Latrobe senior Chris Heese pumped up for PIAA swim meet

By: Mike Kovak
Monday, March 9, 2026 | 5:27 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Latrobe senior Chris Heese hopes to deliver a powerful message this week.

A two-time WPIAL Class 3A gold medalist in the 100-yard breaststroke, Heese took a different approach in preparation for the PIAA swimming and diving championships, which take place Wednesday through Saturday at Bucknell University in Lewisburg.

Heese hit the weight room. Hard.

“I’ve been lifting more during my taper,” Heese said Sunday. “In previous years, we cut off lifting earlier. This year, Thursday was my last big lift.”

Heese, a four-time PIAA qualifier and Swarthmore College recruit, along with the Latrobe coaching staff believe the extra reps will provide a boost in performance.

He enters Wednesday’s competition as the top seed in the 100 breaststroke after winning a second WPIAL title in 54.49 seconds at Pitt’s Trees Pool, just nine-hundredths of a second off the meet record (54.40) set by Olympian Josh Matheny in 2021.

“I think it’s going to help us a lot. I felt pooped and felt weak after states last year,” Heese said. “Right now, I’m feeling strong, feeling good.”

Also seeded 11th in the 50 freestyle (21.12), Heese feels he’s primed to finish at or near the top of the medals stand after a near-miss with a ninth-place finish a year ago.

Entering this season, Heese wanted a top-five finish, but his performance at WPIALs and the new training regime adjusted his expectations.

“He has been committed to practices and training, and it’s paid off when he’s done big meets,” Latrobe coach Grey Arrigone said. “He’s done everything to get prepared. He’s been great to coach.”

Heese isn’t the only Westmoreland County representative entering the competition as the top seed.

The WPIAL-winning Franklin Regional girls 200 free relay team of senior Magdalena Hull, junior Jamie Kociela, freshman Anna Tomasic and junior Scarlett Zolnak is the top seed in 2A girls (1:36.80), more than two seconds faster than the rest of the field. The 400 free relay — Hull and juniors Phoebe Boswell, Aidah Holm and Zolnak — is seeded second (3:34.96). The 200 medley relay team (senior Amelia Oats, Tomasic, Holm and Kociela) is the eighth seed (1:50.57).

Tomasic has the second-best qualifying time in the 100 free (51.67) and third-best in the 500 free (23.70). Zolnak is fourth in the 100 backstroke (58.23), Hull is seeded sixth in the 200 free (1.55.47) and Holm is seventh in the 100 butterfly (58.70).

Southmoreland senior Allison Stinnett is fifth in the 50 free (24.2-0)

Several others are among the top-eight seeds in their respective events.

In boys Class 3A, Latrobe senior Charlie Thomson is seeded sixth in the 100 butterfly (49.64) and Franklin Regional junior Thomas Westerman is fourth in the 500 freestyle (4:33.48) and seventh in the 200 free (1:40.91).

In boys Class 2A, Belle Vernon senior Brady Malekovich is third in the 50 freestyle (21.22), followed closely in fourth by Mt. Pleasant senior Gunnar Probst (21.25).

WPIAL diving champion Noah Lahm of Mt. Pleasant is among the boys hopefuls. On the girls side, Derry teammates Gena Hoyle (second at WPIALs) and Lidia Gamble (third) are among the top competitors.

The 3A meet takes place Wednesday and Thursday. The 2A championships follow on Friday and Saturday.

Tags: Latrobe