By COOPER VAN DRIESSCHE
Fourteen Penn High School swimmers earned 2025-26 National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA) All-America honors, capping another historic season for the Kingsmen program with national recognition across 10 events.
The National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA) annually recognizes the nation’s top high school swimmers based on performances in individual and relay events. Penn’s selections include five individual honors and five relay honors between the girls and boys programs, highlighting the depth and continued success of one of Indiana’s premier swimming programs.
Penn Girls Swimming & Diving All-America Selections
● 200 Medley Relay – Ranked No. 65 nationally
○ Alayna Riggins (Class of 2026), Lauren McGrath (Class of 2027), Caroline Ball (Class of 2027), Molly Barnes (Class of 2027)
● 200 Individual Medley – Lauren McGrath (Class of 2027), Ranked No. 73
● 50 Freestyle – Alayna Riggins (Class of 2026), Ranked No. 86
● 100 Butterfly – Alayna Riggins (Class of 2026), Ranked No. 41
● 100 Backstroke – Molly Barnes (Class of 2027), Ranked No. 76
● 400 Freestyle Relay – Ranked No. 43 nationally
○ Alayna Riggins (Class of 2026), Aylin Bilgicer (Class of 2029), Lauren McGrath (Class of 2027), Molly Barnes (Class of 2027)
Penn Boys Swimming & Diving All-America Selections
● 200 Medley Relay – Ranked No. 16 nationally
○ Leo Ni (Class of 2026), Joshua Brown (Class of 2027), Joshua Seluzhitskiy (Class of 2027), Charles Christianson (Class of 2028)
● 200 Individual Medley – Max Barnes (Class of 2027), Ranked No. 30
● 200 Freestyle Relay, Ranked No. 16 nationally
○ Luke Temeles (Class of 2026), Gavin Crail (Class of 2027), Grayson Wells (Class of 2029), Charles Christianson (Class of 2028)
● 400 Freestyle Relay, Ranked No. 50 nationally
○ Sawyer Wells (Class of 2028), Gavin Crail (Class of 2027), Leo Ni (Class of 2026), Max Barnes (Class of 2027)
“We’ve always believed that if our athletes focus on doing the little things well each day, the results will take care of themselves,” said Head Coach John VanDriessche. “To have 14 different student-athletes earn All-America recognition says a lot about the depth of our program. This wasn’t the result of one or two standout performances, it was a team effort all season long. These swimmers earned the right to be
recognized amongst the nation’s best.”
The national honors cap a season filled with historic achievements for both Penn programs. The girls captured their seventh consecutive IHSAA Sectional championship before placing fifth at the IHSAA State Finals, while the boys claimed their third straight sectional title, set an IHSAA boys sectional state record with 590 team points, and earned the program’s third IHSAA State Runner-Up finish.
ABOUT PENN SWIMMING & DIVING
The Swimming & Diving Program at Penn High School is one of the premier high school programs in Indiana. The Kingsmen have earned six IHSAA State Runner-Up finishes – 1980 (Girls), 2005 (Boys), 2013 (Girls), 2024 (Girls), 2024 (Boys), and 2026 (Boys) – highlighting the program’s sustained excellence across generations. With a combined total of 57 IHSAA Sectional Championships and 51 Northern Indiana Conference titles, Penn Swimming & Diving has established itself as a dominant force in both boys and girls competition.
The Kingsmen are led by third-year head coach John VanDriessche, who has seamlessly carried forward the program’s championship legacy while injecting it with a fresh competitive edge. VanDriessche blends deep-rooted tradition with a relentless drive for excellence – and under his guidance, the Kingsmen haven’t just sustained their dominance, they’ve elevated it.
For more information, visit kingswimmin.com.
