The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) held its WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Girls’ Swimming Championships this past Thursday and Friday at Joseph C. Trees Pool on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.

North Allegheny continued its reign by becoming a 29-time WPIAL girls’ swimming & diving team champion. The Tigers have now won 18 consecutive titles in Class 3A, a streak dating back to 2009. Their trophy case remains the most decorated in WPIAL history, with nearly three decades of combined titles.

In Class 2A, Indiana successfully defended its position at the top to become the team champion for the second year in a row, finishing with 284 points. They narrowly held off a strong push from runner-up Franklin Regional (277 points), while Shady Side Academy followed in third (214 points).

Individual history was headlined by several student-athletes who successfully defended their titles from 2025. Shady Side Academy junior Ava Jochims and Hampton senior Lainey Sheets both joined the elite group of multi-year champions by repeating in their signature events, while North Allegheny senior Claire Bacu maintained her grip on the distance freestyle event.

CLASS 3A RECAP
North Allegheny won its 18th consecutive Class 3A team championship with a point total of 495, finishing 138 points ahead of runner-up Fox Chapel. While the Tigers relied on their massive depth to secure the title, Fox Chapel made its presence felt by winning two of the three relay events.

The championships began with Fox Chapel winning the 200 medley relay, as the team of Cameryn Brindza, Ellie Lange, Josie Stanczak, and Charlotte Rusche finished in 1:43.94. North Allegheny took the silver medal with a time of 1:45.68, while Armstrong earned bronze at 1:49.68.

North Allegheny senior Claire Bacu won the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:50.13. She finished ahead of Fox Chapel junior Josie Stanczak (1:53.03) and North Allegheny teammate Julianne Weaver (1:53.60). Bacu later added a second gold medal in the 500 freestyle, touching the wall in 4:54.88 to sweep the distance events.

Fox Chapel freshman Ellie Lange took the gold in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:03.33. Peters Township senior Sophie Shao finished second in 2:06.18, and North Allegheny’s Tori Tieppo took third in 2:06.66.

Fox Chapel freshman Delaney O’Toole swept the sprints and backstroke, winning the 50 freestyle in 23.84 seconds and the 100 backstroke in 54.13 seconds. In the 100 butterfly, Fox Chapel junior Josie Stanczak took the gold with a time of 55.42 seconds.

Peters Township junior Ava Komorowski won the 100 freestyle in 51.06 seconds, while Kiski Area junior Leah Kunkle captured the 100 breaststroke title in 1:05.02.

North Allegheny won the 200 freestyle relay (1:35.49), but Fox Chapel closed the meet by winning the 400 freestyle relay in 3:28.12, followed by North Allegheny (3:31.02) and Pine-Richland (3:35.61).

CLASS 2A RECAP
Indiana won the Class 2A team championship for the second consecutive year with 284 points. The Indians utilized balanced scoring across all events to hold off a deep Franklin Regional squad that remained within striking distance until the final relay.

Shady Side Academy junior Ava Jochims was a standout performer, winning the 200 individual medley in 2:01.36 and the 200 freestyle in 1:50.72. She also contributed to Shady Side Academy’s wins in the 200 medley relay (1:48.18) and the 400 freestyle relay (3:31.92).

Winchester Thurston senior Thea Siegel swept the sprint events, winning the 50 freestyle in 23.41 seconds and the 100 freestyle in 51.11 seconds. Hampton senior Lainey Sheets was equally dominant in her specialties, winning the 100 butterfly in 54.21 seconds and the 100 backstroke in 54.94 seconds.

Other Class 2A individual winners included:

• Ava Jochims (Shady Side Academy): Added a third individual gold in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:59.98.
• Ella Kiger (Shady Side Academy): The freshman won the 100 breaststroke in 1:05.62.
• Franklin Regional Relay: The team of Scarlett Ruffner, Allyson Hilty, Gwen Thompson, and Catherine Shovlin won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:36.80.

Indiana’s victory was sealed by consistent podium finishes from Lily Vello, Sydney Anderson, and Morgan Grove, ensuring the trophy stayed in Indiana for another year.