NEW HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED

The Indiana High School Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame has chosen its 2011 inductees. The 25 former swimmers, divers, coaches, officials and other contributors will be formally inducted at a ceremony next April in Indianapolis. Each one will also be honored with a plaque that will hang in the concourse of the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis.

Yorktown swimmers and their parents will see some familiar names on the list, which includes several athletes and coaches the Tigers faced over the years in this part of Indiana.

Here are the 2011 Hall of Fame inductees:

Swimmers

Michelle McKeehan, Center Grove High School, 2004-08
Jenny Connolly, West Lafayette Harrison High School, 2004-08
Trish Regan, Carmel High School, 2006-10
Brook Monroe, Floyd Central High School, 1993-97
Susan Hentschel, Indianapolis North Central High School, 1999-2003
Lacey Boutwell, Noblesville High School, 1997-2001
Jayne Kremer, West Lafayette High School, 1974-76

Kyle Whitaker, Chesterton High School, 2006-10
Michael Christy, Indianapolis North Central High School, 2003-07
Ben Wachtel, Westfield High School, 2004-08
Mike Slowey, South Bend Adams High School, 1972-76
Mark Mamula, South Bend Clay High School, 1970-74
Robert Beck, Merrillville High School, 1979-82
Jack Deppe, Bloomington High School, 1967-71
David Buchanan, South Bend Riley High School, 1957-61
John Buchanan, South Bend Riley High School, 1956-60

Divers

Sara Gonso, Indianapolis North Central High School, 1997-2001
Kari Retrum, Hamilton Southeastern High School, 1998-2002

Caleb Dunnichay, Elwood High School, 2002-06

Coaches

Chris Plumb, Carmel High School
Andy Pedersen, Hamilton Southeastern High School
Richard Fetters, South Bend Riley High School
Kurt Haas (Diving), Franklin Community High School
Chuck Chelich (Diving), Munster High School

Special Contributor

Nancy Gulliver, Official

Boutwell still holds the IHSAA State Meet records in both the 50-yard freestyle (:22.90 as a freshman in 1998) and 100-yard freestyle (a sizzling :49.77 as a senior in 2001). In fact, Boutwell is the only competitor in the history of the girls' State Meet ever to break :50 in the 100.

It should also be pointed out that former Yorktown High School star and current Miami Hurricane Kelsi Hall bettered Boutwell's record time in the 50-yard freestyle during her prep career. Hall blistered the water at the 2007 Hamilton Southeastern Sectional, throwing down a jaw-dropping :22.85 in the preliminaries on her way to one of three-consecutive state championships in the 50. But the IHSAA only allows times recorded at the State Meet to be considered state records, so Kelsi has to settle for the personal satisfaction of being the fastest girl in the history of the sport at the high school level in Indiana.

Hopefully, Kelsi's accomplishments will someday qualify her for induction into the Hall of Fame. She certainly deserves it.

GO TIGERS!