The George School swimming program delivered a championship performance for the history books, as both the Boys and Girls teams claimed Friends Schools League (FSL) titles at the league championships. This was the fourth consecutive FSL crown for the boys and the third straight championship for the girls team.

The Girls 200 Medley Relay of Lil Whittlemore '26, Gabby Karasinski '27, Quinn Jerardi ’27, and Ona Fox '26 set the tone for the day early, while the Boys 200 Medley Relay team of Mikko Kuittinen '26, Luke McCool '28, Anton Beregovoi '27, and Brydon Jordan '29 followed with a championship performance of their own.

Individual and relay victories continued throughout the meet. Quinn captured the Girls 50 Freestyle, while Luke won the Boys 200 Individual Medley. Mikko dominated the Boys 100 Butterfly and 100 Backstroke, Brydon claimed the Boys 100 Freestyle, and Lil earned the Girls 100 Backstroke title. Anton added a win in the Boys 500 Freestyle, while the Boys 200 Yard Freestyle Relay closed out the meet in record breaking fashion.

That relay — Mikko, Luke, Brydon, and Anton — made history by setting the Meet, Pool, Championship, and All Time FSL record with a time of 1:29.90, becoming the first team in league history to break the 1:30 barrier. Earlier in the meet, Anton also set a new George School record in the 200 Freestyle (1:43.01), and Mikko reset the school mark in the 100 Butterfly (51.80).

On the girls’ side, Gabby became the first female swimmer in school history to record a sub 25 second split, posting a 24.99 anchor leg in the 200 Free Relay.

For Head Coach Brandon Hullings, the sustained success of the program comes down to one essential quality.

“I wish I could say that I had an inspiring speech or otherworldly assistance,” Brandon said, “but I do believe the sustained success that the team has demonstrated is as simple as trust. The student athletes believe that each day, each practice, each set has a purpose beyond its completion.”

That trust was evident throughout the season as well. Both programs finished 10 1, with the girls’ only loss coming against Friends’ Central School and the boys falling once to The Pennington School. Along the way, George School swimmers set multiple pool and league records at Westtown and Blair Academy, underscoring the team’s consistency across venues and formats.

Brandon emphasized the willingness of swimmers to put the team first, even when it meant stepping outside their comfort zone.

“Teammates have the confidence to race in events that may not be their best or most liked because it is what is in the best interest of the team,” he said. “That buy in to the program and to each other’s success has been the most rewarding part of working with these students.”

For Quinn, the significance of being part of a program with this level of consistency goes far beyond medals or banners. “Being part of the GS swim program, with the kind of success we’ve had over the past three years, has meant a tremendous amount to me personally,” Quinn said. “I grew up swimming on a team that wasn’t very strong, so sustained success didn’t seem like much. But when I came to George School, I saw how the goal of the FSL titles was able to bring the whole girls’ team together, even though there were people of so many different levels.”

That sense of togetherness was evident throughout the meet, as swimmers stepped into unfamiliar roles and raced multiple events in the best interest of the team. Quinn won the Girls 50 Freestyle in a thrilling finish, touching the wall less than a tenth of a second ahead of the field.

“That race stood out to me as a defining moment,” they said. “I saw the excitement on my coaches’ faces and my teammates’ pride. I knew that I had done a good job for them and for our team — to make a difference in the points.”