North Allegheny’s Izzy Costa wastes no time in breaking school record

By: John Grupp
Saturday, April 5, 2025 | 11:01 AM

North Allegheny track star Izzy Costa was likely to break the school’s 400-meter record at some point this spring.

But no one saw this coming.

At a season-opening tri-meet in mid-March, with nobody to push her and little at stake, Costa recorded a fully automated time of 55.86 seconds to erase one of the longest-standing marks in the NA track and field record books.

“That was unbelievable,” NA coach John Neff said. “It was a meet where the score was going to take care of itself. The wind was in her face. … There was no reason to be able to run fast right now.”

Costa, a Duquesne recruit, topped NA Hall of Famer Kelly Langhans’ record of 56.21 set in 2006 — before Costa was born.

“I was pretty excited,” Costa said. “I was hoping for it, so it wasn’t a shock or anything, but I definitely felt accomplished. I’ve definitely gotten faster this year.”

Costa entered the March 19 tri-meet with Shaler and North Hills hoping to break her personal-best of 56.41 set at the New Balance Indoor Nationals five days earlier. Costa, who won the WPIAL 400 title as a sophomore and took silver last year behind former teammate Mackenzie Winning, also had timed 56.70 in her fourth-place finish at the state indoor championships March 2.

On an unseasonably warm day at North Allegheny’s Newman Stadium, Costa finished nearly nine seconds ahead of the runner-up with a time that would have won the 400 at the past five WPIAL Class 3A championships.

“There wasn’t a lot of competition, but I figured I might as well try to break my own (personal) record,” Costa said. “I thought, ‘Run fast and when I’m tired at the end, just run faster.’ ”

Costa, who also won the 200 in 26.18 and the long jump with a personal-best leap of 18 feet, 4 inches, was named the Pennsylvania Athlete of the Week in voting by MileSplit.com.

Her next goal is to try to lead North Allegheny to its fourth consecutive WPIAL Class 3A team title. The Tigers lost defending WPIAL 400 champ Winning, who transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., but return a deep cast of experienced runners, jumpers and throwers complemented by a young, talented bunch of sprinters and hurdlers.

“We’re pretty solid everywhere,” said Neff, in his 22nd season. “I like our chances.”

Senior distance runner Robin Kucler, a Wake Forest recruit, is back to full strength after missing last season. As a sophomore, she placed top five in the WPIAL in the 1,600 and 3,200, and she was third in the 3,200 as a freshman.

“She’s doing great,” Neff said. “She’s in great form right now. It’s going to be a great season for her.”

Duquesne-bound seniors Kendall Lucas and Elizabeth Pizon, as well as senior Camille Swirsding and junior Maya Currie (fifth in WPIAL 400 as a sophomore), are top runners.

Kucler’s twin sister, Wren, a Penn State recruit, was banged up during cross country season but is “moving in the right direction” and will compete “probably earlier than people think,” Neff said.

The Tigers return three-quarters of the WPIAL champion 1,600 relay team (Costa, Lucas and Currie) and half of the WPIAL champ 3,200 relay team (Pizon and Lucas).

In the field events, the Tigers welcome back juniors Taylor Neese, who was fifth in the shot put at states last season, and WPIAL pole vault runner-up Taylor Breneman.

The Tigers have a busy weekend coming up. They were scheduled to host rival Butler on April 9 before competing in the Wildcat/Spartan Invitational on April 11 and the Tri-State Coaches Association Invite on April 12.

While the previous 400-meter record at North Allegheny lasted almost 19 years, Costa looks to rewrite her own mark this spring. She will try to reclaim her 400 title at the WPIAL Class 3A individual championships May 14 at Slippery Rock.

“The sky is the limit,” Neff said. “She’s already the fastest Tiger in history. There is no way she’s at her peak. I can’t imagine what’s going to happen by the end.”

Tags: North Allegheny