Alex Shackell named MaxPreps Female National Athlete of the Year

The REPORTER

Recent Carmel graduate Alex Shackell was named the MaxPreps 2024-25 Female National Athlete of the Year, the high school sports website announced on Tuesday.

Shackell was not only an all-time great athlete for the Greyhounds, but for Indiana high school swimming in general. Shackell won 15 individual state championships, becoming the first-ever four-time state champion in the butterfly event with a win during the 2025 state meet.

Shackell was also part of four state champion medley relays, three 400 freestyle relays and two 200 free relays. She also won the 50 free and a sophomore and the backstroke as a junior, all of which helped the ‘Hounds continue their long team state championship streak. Shackell is tied with Veronica Burchill for second-place on the all-time individual list, only 2016 Carmel graduate Claire Adams has more with 16.

In addition to the state and national accolades, Shackell became an Olympic gold medalist last year at the 2024 Paris Summer Games. She was part of the gold-medal winning, world-record setting 100-meter medley relay and picked up a silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle relay.

Shackell will being attending Indiana University in the Spring of 2026, using a hybrid schedule while continuing to train with Carmel Swim Club, according to a story on swimswam.com.