Quaker Valley swimmers again have high expectations for 2023-24 season

By: Ray Fisher
Tuesday, January 2, 2024 | 2:11 PM

Quaker Valley’s Emily Connors is widely recognized as one of the blue-ribbon swimmers in the WPIAL.

She was coached at QV for three years by John Nemeth, who resigned following the 2022-23 season and has been succeeded by former Oakland Catholic/Central Catholic coach Merci McCarthy.

“I started coaching Emily as an 8-and-under in the Western Pennsylvania County Club swim league,” McCarthy said. “As a young swimmer, Emily told me she wanted to be the first-place champion in each age group, and so far so good. She is doing her best to stick to the plan.

“I expect more great swims from Emily.”

Connors has committed to North Carolina Wilmington and hopes to make her 2023-24 senior season the best among the four with the Quakers.

“I am hoping for PBs in my best events, the 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly,” Connors said. “I also hope to place higher in my events at WPIALs and states than I have in previous years. I’ve already gained a massive PB in the 50, so it’s a great step in the right direction.”

North Caroline Wilmington’s women’s swim team is the defending champion in the Division I Colonial Athletic Association, whose full members are located in East Coast states, ranging from Massachusetts to South Carolina. CAA schools consist of Campbell, Charleston, Delaware, Drexel, Elon, Hampton, Hofstra, Monmouth, North Carolina AT&T State, Northeastern, Stony Brook, Towson, UNCW and William & Mary.

Connors, who has a 4.2 GPA and is a National Honor Society member, plans to major in marine biology in college.

“I chose UNCW for the welcoming coaching staff, the rise of the program in recent years, and its highly rated marine biology program,” she said.

The QV swim standout has earned WPIAL and PIAA recognition in her high school career as a multiple medalist individually and as a relayer at both championship meets.

Connors reeled in four medals at last year’s WPIAL final, two in the relays and two in individual events. She placed third in the 100 butterfly and fourth in the 100 freestyle and holds the school record in both events (56.76 and 51.59).

Connors also earned four WPIAL medals as a freshman and sophomore, and is a multiple PIAA medalist.

“I have been right on my times and gotten a few PBs in some of my events,” she said. “As a whole, everyone is pretty much on their time, as well.”

Quaker Valley’s girls team has placed second, third and third at the WPIAL Class 2A finals the past three seasons.

“I’ve seen good improvement from the girls and it’s great,” said Connors, who also has competed for Steel City Aquatics, Moon Aqua Club, Sewickley Valley YMCA and at the Allegheny Mountain Swimming Zone competition. “We have a few contenders in the relays and I’m hoping to still place high at WPIALs and states. It is looking like the 200 medley (relay) is our best shot for that this season.”

Connors broke her own school record in the 100 free and eclipsed the 100 fly record set by Courtney South back in 1994.

“And Emily is a great asset to our relays,” McCarthy said.

Two other leading competitors for the QV girls are junior distance specialist Margaret Getty, a two-time WPIAL and PIAA qualifier, and senior Rena Gilligan (breast), who already has racked up WPIAL and MAC cuts.

Getty, who also swims for Steel City Aquatics, was a triple WPIAL medalist last season for the Quakers.

“My overall goal for the season is to be a strong contributor to the team,” Getty said. “For my individual goals, I plan to place at WPIALs in both of my events, as well as qualify for the PIAA meet.

Getty is a point-getter for several events but, as she said, “My best two are the 500 freestyle and 200 freestyle.”

Getty has a positive outlook toward the 2023-24 season as well as QV’s thriving swim program. The girls team has won four consecutive section championships.

“Although we have a smaller team this year, we have a number of strong returning swimmers (and) some solid talent with the incoming freshman,” she said. “Coupled with our seasoned coaches, we anticipate a strong showing by the girls team this season.

“I’m very excited to be a member of this swim program and its strong legacy of success. I except this to be a super competitive and exciting season.”

The three leading divers on the girls team — senior Katie Blackmer and juniors Ruby Olliffe and Ruby Krotine — are back this season.

The trio made quite the splash around the WPIAL last year.

“Qualifying three divers for the (WPIAL) meet is beyond impressive,” Nemeth said. “They set the girls team up really well heading into the swimming events.”

Olliffe, a two-time WPIAL Class 2A runner-up, finished sixth at the state meet in 2022-23.

“The divers are so entertaining to watch,” McCarthy said. “They really put on a wonderful show of talent. I remember Katie Blackmer’s diving shows she put on for us as a young diver at the Edgeworth Club pool.”

Turning to the QV boys team, Thomas Fuener and Ryan Steinfurth remain as two of the top athletes on the squad, which has only seven members.

Both Fuener, one of several QV athletes that hail from a swimming family, and Steinfurth, are juniors.

Fuener rates the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle as his best events. Steinfurth has advanced to the state meet in the 100 backstroke.

“The boys are low in numbers but high in talent,” McCarthy said. “The boys team has a lot of heart.”

Two promising newcomers for the Quakers are junior breaststroke specialist Aidan Hifri and sophomore distance swimmer Marcus Zhan from Sewickley Academy.

Fuener, Steinfurth, Hifri and Zhan are looking to make solid contributions in the 200 medley relay event.

The Quakers also are hoping for good results from top sophomore swimmers Austin Young, a freestyle specialist for the boys, and Alexa Westwood, a backstroke and 200 IM competitor for the girls.

“Austin Young is moving into the pack,” McCarthy said.

Other girls to watch this season include Mia Hrabovsky, a senior team leader, and Lydia Kilpela, a freshman from Sewickley Academy who has achieved WPIAL cuts in two events.

“Mia Hrabovsky motivates athletes to do their best,” McCarthy said. “You can never say ‘I can’t’ with Mia on deck.”

The WPIAL recognizes the Quaker Valley swim program as a cooperative effort between QV and Sewickley Academy. The varsity teams train and compete at the Sewickley Valley YMCA.

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