While the girls swim and dive team was collectively making history with an almost undefeated season, one Carlisle diver was turning heads as she repeatedly broke records of not only CHS, but multiple other schools as well.

Junior Laura McIlhenny has been diving since the summer before her freshman year. After being a gymnast for ten years and enduring a few serious injuries, she decided to make the transition into diving, hoping it wouldn’t be as hard on her body.

In order to prepare for the season, McIlhenny does a large amount of preparation on her own, though she also began working with a club team last spring.

“I like to walk and I try to do that as often as possible with my dad but especially nights before meets or a few days prior to meets. We talk about my list and what I need to do in order to do my dive well,” she said. “The best thing that I can do though is pray about it; ask for strength and confidence and thank God for the opportunities I have and the accomplishments I’ve had.”

McIlhenny entered this season with the goal of breaking the 11-dive record at Carlisle and various pool records at different schools. She broke the 6-dive record multiple times throughout the season and, at the Southwestern Diving Invitational, succeeded in beating the former CHS 11-dive record as well as the host school’s 11-dive record. McIlhenny recently broke Big Spring High School’s 6-dive pool record two weeks in a row, the second break by over 30 points.

Just a week before District Championships, McIlhenny encountered some bad luck. During a reverse one and a half somersault tuck at practice, she had a bad hurdle and smacked her hand on the board, leaving her with a broken pinky that required five stitches.

At Districts on March 4 and 5, McIlhenny overcame the physical limitations of her hand injury and placed in fifth, qualifying her to compete in the State Championships.

“I really wasn’t happy with the outcome of districts.  I wished I had more time on the board to practice in the week prior and I wished I had a better day because I just know I didn’t do my best which was hard on me,” McIlhenny said. “But I also know that everything happens for a reason and I have to accept what I get and be thankful for the blessing.”

At States, McIlhenny made the first cut but unfortunately, in a very close meet, did not make the second.

“I was in 18th place and was only 10 points from 10th place. That’s how tight it was,” McIlhenny said. “It was a little disappointing but still a great experience and an honor to be there.”

Though the season may have ended for McIlhenny at States, the season was incredibly impressive nonetheless. Which begs the question…how does she do it?

“My faith really plays into the whole thing because it’s where I get my strength and my ability,” McIlhenny said. “I like to pray about what I do and it gives me the ability to just trust that I will be okay doing whatever it is I have to do, considering a lot of it is pretty scary.”

Be sure to keep an eye on this CHS athlete as she returns for another record breaking season her senior year.