2017 KHSAA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPS
- When: February 23rd – February 25th
- Where: University of Louisville
- Psych sheets
- Championship central
The Sacred Heart girls will be in search of their 5th straight KHSAA title this weekend, led by Stanford commit Brooke Forde. While they have suffered heavy graduation losses over the last two seasons, the Sacred Heart girls are the top seed in the 200 medley relay and the #2 seeds in both free relays. Forde, for her part, is the top seed in both the 200 and 500 freestyles, where she will try to defend her state titles in both.
Tonner DeBeer is another big part of the Sacred Heart squad– she’s the top seed in the 100 fly and the #2 seed in the 100 back. DeBeer swam the 50 and 100 frees last year at this meet, but has switched to sprint fly and back where she could crown herself a double state champion.
Sacred Heart will face staunch competition in Notre Dame, which is led by Amanda Smith and Sophie Skinner. Smith is the top seed in the 100 back (56.10) and the #3 seed in the 200 free (1:49.50). Skinner is also in the 200 free, where she is seeded 2nd (1:48.47), and the two will try to track down Forde in that event. In addition to the 200 free, Skinner is the top seed in the 100 free, while Notre Dame is 2nd in the medley relay and 1st in the 400 free relay.
Arthur Albiero, the head coach of the Louisville Swimming & Diving program, has two children who will be racing for state titles this weekend. His son Nick Albiero, a senior headed to swim under his father at Louisville, is the top seed in both the 100 fly (48.19) and 100 back (48.86) by large margins. Meanwhile, Gabi Albiero, a freshman, is the 2nd seed in the 50 free (23.48) and 9th seed in the 100 fly (57.24).
Nick Smith of Covington Catholic is the top seed in two events, the 200 free (1:38.59) and the 500 free (4:27.99), two races where the senior is far ahead of the rest of the field. Two other names to watch are both from St. Xavier — UVA-bound senior Keefer Barnum, who will swim the 200 IM and 100 breast, and junior Aldan Johnston, who is entered in the 200 free and 500 free. St. Xavier will be looking to extend its KHSAA win streak to 29 after taking their 28th-straight title last year.