championship-caliber pool action behind stalwarts Notre Dame and CovCath, the area is now long on talent that extends to a host of other schools attempting to make their marks.
Ryle has finished third at the boys state meet four years in a row. The Raiders are the defending regional champion after outlasting runner-up Highlands and third-place CovCath, which is under new management with the September hiring of former Scott standout Chris Seitz. He’s a three-time state champion and a former swimmer at University of Texas under legendary coach Eddie Reese.
The Highlands girls have finished in the state top five each of the last two seasons. In addition to the state gains at Beechwood, Conner and St. Henry, the Simon Kenton boys, the Cooper girls and both the Dixie Heights boys and girls are all coming off top-35 state finishes.
Drilling down even further, there are 11 returning individual region champions in 12 events, forming a highly competitive local group.
“There are a lot of great swimmers and divers and some of them are my friends,” said sprint specialist Nash Parsons, the reigning Region 7 100-yard boys champion and returning runner-up in the 200. “I’m really looking forward to the season and seeing what we can do at Ryle.”
Parsons leads a local boys field that also features four other defending region champs: CovCath’s Andrew Boh in the 200 individual medley, Simon Kenton’s Parker Davis in the 50 freestyle and Highlands’ Luke Deegan in the 100 backstroke, all seniors, and Ryle junior Tyler Rice in the 100 breaststroke.
Coach Kampschmidt said his Highlands squad is loaded with leadership: “All four seniors will be major contributors. Luke Deegan (100 backstroke and 100 IM), Chanith Abeysinghe (sprint freestyles), Ryan Schaber (sprint freestyles) and Charlie Golden (freestyles) all have Lexington experience and look to make a bigger impact this year. We also have two underclassmen coming back from state, Elliot Meyers in the 500 free and 100 back and Reed Spauling in the 100 fly.”
The local girls contingent boasts seven returning individual region champions, a group that includes two-time state 500 freestyle winner Clare Herfel of regional team champ Notre Dame. The Pandas edged past runner-up Highlands and third-place Ryle in last season’s final Region 7 standings.
“Highlands and Ryle will certainly be teams to watch, along with Beechwood and St. Henry,” said NDA’s Kelly as he sized up the local girls field. “Region 7 has a number of strong programs, and I expect the competition to be very good again this year.”
Herfel is back to defend her regional crowns in both the 500 and 200 freestyle races. Teammates Abby Carnes in the 100 backstroke and Savannah Bien in 1-meter diving also return as champs.
“This year’s team will be led by seniors Abby Carnes, Savannah Bien and Makayla Kleman, and junior Clare Herfel,” coach Kelly said. “All four had outstanding performances at last year’s state meet, with Abby earning two top-eight finishes, Savannah placing fourth in diving, and Makayla posting one of the top six times in the 500 freestyle. Clare, the Region 7 Girls Outstanding Competitor, not only won the state championship in the 500 freestyle but also earned a top eight finish in the 200 freestyle. We’re fortunate to have this experience and leadership returning to the pool.”
The Pandas join Ryle and others to begin the season Saturday at the Simon Kenton meet. They also have their annual trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee for the McCallie Invitational later in November.
“I think our biggest strength this season will be our depth,” Kelly said. “We have a good combination of experience and younger athletes who are continuing to develop. We have several girls capable of contributing in multiple events, which gives us some flexibility with our individual lineups and relays. We’re also emphasizing individual improvement, stroke development, and building a strong team culture.”
Beechwood’s Maddie Straley in the 100 butterfly, Gabrielle Lee in the 100 breaststroke and Highlands’ Keira Kobida in the 100 freestyle are also back to defend individual regional titles. Kobida, a versatile freestyler, is part of a deep and versatile Highlands girls squad.
“We also have Taryn Ripley in any number of events, Morgan Ripley in the distance free events, Ella Kate Reynolds in the free events, and Stella Kendon in any number of events,” Kampschmidt said of his Bluebirds. “They are all returning qualifiers from Lexington. Also look out for Vivian Winkler to be a major contributor. She was a swimmer and diver last year that is now focusing on swimming.”
It all adds up to what is expected to be another big splash in the pool by the locals.
“I’m ready,” Ryle’s Parsons said. “Let’s go.”
