Quaker Valley freshman Fuener makes splash in freestyle

By: Karen Kadilak
Friday, January 31, 2020 | 5:14 PM

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Quaker Valley freshman swimmer Ella Fuener is not super-competitive, coach Alexis Glenn said, but she’s still among the team’s best performers.

Fuener has qualified for the WPIAL Class AA championship meet in late February in two events individually. Her time of 26.41 seconds in the girls 50-yard freestyle is on the list of top times in WPIAL Class AA.

She achieved the mark in the first meet of the season in December, which surprised her.

“The qualifying time was much faster than my top time when I started the season,” she said.

She later went 58.58 in the 100 freestyle.

She also made cuts in the three relays. The 200 freestyle team of senior Sophie Besterman, Fuener, junior Halle Wagner and sophomore Isabel Huang (1:47.50) ranks third in WPIAL Class AA.

The Quakers, who are part of a cooperative sponsorship with Sewickley Academy, were off to a 5-0 start in Section 2-AA.

“It is fun to see my times drop,” Fuener said. “That keeps me motivated.”

Glenn said drive is one of Fuener’s strongest attributes.

“She is always willing to give it her all, be it in practice or a meet,” Glenn said. “I know I can always count on her.”

Fuener said her goals are to help the Quakers win the section title and keep seeing her times drop.

The Quakers expect to be contenders for their first WPIAL crown.

Tags: Quaker Valley