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Sunday, January 5, 2025 | 11:01 AM
Quaker Valley coaches Mercedes McCarthy and Vernon Yenick are looking forward to several — if not more — spectacular performances by senior diver Ruby Olliffe this season.
A veteran diving athlete, Olliffe qualified for states again last year after securing the WPIAL Class 2A runner-up position. She finished fourth at the PIAA championships.
“Ruby achieved her WIP (WPIAL qualifying) cut after her initial meet,” McCarthy remarked. “She excels in the more complex dives and showcases exceptional artistry in her execution. She truly knows how to captivate an audience. We anticipate her accomplishments in her final year of high school diving will be remarkable.”
Yenick serves as the diving coach at Quaker Valley.
“I hold high hopes for Ruby this year,” Yenick stated. “She’s diving at an all-time high and has participated in various USA diving competitions with significant success.
“Ruby’s strength has advanced: her jump off the springboard and her entries into the water are impressive. Her rip entry is outstanding. She is training under several coaches, which is common among elite diving athletes, and has adapted well to different coaching techniques.”
Olliffe plans to pursue her diving career at Bucknell next year. Situated in Lewisburg, Bucknell competes in the NCAA Division I Patriot League.
“Ruby ranks among the most skilled divers I’ve witnessed in the sport. Her diving is elegant, powerful, and incredibly precise,” Vernick expressed. ”Physically, she is feeling excellent, and I am confident this will be her most successful season.”
Olliffe and swimmer Margaret Getty are the only seniors on the QV girls swim team this season. Both advanced to state finals last year.
Getty qualified for PIAA Class 2A championships in four events, moving forward in the 200- and 500-yard freestyles and two relays.
Getty achieved a personal-best time of 1 minute, 57.10 seconds to place fifth in the 200 free at last year’s WPIALs. Additionally, she logged a PR of 5:19.48 to take third in the 500 free.
“Without a doubt, Margaret will achieve her WIP cut in every event,” McCarthy noted, “however, her passion lies in the distance races. Already earning WIP cuts in both the 500 and 200 freestyles this season, her goal is to reach the podium at the states.”
In the junior class for Quakers, Alexa Westwood returns as a state swimmer who contributes speed to the relays. Westwood qualified for WPIAL in the 100 backstroke.
“Alexa excels in the 100 backstroke and the 50 and 100 freestyles,” McCarthy remarked, “all of which she has achieved her MAC cuts in.”
MAC cut signifies the time standard required for an athlete to qualify for the Midwestern Athletic Conference meet.
“It’s a significant local meet held at Moon High School in February,” McCarthy explained. “It’s a considerable achievement for the athletes to achieve those (WIP and MAC) cuts.”
QV is part of the MAC and also collaborates with Sewickley Academy in swimming and diving.
QV junior Kendra Hines shows a preference for distance events, particularly the 500 free, while Makenna Burns is another junior to watch for her MAC cut.
Also aiming to make an impact this winter is Margaret Burns, who is back in the pool after recovery from surgery.
Lydia Kilpela, a student from Sewickley Academy, is leading the sophomore swimmers at QV. Kilpela was a PIAA qualifier last year.
She ranked in WPIAL’s top 20 for the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley, and also participated in relay events.
“Lydia has her WIP cut in the 200 IM and MAC cuts in the 100 backstroke, 50 and 100 freestyles,” McCarthy stated.
Others performing admirably for the Quakers include juniors Harper LaLomia, Ariana Batina, Anna Fiedler, and Anna Fuener.
LaLomia qualified for WPIAL championships last year, achieving MAC cuts in the 100 and 50 freestyles and 100 back.
Batina has attained MAC cuts in the 100 and 200 freestyles, alongside the 100 butterfly. Fiedler, attending Sewickley Academy, has qualified for the MAC cut in the 200 IM, 100 breast, and 100 free.
Fuener has achieved the MAC cut in the 100 breast and is nearing her goal in the 500 free.
Prominent freshmen on the girls team this season include Charlotte Chappell, Lilly Gibson, Cali Murawski, and Amelia Suhayda.
Chappell and Gibson have been participating in freestyle events.
“Charlotte has a preference for breaststroke swimming as well,” noted her coach, “while Murawski is inclined towards the sprint events, the 50 and 100 freestyles, for which she has her MAC cuts. She has also met her MAC cut in the 100 backstroke.”
Suhayda has made a remarkable initial impression.
“Amelia stepped right into the open spot for the butterfly that was vacated when Emily Connors graduated,” McCarthy mentioned. “Amelia has achieved WIP cuts in the 100 fly,
200 IM and 100 freestyle and assists in contributing to the relays.
One of the strengths of the Quakers’ team lies in the relay events.
“Both the boys’ and girls’ relay squads have achieved all the relay cuts. We aim to enhance our seed times for WIPs,” McCarthy stated. “With a small team, every member is significant. I prefer to think of us as small yet powerful.”
The boys’ team at QV includes three athletes from Sewickley Academy — junior Marcus Zhan, freshman Augustin Zhan, and Youran Li.
The elder Zhan sibling made a significant impact last season as a PIAA finalist in the 200 and 500 freestyles. He also competed with the PIAA-qualifying 200 medley and 200 free relay teams.
“Marcus excels in the distance events,” McCarthy remarked. “He has WIP cuts in both the 500 and 200 freestyle. Plus, his younger brother Augustin racks up WIP cuts in every event he participates in.”
Li is a newcomer to swimming in the United States. He is an exchange student from China.
“Having swum in his native country, Youran is adjusting to the high school sports environment here in America,” McCarthy said. “He enjoys the freestyle and butterfly events.”
Junior Ryan Steinfurth qualified for WPIALs in the 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle last year and has already achieved WIP cuts in both events this season.
“Ryan aims to make a significant impact in the 100 back and the 100 free,” his coach noted.
Thomas Fuener secured four WIP cuts during the season’s opening meet at South Fayette. Fuener, a senior, advanced to the PIAA finals last winter in the 100 butterfly.
“His objective is to accumulate every individual WIP cut,” McCarthy said. “He has three more events to conquer — the 500 free, 100 breast, and back. The strategy is to finish in the top 5 in the 100 fly at WIPs and potentially in our three relay entries.”
Adlan Hifri, another senior, has already posted a quicker WIP seed in the 100 breast this season than he did throughout the previous year.
“And that will undoubtedly improve,” McCarthy stated. “Next for Adlan will be the 50 free.”
Fuener, Steinfurth, Hifri, and Zhan participated in both state-qualifying relays (200 medley, 200 free) during the 2023-24 season.
QV junior Austin Young consistently seems to achieve the MAC cut time in the 50 and 100 freestyles. He was a WPIAL qualifier in the 100 free last season.
“Austin powers through the water every time he competes,” McCarthy remarked.
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