North Allegheny sweeps 2026 WPIAL Class 3A swimming championships

By: Bob Orkwis


Friday, February 27, 2026 | 2:28 PM

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After constructing commanding leads Thursday, the North Allegheny girls and boys swim groups captured WPIAL Class 3A championships Friday at Pitt’s Trees Pool.

The Tigers boys received their fourth straight title with a rating of 483 factors.

On the ladies facet, the Tigers claimed their 18th straight championship and twenty ninth total, essentially the most in WPIAL historical past.

“We definitely get a little nervous every year,” North Allegheny senior Claire Bacu stated. “It’s definitely really exciting, especially since that’s been around since most of the seniors were born.”

The North Allegheny boys 400 freestyle relay staff captured the day’s closing gold medal, a back-to-back win for the Tigers.

Bacu, a Brown commit, who received a 200 freestyle gold medal Thursday, was the Tigers’ solely particular person gold medalist on Day 2, profitable the five hundred freestyle in 4 minutes, 54.88 seconds. It was her second straight gold medal in that occasion.

“I’m coming off an ankle injury,” Bacu stated. “So coming in, I was just looking to race with the main goal being states right now. I feel like I swam a smart beginning of the race, and I was able to bring it home.”

Peters Township junior Ava Komorowski received her second straight gold medal within the 100 freestyle in 51.06 seconds.

It was additionally back-to-back golds on the boys’ facet, as Arizona-bound senior Nazar Zoukovski from Upper St. Clair received in 44.82.

For the second straight yr, it was a Central Catholic winner within the boys 500 freestyle. Last yr it was Mac Clark, who now swims at Tennessee. This yr, it was senior Cinco Perez in 4:31.33.

Fox Chapel freshman Delaney O’Toole received her second gold medal, ending in 54.13 within the 100 backstroke. O’Toole was additionally a part of the Foxes’ profitable 400 freestyle relay staff.

Bethel Park junior Jackson Edwards received his second gold medal within the 100 backstroke (48.88).

In the 100 breaststroke occasions, Kiski Area’s Leah Kunkle (1:05.02) and Latrobe’s Chris Heese (54.49) had been the winners.

It was the second straight breaststroke gold medal for the Swarthmore-bound Heese.

Fox Chapel (357), Pine-Richland (210), Armstrong (183) and Seneca Valley (116) adopted North Allegheny within the ladies’ staff standings.

The Mt. Lebanon boys 400 freestyle relay staff earned a silver medal, and that pushed the Blue Devils forward of Upper St. Clair for second place within the boys’ standings, 255 to 224. Peters Township (159) and Bethel Park (154) rounded out the highest 5.

The PIAA championships are up subsequent March 11-14 at Bucknell. Only the WPIAL champion in every occasion earns an automated bid to the state meet. The remaining at-large entries can be decided based mostly off instances at every district meet.

The North Allegheny boys received the PIAA title final yr, whereas the ladies completed fourth.

Bacu, who received silver medals within the 200 and 500 freestyle at states final yr, spoke about what her and her teammates have to do to achieve success this yr.

“Julia (Tengowski silver in the 500 freestyle) had a really good performance today, so I am definitely hoping that we can one-two in the 500 at states,” she stated. “That would put up some really good points for the team. Our relays are really strong right now, so just focusing on those will help. I just feel like staying confident in the biggest thing.”

Tags: Armstrong, Bethel Park, Central Catholic, Fox Chapel, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Mt. lebanon, North Allegheny, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Upper St. Clair