Concord Sweeps Blue Hen Conference Swimming Titles

Concord boys and girls teams dominate with multiple record-breaking performances

Feb. 1, 2026 at 4:31am

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The Concord High School boys and girls swimming and diving teams claimed the team titles at the Blue Hen Conference Championships, with the girls winning for the third straight year and the boys for the second. The meet featured six new conference records, including standout performances from swimmers like Grady Redding, Kylie Perkins, and Benjamin Kelly.

Why it matters

The Blue Hen Conference is one of the most competitive high school swimming conferences in Delaware, making Concord's dominant showing all the more impressive. The record-breaking swims also highlight the depth of talent in the state's swimming programs and the continued growth of the sport at the high school level.

The details

Concord's girls team won the meet with 440 points, led by a victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay and an individual win by Analiese Waid in the 50 freestyle. The Concord boys team won with 413 points, capping the meet with a win in the 400 freestyle relay. Other highlights included Brandywine breaking two relay records, Appoquinimink's Grady Redding setting new marks in the 200 and 500 freestyle, and Mount Pleasant's Kylie Perkins breaking the 100 butterfly record.

  • The Blue Hen Conference Championships were held on January 31, 2026.
  • Concord's girls team has now won the conference title for three straight years.
  • Concord's boys team has won the conference title for the second year in a row.

The players

Concord High School

The Concord High School boys and girls swimming and diving teams dominated the Blue Hen Conference Championships, winning both the boys and girls team titles.

Grady Redding

A swimmer for Appoquinimink High School, Redding set new conference records in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle events.

Kylie Perkins

A swimmer for Mount Pleasant High School, Perkins won four gold medals and set a new conference record in the 100 butterfly.

Benjamin Kelly

A swimmer for Christiana High School, Kelly set a new conference record in the 100 breaststroke.

Brandywine High School

The Brandywine boys swimming team broke two conference relay records at the meet.

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What they’re saying

“We didn't know if we could do it in the free relay, but we were all just getting hype behind the blocks – just go out there and see what we could do – and we got it done.”

— Will Ciecko

“It feels good to throw down that time, especially with how much we've been training.”

— Grady Redding

“I was really looking forward to this because my friends are here and it's a lot of fun. I went into it as, 'I'm going to have good form. I'm going to have fun.'”

— Kylie Perkins

What’s next

The swimmers who set new conference records will look to carry that momentum into the upcoming state championship meet.

The takeaway

Concord High School's dominant performance at the Blue Hen Conference Championships underscores the strength of its swimming and diving programs, while the record-breaking swims highlight the impressive talent pool in Delaware high school swimming.