By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor

The Indiana High School Swim Coaches’ Association has released its preseason poll for the 2009-10 boys swimming season, and seven-time state champion Munster will start the year off at No. 1. 

Based on a theoretical scoring system from a 16-place meet using the times/scores of the returning Top 20 individuals from sectionals and state finals as well as the best regular-season times of the 2008-09 season, the Mustangs – whose last title came 30 seasons ago in 1980 – tallied 112 points. 

That was just three more than No. 2 Carmel (109), with Fishers (94), Hamilton Southeastern (90), and two-time defending state champ Chesterton (81) rounding out the preseason first five. Relays and diving will not be incorporated into the ratings system until the third week of the upcoming regular season.

Teams are listed by ranking followed by school and vote total. The IHSSCA’s preseason Top 53:

1. Munster 112 
2. Carmel 109 
3. Fishers 94 
4. Hamilton Southeastern 90 
5. Chesterton 81 
6. Concord 55 
7. Bloomington South 46 
8. Yorktown 40 
9. Seymour 36 
10. Castle 35 
11. Michigan City 34 
12. Northridge 33 
13. Jeffersonville 32 
13. Westfield 32 
15. Noblesville 31 
16. Terre Haute South 28 
17. Brownsburg 27 
18. Delphi 23 
18. Floyd Central 23 
20. Guerin Catholic 22 
20. North Central (Indianapolis) 22 
20. Rensselaer 22 
23. Brebeuf 21 
24. Zionsville 20 
25. Homestead 19 
26. Anderson Highland 18 
27. Bedford North Lawrence 17 
28. Crown Point 17
28. Plainfield 17
28. Valparaiso 17
31. New Palestine 16
32. Oak Hill 15
32. Portage 15
34. East Central 14
34. Franklin Central 14
36. Avon 13
36. Center Grove 13
36. Muncie Central 13
39. Lake Central 12
40. Warsaw 11
41. Wawasee 9
42. Eastern Greene 7
43. Huntington North 5
43. LaPorte 5
45. Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran 4
46. Fort Wayne Snider 3
46. Hamilton Heights 3
46. West Lafayette 3
46. Whiteland 3
50. Goshen 2
50. New Castle 2
50. West Vigo 2
53. Elkhart Central 1