Schmit: The 2025-26 IHSA school year, by the numbers
How was your school year?
Speaking on behalf of the 80-plus high schools in the Daily Herald coverage area, it seemed pretty darn good. From our territory up in Lake County, all the way through Cook, DuPage, Kane, McHenry and Kendall counties, IHSA titles came in bunches.
After the baseball tournament this weekend, we’ll put a bow on things until we unwrap again in August. Here’s a look at the 2025-26 school year, by the numbers.
16
The area amassed a good amount of team state titles this school year, although it fell shy of the 18 in 2024-25.
The list includes repeat champions (Barrington girls cross country and Montini football) as well four-peats from Hinsdale Central boys swimming and Stevenson girls water polo.
St. Francis won in football and Maine South in flag football. Naperville North boys soccer, Stevenson girls swimming, IC Catholic Prep and Marmion boys wrestling, Hampshire girls wrestling, Stevenson badminton, Wheaton Academy boys lacrosse, Antioch softball, Glenbard West boys volleyball and Stevenson boys water polo accounted for the other IHSA team titles.
61
Now that’s more like it. The total of state titles won by area individuals topped last year’s by eight, and that doesn’t include our many relay champions.
In some sports, we absolutely dominated. Every individual title in girls swimming, boys swimming and girls gymnastics was won by an area athlete.
Special shoutout to Hinsdale Central’s Vatev brothers, Luke and Matthew, who added seven swimming titles to their overflowing trophy case. They doubled the combined number of titles they had coming into this year.
9
Stevenson had quite a school year while winning a total of nine team, individual and relay championships. That includes the four team titles mentioned above.
Aria Grossenbach earned two swimming titles while Nelli Sandor added another. Vanessa Miecznikowski, Sandor, Linnea Florin and Claire Wang won the 200-yard medley relay final.
Kaitlyn Kim and Charlotte Richards were doubles champions in badminton.
18
Earlier this week, Warren basketball player Jaxson Davis announced a scholarship offer from Kentucky. According to On3, it’s the rising senior’s 18th Division I offer.
The list is impressive and includes defending national champion Michigan and fellow Final Four competitor Illinois. Nearly the entire Big Ten has jumped on the bandwagon — Purdue, Ohio State, Iowa, Northwestern and Indiana.
7
Naperville North’s boys soccer team returned to the champion’s podium in the fall, completing an unbeaten season with a shootout victory in the Class 3A final.
It was the program’s fifth state title and the first in seven years, when the Huskies capped a three-peat by going 26-0.
12
Is there a more consistent area program than Glenbard West boys volleyball?
The Hilltoppers won another state title last week, the sixth in program history, but that’s only one part of the dynasty. Glenbard West also notched its 12th straight top-four finish under coach Christine Giunta-Mayer.
Zero
A funny thing happened with the two doubles champions in girls tennis. Neither tandem lost a match in the fall.
In Class 1A, the duo of Vernon Hills’ Paulina Masherava and Kamila Tymarskis went 27-0 without losing a set. Wheaton Warrenville South sisters Riley and Reese Lepsi went 29-0 en route to the 2A title.
Four
Thanks to the state baseball tournament, we still have unfinished business.
Titles are on the line in four classes, featuring semifinalists Harvest-Westminster (2A); Crystal Lake South (3A); and Naperville Central, Maine South and Libertyville (4A).
The winner between Naperville Central and Maine South earns a spot in the final, while Libertyville aims for a second straight title on the other side of the bracket.