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Bishop Lynch High School

Bishop Lynch High School
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Call It a Dynasty: Bishop Lynch Women’s Swim Team Wins Back-to-Back State Championships

| By: BLHS Sports Information
SAN ANTONIO, Texas —  For the third time in four years—and in back-to-back seasons—the Bishop Lynch women's swim team has won the TAPPS Division I state championship. The term "dynasty" is often thrown around casually, but since 2019, the Friars' women's swim team has truly earned that title. 

Bishop Lynch held off Ursuline (264 points) and St. Dominic Savio (240 points), scoring 309 to secure the school's 106th state championship. This accomplishment is even more remarkable considering that this year's team was expected to be in a "rebuilding" phase, with many new faces and underclassmen stepping into key roles. 

"Last year, we graduated six seniors who accounted for 172 individual points at the 2024 state meet—or 232 points when including relays," Head Coach Ross Myers said. "So, it's fair to say that no one, including the coaching staff, expected us to repeat this year. And yet, somehow, we managed to achieve this remarkable feat with only two seniors. It just proves that nothing is impossible when you put your mind to it and have the unwavering support of an entire community." 

In previous years, the Friars relied heavily on star swimmers like Stella Todd, Hadley Beeson, and Amie Perna to dominate events and secure all the points. But thanks to the foundation laid by those past teams, the program has grown to the point that it now qualifies multiple swimmers in every event, earning valuable points with finishes 4th-10th.

Despite several standout performances at Wednesday's state meet, the Friars didn't claim their first gold medal until the final race—the 400-yard freestyle relay. The team of Caroline Hays, Carolina Girard, Ella Whitney, and Grier Beeson not only won but crushed the competition by more than seven seconds. As the old saying goes, it's not about who stands on the podium first, but who gets to stand on it last. And in the end, it was Bishop Lynch hoisting the state championship trophy.

Grier Beeson and Ella Whitney played pivotal roles in securing the Friars' victory. Beeson, competing in her first state championship meet, earned four medals—silver in the 200 freestyle, bronze in the 100 backstroke, and two relay medals (silver in the 200 medley relay and gold in the 400 free relay). Whitney, in her second state appearance, totaled three medals: silver in the 200 IM, silver in the 200 medley relay, and gold in the 400 free relay. One of her most impactful swims was in the 100 butterfly, where she finished fourth but stole crucial points from Ursuline by dropping 1.58 seconds from her regional time.

Freshman Caroline Hays delivered another key individual performance, earning a bronze medal in the 500 freestyle—the most grueling event in the sport. She also contributed to both medal-winning relay teams.

On the men's side, the team of three had a strong showing, with Rush Trent turning in the standout swim of the day. He placed seventh in the 100 backstroke, but his time of 58.45 broke a Bishop Lynch school record that had stood since 2009, set by Jon Horak ('09).

"This is certainly a special and historic moment for BL Swim," stated Director of Athletics Alex Cantillo. "To go back-to-back is no easy feat, which speaks to this team's toughness, resilience, and determination. I know repeating as state champs has been a major goal from the start of their season, so I am extremely proud that they made it their reality. The future is as bright as ever for Swim here at Bishop Lynch, and I know we'll keep climbing from here."

Congratulations to all the student-athletes, coaches, fans, and administration on capturing the 2025 TAPPS Swimming State Championship. The 106th Bishop Lynch state championship banner will forever belong to Ema Barron, Grier Beeson, Caroline Ellis, Carolina Girard, Caroline Hays, Evie Leu, Ella Nichols, Penelope Peck, Emily Schwabe, and Ella Whitney.

For full individual results, click here.

For full team results, click here.

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