For the second time in their long history, the Fort Mill High School athletic department won the Carlisle Cup for the 2025-2026 academic year.
The Carlisle Cup solidifies every year the best athletic department in the state at the 5A Division II level and used to be known as the Athletic Director’s Cup. Fort Mill previously won the cup in the 2007-2008 school year.
“Great accomplishment for our entire athletic family – players, coaches, parents, administrators and all that support Fort Mill High School athletics,” said Dwayne Hartsoe, Fort Mill High Athletic Director. “To be recognized as the overall best athletic department in our 5A Division II in the entire state is amazing.”
The Carlisle Cup is given out to one school per classification. The South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association oversees the cup and bases standings on 24 sports as each school that make up the different programs.
Fort Mill finished second last year at the Division II level and had 990 points and was runner-up to Lucy Beckham by 60 points. This year they had 1130 and beat second place Chapin by 110 points. Lucy Beckham was third with 970 points.
Points for the Cup are accumulated through the playoff system as part of the South Carolina High School League. Fort Mill won five team state championships this past season with two in cross-country (boys and girls), two in track (boys and girls) and in boys’ wrestling, resulting in 100 points each time.
Fort Mill also finished as runners-up for state titles in both boys’ and girls’ lacrosse and boys’ and girls’ swimming. The Yellow Jackets won 12 Region championships and had every varsity team make the playoffs except one.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
