photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State's Ella Marsh swims in the 200-yard individual medley at the 6A state swim and dive meet on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in Lenexa.

Free State swimmer Ella Marsh finished her first year as the Sunflower League champion, 6A state champion and now a National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association All-American.

Marsh earned an All-American consideration time at the Sunflower League meet, in which she finished the 200-yard individual medley in two minutes, 4.21 seconds, which was also a league record. Two weeks later, Marsh beat that time to win the 6A state tournament with a 2:02.80 time.

The state championship time put her 88th in the country and secured her NISCA All-American status.

Marsh finished eighth in the country among freshmen in the race and was the only Kansan with a top-100 time in the event. She also finished 8.41 seconds behind the nation’s leader, a junior from New Jersey with a 1:54.39 time.

Marsh was the only swimmer from Kansas to earn All-American honors this year, but Marsh was joined by Olathe East’s junior diver Irene Gettya as an All-American. Gettya earned her third 6A state championship in diving, and she broke the state record of 538.45 from 1998 with a 570.95 score.

What’s exciting about Marsh is how much improvement is still ahead of her. Free State coach Janna Skinner said Marsh is just scratching the surface for her career, which could mean more records and more All-American honors in the future.

“I’m so excited,” Marsh told the Journal-World after the Sunflower League meet. “It’s definitely possible (to break the state record) in the future toward my junior, senior years. If I keep training like I have been and keep up with all my different factors and make sure I show up to practice, the state record is definitely possible.”

The last Firebirds to become All-Americans were Bradie Ward, Halle McCullough, Liza Engelbrecht and Samantha Packard, who finished 78th in the country in the 200-yard medley relay at 1:45.29 in 2022.