'Trailblazer for the sport.' Carmel boys lacrosse win state title in memory of Jack Meachum
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The mantra of coach Jack Meachum reverberated through the core of the Carmel boys lacrosse team. The squad navigated through the 2026 season and landed back in the championship circle with its sixth state title in program history with a 15-11 win over Culver Academy on May 30.
It was the team’s first state crown since the death of their former coach three years ago.
“The responsibility was huge, as seniors, we felt like this was our last chance to honor coach and the legacy he built at this program,” said Carmel's Aaron Fedorcha. “Coming into this season, we knew this year was special and it meant a lot to a lot of guys. We were playing for something bigger than ourselves.
"We were playing for coach Meachum.”
Meachum, who spent six years at the helm, led the Greyhounds to a state title in June 2023 before a car accident took his life the following August. His death shook the core of Carmel boys lacrosse, but his legacy has lived on.
In the years since Meachum’s death, the Greyhounds reached the state title game in 2024 and 2025 before they broke through this year. The 2026 season was a crowning moment, made possible by a group spearheaded by 13 seniors. Five of those veterans were members of Meachum’s final Carmel team in 2023.
Meachum is remembered for his overwhelming positivity and love for lacrosse. It was an energy that became embedded into the fabric of Carmel lacrosse. The kind of vigor that glowed in the team’s latest pursuit of championship gold.
The late coach owns real estate in Carmel lore with a legacy that is regularly celebrated. The Greyhounds wear a patch with his “JM” initials on their varsity jackets. It’s a way to keep him close. During every home game, before walking onto the field, each member of the team touches an honorary plaque as tradition. The annual Jack Meachum Classic is a game that raises money towards the Jack Meachum Scholarship — financial aid that is awarded to two senior lacrosse players that best reflect the character of Meachum.
“I just really remember him being super fiery person you’d want to be around,” said Carmel’s EB Warren. “He really fueled my love for lacrosse, in general, and that’s ultimately the reason I’m playing college now too … I remember him looking to him as a role model and I mean he still is in my eyes. He’s one of those figures in your life growing up that you want to resemble when you get older.
“He really did just embodied what a true leader is, in my opinion. He set a great example for me and my friends and my teammates and other coaches … he was a trailblazer for the sport.”
Meachum’s leadership was renowned outside of Carmel high school. A native of Naperville, Ill., he played high school lacrosse at Naperville North. He played two years at Aurora University before he transferred to Carthage College in Wisconsin. He spent two years as a graduate assistant before he moved to Indiana and helped run the True Lacrosse Indiana program and took over as coach at Carmel.
He was Carmel’s coach for six years before his death in 2023. By 2026, the Greyhounds were back on the grand stage having completed their state title season with a 16-2 record.
It was a quest supercharged by motivation. With one final chance at gold, the senior group wanted to reclaim supremacy. Meachum’s memory was present every step of the way.
“We believed that anything less than a state championship would be a disservice to all of us, and the senior played a big part in making sure nothing jeopardized that,” Fedorcha, a recipient of the Jack Meachum Scholarship, said. “All in all, we played for each other, and we were constantly reminded of coach Meachum throughout the entire season. We played every game for him, and we felt like we were able to honor his legacy with that win in the state championship.”
Staying true to Meachum’s motto, Carmel made it a great day on May 30. Greyhounds reached the summit of state glory at Brownsburg after back-to-back losses in the state title game. They vanquished a then-undefeated Culver Academy team for the ultimate prize in Class 2A.
Meachum was supposed to be there. Coaching on the sideline. Motivating his players and watching them come out on top. His death left a void in Indiana high school lacrosse. It struck a chord for the team, especially its senior class who united as a group and withstood all the adversity that got thrown at them.
"I think our senior class really resembled what coach Meachum wanted with the leadership and our no quit type of mindset," Warren said. "In a lot of games we were down ... in past years we weren't able to rally back but this year there was none of that. I think coach Meachum would be very proud of us and what we did this year and how we played."
Meachum shaped the future of Indiana high school lacrosse. He mentored with purpose. His tenacity as a coach elevated those with a stick. His supportive energy was felt at the 2026 state finals.
“I think he would start off by telling us how proud he was of us and how far each and every one of us had grown throughout the season and his time coaching us,” Fedorcha said. “I think he would be proud of the adversity we fought through all season, not letting the uncontrollable control us. I think he would just be proud of the men we had become, the bond and brotherhood we had built and the honor he had in coaching this team.
“There wasn’t a moment that day when we didn’t wish he could’ve been standing there with us, and as time goes on, we only miss him even more. But I know he was watching us, knowing we did it for him. I’m just glad we could bring this one home for him.”
Guerin Catholic claimed back-to-back state title in 1A
When you talk state title relevance, Guerin Catholic belongs in the conversation. The Golden Eagles won their second consecutive Class 1A state title with a 19-10 win over Evansville Memorial on May 30 — a rematch from the 2025 state championship game.
During a championship week where viewership was up 22% on the Indiana SRN broadcast, Guerin Catholic reigned supreme at Brownsburg. A site where the boys lacrosse semi-state and finals were hosted for the first time.
Gavin Soucie was named offensive MVP, while Magnus Mertes took home the honor of defensive MVP.
Marc Ray is a high school sports reporter at the IndyStar. He can be reached at [email protected] , and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Carmel boys lacrosse wins state title in memory of late coach Jack Meachum