Everette headed back to IU Natatorium to complete her Shelbyville career

Riley Everette will showcase her speed and her power Friday night at the Indiana University Natatorium at the IHSAA State Finals.

The Shelbyville senior qualified out of the New Palestine Sectional in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 butterfly. Winning the sectional title in the 100 butterfly was expected. Posting a time fast enough to qualify for the state finals in the 50 freestyle was a surprise.

“It was one we knew was going to be tougher,” said Shelbyville swimming head coach Coen Weiler. “We knew in the 100 butterfly she was the (sectional) favorite. The 50 freestyle we knew was there and would take a very good swim, a perfect swim. We knew it would be close.”

Close was an understatement. Greenfield-Central’s Selah Vahle touched the wall first in 24.35 seconds to get the automatic berth to the state finals. Everette finished in 24.38. Her time was fast enough to get a call to compete in the natatorium, the home pool for Indiana University Indianapolis where Everette will swim next season.

Everette will compete in the second of four qualifying heats Friday. She is seeded 24th overall out of 32 competitors but is just .36 seconds behind the 16th seed. 

The top 16 finishers Friday earn a return trip Saturday for championship and consolation races.

“Our goal was to make it,” said Weiler. “Now she gets to be a little more aggressive. She can play with house money in the 50 (freestyle) and really be aggressive and go after it.”

Everette, now a two-time state finals qualifier, sees the 50 freestyle as a warm-up race for her main focus of qualifying for Saturday’s consolation final in the 100 butterfly.

“My main goal for the 50 (freestyle) is to have fun,” said Everette. “The fact that I got there is a blessing.”

In 2025, Everette finished as the sectional runner-up in the 100 butterfly at the New Palestine Sectional. She was added to the state finals field where she placed 27th overall with a time of 58.94.

Everette had no competition in her strongest event at the 2026 sectional. The senior won the preliminary swim by nearly seven seconds and was the only competitor who finished in less than one minute in the championship race.

Everette’s time of 56.69 was a new sectional record and she broke her own school record of 57.01.

“Being able to have that experience last year makes me know what’s coming,” she said. “I know the environment and how loud it is. I know the feel of the water. This second time around, I can focus on my swim and not so much on what’s happening and being a new experience, because it is not a new experience.”

Everette is seeded 18th in the field of 32 Friday. She will compete in the second of four preliminary heats.

The plan, according to Weiler, is to match Park Tudor’s Abi Paton, who will be in the lane next to Everette, stroke for stroke to get a top 16 time. 

“Our goal is to get to Saturday,” said Weiler. “She can swim with a chip on her shoulder like she did last year in the sectional. That paid off with a state cut time. She didn’t get the win but she got that state cut time.

“Friday, she will be right next to a girl with a 55 high time, so the chip on her shoulder is chasing that girl. If she can beat (Paton), it all but guarantees a Saturday swim.”

Everette is the first Shelbyville swimmer to qualify for two state finals events since Karissa Hamilton in 2022. She finished 23rd in the 50 freestyle and 26th in the 100 freestyle.

Everette is seeking to become the first Golden Bear to compete on Saturday at the state finals since Grace Lux finished 14th in the 100 breaststroke in 2020.

“I will have a lot of emotion going into it,” said Everette. “My whole goal is to get to Saturday, especially being seeded 18th right now. I only have to move up a couple more spots.”

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