WCCA swimming championships should have different look this year

By: Paul Schofield
Thursday, January 22, 2026 | 9:01 PM

There will be numerous new champions at the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association swimming championships this weekend.

That is because the amazing group of Mt. Pleasant swimmers are now competing in college.

Only Southmoreland junior Allison Stinnett returns as champ. She won the 200-yard IM and 100 breaststroke last year.

This year, she is competing in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.

The championship begins 5 p.m. Friday with the diving competition at Derry Area High School.

The swimming portion begins 10 a.m. Saturday.

The Mt. Pleasant boys and girls were the Class 2A team champions in 2025, and the Kiski Area girls and the Franklin Regional boys took the Class 3A crown.

The Franklin Regional girls look to have a strong team. They have numerous top seeds.

The individuals are senior Magdalena Hull (200 freestyle and 500 freestyle), freshman Anna Tomasic (50 freestyle and 100 freestyle), junior Aidah Holm (100 butterfly) and junior Scarlett Zolnak (100 backstroke).

The three relay teams (200 IM, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle) are seeded No. 1.

The Franklin Regional boys have two swimmers seeded No. 1: junior Thomas Westerman (200 freestyle and 500 freestyle) and senior Peter Ducruet (100 breaststroke).

The Panthers’ three relay teams (200 IM, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle) are seeded No. 1.

Kiski Area junior Leah Kunkle is the top seed in the 200 IM.

On the boys side, Latrobe senior Chris Heese (200 IM and 100 backstroke) and senior Charlie Thomson (100 butterfly and 100 freestyle) are No. 1 along with Mt. Pleasant senior Gunnar Probst (50 freestyle).

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional