Westmoreland high school notebook: Norwin’s Schmidt picks Duquesne

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, January 5, 2025 | 3:28 PM

A sprinter doesn’t have to do everything fast.

Norwin senior Mel Schmidt took her time and weighed the pros and cons of college recruiting carefully before deciding on a school.

The track and field standout made sure her future destination checked all the boxes.

That future school is Duquesne, a program that has kept a close eye on Norwin athletes over the years.

“A lot of things went into my decision,” Schmidt said. “First off, it’s a great school in its entirety. The coaching staff also played a big role in my decision. I feel coach (Brian) Reed along with all the other coaches will help me improve a lot. The facilities at Duquesne are also very nice, too.”

Schmidt will take aim at a high level of competition in the Atlantic 10, likely running the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes.

She will follow teammate and fellow senior Brandi Brozeski to Duquesne. Emily Brozeski, another former Norwin standout, recently finished her college career with the Dukes.

Brandi Brozeski pulled an upset when she won the 100 at last year’s Baldwin Invitational. Delaney Schumaker of South Fayette was the favorite, but Brozeski edged her with a time of 15.01 seconds.

Last spring, she placed third in the WPIAL Class 3A 400 in 57.5 seconds. She was the track MVP at the WCCA meet, where she won four medals.

“It means a lot to me to be a D-I athlete,” Schmidt said. “I’m excited to compete at that level. It was one of my main goals, and it feels good to finally reach that. Hard work pays off.”

Schmidt is the second member of her family to commit to a Division I program. Her brother, Pedro, who also attended Norwin, went to North Dakota for football and track before transferring to Rhode Island.

Fit for a King

Mt. Pleasant’s Lily King has a chance to cap her swimming career with an elite achievement.

King, an Olympic hopeful who already has experienced the Olympic Trials, could become the first WPIAL swimmer to win eight WPIAL and eight PIAA championships, the maximum for the medal stand.

This King could be the queen of the pool.

King, an N.C. State commit, won six WPIAL championships, six state titles and four relays in her illustrious career.

She has WPIAL records in the 50-, 100- and 200-yard freestyles. She has the PIAA record in the 50 and 100 free.

The state record in the 200 free is on her bucket list.

Ivy offer for Heisler

Harvard is the latest college football program to extend a playing opportunity to Hempfield junior Brock Heisler.

A 6-foot-3, 250-pound two-way tackle and long snapper, Heisler also has offers from Princeton and Arkansas State.

• Belle Vernon baseball player Lucas Judy will play at Division III Pitt-Greensburg.

• Norwin senior football lineman Colin Bruno has a scholarship offer from Division II Seton Hill.

• Macallister Bresnahan, a senior football player at Franklin Regional, also was offered by Seton Hill.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Hempfield, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin