Latrobe’s Bell, Mt. Pleasant’s O’Conner commit to D-I schools
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Monday, September 16, 2024 | 4:41 PM
A pair of local swimming standouts have made commitments to NCAA Division I programs.
Seniors Lauren Bell of Latrobe and Kiersten O’Conner of Mt. Pleasant are primed for the next level. Bell will compete at Marshall, and O’Conner is headed to Connecticut.
Other offers for Bell came from James Madison, Duquesne, Buffalo and East Carolina. But she felt a connection to the Thundering Herd in the Sun Belt Conference.
“Several factors went into my decision,” Bell said. “First was the coach, where I would fit on the team, the team atmosphere and academic programs.”
Bell’s main events are the 50- and 100-yard freestyles and the 100-yard butterfly. She claimed a pair of silver medals at last year’s WPIAL championships and has eight WPIAL medals overall to go with one from the PIAA finals.
O’Conner, who has 10 WPIAL medals and nine from PIAA competition, plans to stick with the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke when she greets the Big East but said she will add a third event, potentially the 100 free or the 200 back.
She won WPIAL titles last season in the 50 free, in a repeat, and contributed to the 200 free relay. She was second in the 100 back because of a scoring review but has the school record in the event.
At the PIAA meet, she won the 50 free and was part of the 200 medley relay.
“There was a lot that went into my decision to pick UConn, but a few of the reasons were that their school has a great program for my intended major (communications) with lots of great internship opportunities,” O’Conner said. “And I fell in love with the large, beautiful campus and, of course, the swim team. The coaches are amazing, and the girls are so kind. I did have some other offers, but when I received an offer from Connecticut I knew that’s where I wanted to go.”
National Signing Day is Nov. 13.
Bell swims for Greater Latrobe Aquatic Club, and O’Conner swims for Mt. Pleasant Aqua Club.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant
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