Another year, another championship.

That’s the goal for the Carmel High School girls swimming and diving team as it begins practice today. Carmel established a national record for girls sports last year with its 23rd consecutive state swimming championship.

“I think our expectations are very high again,” coach Chris Plumb said. “We have a great group of athletes and our goal is to further that tradition. There are a lot of great teams in the state, but we’re focused on ourselves and what we need to do.”

Plumb will rely on a strong group of 10 seniors, including Trish Regan , the defending champion in the 200-yard individual medley and part of Carmel’s winning 200- and 400-yard freestyle relay teams.

Other returning champions for the Greyhounds include senior Lauren Stauder (200 medley relay), junior Lauren Jordan (500 freestyle), junior Carly Marshall (400 freestyle relay) and junior Rhiannon Sheets (400 freestyle relay).

Champions back for more

Girls basketball practice also begins today and Central Indiana’s two defending champions — Ben Davis in Class 4A and Heritage Christian in 2A — start over with some new faces but high expectations.

Heritage Christian, a four-time defending champion, lost Emily Anderson , Kelly Faris and Claire Freeman to graduation but returns two starters in senior Kaycee Jones and junior Liz Stratman .

“We’re maybe not quite as strong with three players we lost — you can’t replace them,” Heritage Christian coach Rick Risinger said. “But we feel pretty comfortable with the group we have coming back.”

Heritage Christian opens at Northwest on Nov. 10.

Ben Davis is coming off a dream season — named the nation’s top team by multiple media outlets — capped by a 71-69 win over South Bend Washington in the 4A title game on a last-second shot by Bria Goss .

“Everybody thinks since we lost four good seniors, we’re going to drop off,” senior Dee Dee Williams said. “I think we can do even more than we did last year.”

Ben Davis is at Brownsburg on Nov. 14.

Decision on Thomas soon

Indiana High School Athletic Association commissioner Blake Ress said the athletic eligibility of 6-5 junior Chandler Thomas would be ruled on by the IHSAA “very soon.” Thomas, a starter for most of last basketball season as a sophomore at Pike, transferred to Cathedral this year.

Preseason Fab 15

We’re counting down the top boys basketball teams in Central Indiana on the high school insider blog at Blogs.IndyStar.com/preps. The preseason “Fab 15” will be unveiled in its entirety by the first day of practice Nov. 9. So far: No. 10 Howe, No. 11 Avon, No. 12 Cathedral, No. 13 Broad Ripple, No. 14 Lawrence Central, No. 15 Brebeuf Jesuit.