--Recap--

First and foremost, the Girls Varsity Swim Team would like to thank our incredible athletic director, Mr. Minucci, Brother David, and the entire administration and staff for working so hard and supporting all of the talented St. Anthony’s teams. We are all honored to represent our incredible school.

What an outstanding season for the Girls Varsity Swim Team! A team can not have success without great leadership. From day 1, our 15 seniors were united and focused on getting this team to fire on all cylinders. These seniors along with our captains Mary McKenna and Katherine Grefski had this team of 34 talented athletes fired up for success. They swam to an 8-1 dual meet record only falling to the NYS Federation Champs, Sacred Heart.

Due to our swimmers not being able to compete at Federation States, we had our first CHSAA Intersectional State Championship where the Buffalo Teams traveled to Long Island to compete at our championships. This made for a great meet and filled with

outstanding competition. The Lady Friars swam to a 3rd place overall finish and after two days of swimming, 82% of the swims were personal best times. Our Top team scorers were Olivia Glaser, Mary McKenna, Sofia Smerechniak, and Brooke Davies.  I’d like to give a special shout out to all our State Team qualifiers, Sophia Smerechniak in the both the 100 and 200 freestyle. Olivia Glaser qualified in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. Mary McKenna in the 200 IM and 500 free. We also had a State Qualifying 400 freestyle relay consisting of swimmers Sofia Smerechniak, Katherine Grefski, Olivia Glaser, and Mary McKenna In addition to all the incredible swimming, for the first time in our school history this team was awarded the League Sportsmanship award something that Coach McBride stated was so well deserved and long overdue.  

The Friars also learn to give back. At our annual Breast Cancer Awareness Meet, the Lady Friars collected donations and this year gave a team record setting $1300 to Anna White’s aunt for her Whispering Wings fundraiser.  This entire coaching staff couldn’t be more proud.  This team may have not held a plaque over their heads this year… but they sure swam like champions.

Finally, a huge thank you to Coaches Liz Welling, Amanda Barry and St. Anthony’s Hall of Fame inductee Amy Ormond. You have so much to offer our Friar swimmers and this program would not be complete without you. It’s an honor to stand on a pool deck with you

Team Scholar - Olivia Glaser

MVP -  Mary McKenna - 

Mary has been one of our top point scorers throughout her Friar career. She is our current team record holder and All American in the 200 IM and 500 free.  Mary anchored both our freestyle relays swimming a 25.01 in the 200 and 53.39 in the 400 relay.

She has not only become one of the most decorated Friars in our swimming history, but also a phenomenal team leader and Captain.

On a side note: Mary honored the memory of Friar swimmer Maggie Fischer again swimming 5.6 miles across the Great South Bay in 1 hour and 41 minutes, finishing 2nd overall.  She was the top female finisher smashing her record own record from the year before.  

Coach McBride has been the Girls Varsity swim coach for the past 34 seasons.  In his time as head coach, the girls have a dual meet record of 274 and 17.  They’ve won 19 league championships and 7 Catholic High School State Championships.  Coach McBride is a 17 time catholic league coach of the year, a 3 time Long Island coach of the year, and he was inducted into the Saint Anthony’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.

Mary will be swimming for Princeton next Fall.

This years girls' swim team will be exciting to watch.

We have 24 girls returning from last year... 15 of them are Seniors!

Who to watch for:
Our top swimmer is Mary McKenna, along with seniors Oliva Glaser and Kat Grefski, junior Sophia Smerechniak, and sophomore Brooke Davies

This year's Captains are:
Mary McKenna and Katherine Grefski

We will look to be more competitive with the current NYS Federation Champions, Sacred Heart... but will have great dual meets with The Mary Louis Academy and Kellenberg.

Of course, our expectations are to make sure we are the most prepared team for Championships.... and achieve every team and personal goal during that awesome weekend!

Newcomers to watch for are:
Freshman Cameron Pupke who is going to make a big splash for the Lady Friars along with Jorja Johannesen. 

GO FRIARS!

GIRLS SWIMMING

All Tryouts take place at Half Hollow Hills Natatorium 

All new swimmers in all grades

Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 6TH  AT 6:00 AM

Returning Varsity Swimmers  

Tuesday, August 30th 6:00 AM

 MARY McKENNA in the 500 free All American