By Keith Dunlap on SwimSwam
2026 North Carolina High School Athletic Association 7A State Championships
Feb. 12, 2026 Cary, N.C. SCY (25 yards) State meet websiteIt was a long-awaited return to the top for the Cardinal Gibbons’ girls’ team, and a repeat for the school’s boys squad at the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 7A Swimming and Diving Championships.
Both programs swam at the NCHSAA 4A state meet last season, but were in 7A this year with the NCHSAA expanding from three state meets to six.
Girls’ Recap
Cardinal Gibbons easily won its first state title in 17 years thanks in large part to junior Nikki Nixon and sophomore Campbell Lange, who each won two individual events and were a part of two winning relays teams.
Committed to Georgia, Nixon won the 100 fly in 52.69 and the 100 back in a personal best time of 53.89. Nixon, who repeated as champion in the 100 fly, was named MVP of the meet.
Lange won the 50 free in 23.36, tying her personal best time, and the 100 free in 51.19.
In the 200 medley relay, the team of Nixon (25.67), Grace Pereira (28.15), Chandler Daigle (25.32) and Lange (23.88) won in a time of 1:43.02.
Nixon’s time was a personal best in the 50 back.
Cardinal Gibbons also won the 400 free relay behind the squad of Nixon (51.62), Ellie VanderWall (52.33), Amelia Peterson (52.83) and Lange (51.38) in 3:28.16.
The 200 free relay was won by Marvin Ridge’s team of Macie McCarter (24.23), Ivana Kerestes (24.22), Morgan Knox (23.52) and Madison Winardi (23.28) in 1:35.25.
Other individual winners were:
Hopewell senior Sophia Pero, a Texas A&M commit, won the 200 free in 1:50.54. McCarter, a senior and Ohio State commit, captured the 200 IM in 2:03.02. The diving competition was won by Lake Norman’s Gabriella Panichella, who had 382.5 points. Julia Zettler, a freshman from Weddington, won the 500 free in 4:57.80. Pereira, a junior and Auburn commit, won the 100 breast in 1:02.52.Girls Team Standings — Top 5
Cardinal Gibbons, 421 Marvin Ridge, 267.5 Weddington, 228 Cary, 190.5 Hopewell, 128Boys’ Recap
It was a record-setting performance for Marvin Ridge senior and Auburn commit Mike Rice, who set a new state record in the 100 fly with a time of 46.72. The time was just off his personal best of 45.89 set in December, but it broke the previous state record of 46.94 set in 2023 by Lucca Battaglini of Durham Arts.
Named the MVP of the meet, Rice also won the 200 free in a time of 1:36.03.
In addition, Rice was a part of two winning relay teams for Marvin Ridge.
The squad of Caleb Winardi (23.53), Rice (24.22), Dylan Stewart (22.56) and Colton McBryde (21.19) won the 200 medley relay in 1:31.50.
In the 200 free relay, the quartet of Rice (19.64), McBryde (21.75), Thomas Bai (21.62) and Stewart (21.26) won in a time of 1:24.27.
The Cardinal Gibbons team of Joseph Froehlich (47.60), Ronan Cornpropst (46.77), Brian Happ (47.76) and Drake (45.96) won the 400 free relay in 3:08.09.
Cardinal Gibbons outlasted runner-up Marvin Ridge by 33 points on the strength of its relay win, two other individual event victories and qualifying four of the eight divers at the meet.
Jacob Anderson, a senior and George Mason commit, won the 200 IM in 1:49.95.
Later, Liam Drake, who has committed to Georgia Tech, swam a personal best time of 4:23.32 to capture the 500 free.
The other multiple event winner was Page senior Albert Smelzer, who has committed to Cal.
Smelzer was the sprint freestyle king, winning the 50 free in 19.89 and the 100 free in 44.36.
Other individual event winners were:
Lake Norman’s Tobin Tise won diving with 319.25 points. Sanderson sophomore Cody Watts triumphed in the 100 back with a time of 49.57. Reagan senior Tyler Burton won the 100 breast in 55.68.Boys Team Standings — Top 5
Cardinal Gibbons, 359 Marvin Ridge, 326 Chapel Hill, 177 Ronald Reagan, 163.5 Page, 126
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