This was a big-time season, with historic success. Cathedral High School girls swimming featured a new head coach in 2025-2026, a season in which a young and talented swimmer helped the Irish to one of the most successful seasons in program history. “We had a pretty rockstar group of girls this year,” said Mandy Long, who was in her first season as head coach in ’25-’26 after spending two seasons as an assistant with the program. Sophomore Olive Cunningham qualified for the state meet in two events by winning two sectional titles, helping the Irish girls to a third-place finish at the Lawrence North Sectional. “We're very, very proud of her,” Long said of Cunningham. The Irish as a team finished the sectional with 253 points – behind only North Central with 488 points and Franklin Central with 429.5 points. “These girls really, whether they had swam with each other or not, kind of came from all different places and they just meshed so great together,” Long said. Cunningham won the 200-yard individual medley at the sectional, also winning the 100-yard backstroke. She won the 200 IM in 2:10.96 and the 100 back in 58.75, with both victories qualifying for the state meet. Cunningham finished 25th in the 200 IM at the state meet in 2:13.57 and 25th in the 100 back in 1:00.05. She was the first Irish girls swimmer to qualify for state meet in 13 seasons. “We have two more years with her, which is amazing,” Long said. “She was a great swimmer last year as a freshman. She trained throughout the offseason. She set a goal and she achieved that goal. Really, the possibilities are endless with Olive. “She's mentally prepared. She's physically prepared. I feel like we don't really do too much for her because she does a lot of it herself, which is amazing and that's exactly what you want as a swimmer.” The Irish in ’25-’26 won the City Title, also participating in the Munster Relays and Mooresville Invitational, with Cunningham setting a city record in the city meet. They also won the Warren Central Invitational. “That was amazing as well,” Long said. The 2025-2026 Irish girls were led by the following swimmers (with sectional results in parentheses): *Junior Olivia Thompson (fourth, 500 freestyle, 5:23.46; fifth, 50 free, 26.44). *Senior Kiernan Fahey (sixth, 100 breaststroke, 1:18.29; 12th, 200 IM, 2:31.72). *Senior Gabi Duke (sixth, 100 free, 59.30; seventh, 100 back, 1:07.10). *Freshman Claire Kruse (ninth, 200 freestyle, 2:09.24; 10th, 500 free, 5:56.29). *Senior Jamie Chechitelli (ninth, 100 butterfly, 1:09.17 11th, 50 free, 27.93.). *Freshman Deni Stone (10th, 100 free, 1:01.15; 14th, 50 free, 28.16). *Junior Ginny Neumeister (11th, 100 breast, 1:27.29; 16th, 200 IM, 2:48.21). *Junior Adelaide Howard (12th, 200 free, 2:16.10). The 200-yard medley relay – Duke, Fahey, Chechitelli and Thompson – finished fourth in 2:02.93 after narrowly missing setting the school record during the season. The 200 free relay – Chechitelli, Stone, Kruse and Fahey – finished fifth in 1:49.71. The 400 free relay – Cunningham, Duke, Kruse and Thompson – finished fourth in 3:56.54. “These girls, they act like a family,” Long said. “All across the board, they love each other very, very hard. They are also very hard on each other sometimes. They can be pretty tough with everyone, but I feel like that pushes all of them to be a better swimmer, a better teammate, a better friend – just a better human in general. “That was really, really special to see because they all went through some things, and those girls rallied behind each and every one of them. “Those girls really rallied behind each other. And that was amazing to see.” Long also lauded a strong senior class that provided leadership for an improving program. “They will be missed so much,” Long said “I had a very tough time setting who was captain. They all were collectively part of the leadership team. I had all the girls be on the leadership team because they all brought so many different things. It's going to be a bummer a little bit next year. We still have some great swimmers, but kind of a new dynamic coming in. “There were a lot of tears at sectionals, because they're realizing that this season is over and I think it was special for all of them.” Long was a 1998 Cathedral graduate, and assistant Katie Hasbrook – who swam collegiately for Purdue – was a 1995 Cathedral graduate who also qualified for the state meet in the 200 IM as a senior. “It was super, super cool being back coaching with her,” Long said. “Then having Olive make it to state was just unbelievable and so cool. It was a full-circle moment.” Added Long, “It was a great group of girls. I could not be prouder. I feel like we really did some big, big things this year and I just want to keep that momentum going.”