Not only are they preparing for the 2011-12 high school season, which starts next month, but some seniors have been finalizing their college plans.

Stenkvist to USC: Panther Creek's Henriette Stenkvist burst onto the North Carolina high school swimming scene by setting a state record in her freshman year.

Next year, she'll try to have the same immediate impact at the University of Southern California.

Stenkvist, now a senior, and already the winner of seven state gold medals including relays. Though that state record in the 200-yard freestyle has since been broken, Stenknvist earned co-MVP of last year's 4A state championships.

The Catamounts finished third in last year's 4A state championships behind conference foes Cary and Apex.

Stenkvist, who could be swimming for the Swedish national team in the 2012 Olympics, already holds that country's record in the 200 backstroke.

She is ranked the top girls swimmer in North Carolina and 15th nationally by collegeswimming.com.

Tomlinson picks Pack: Apex's Hayley Tomlinson, ranked the state's seventh-best swimmer by collegeswimming.com, will be competing in the ACC next year.

Tomlinson will sign with N.C. State next month.

Apex won last year's 4A state championship with the help of Tomlinson, who won the 100-yard breaststroke and finished third in the 200-yard IM.

Tomlinson also swam on the Cougars' state-record breaking 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams.

Heels land DeForest: Another Apex swimmer decided to swim for an ACC team next year when Mitch DeForest committed to UNC-Chapel Hill.

Deforest won the 500-yard freestyle in last year's 4A state championships and took second in the 100-yard butterfly.

DeForest is rated as the state's fifth-best swimmer.