After strong WPIAL performance, expectations remain high for Plum girls swimmers

By: Michael Love
Saturday, December 9, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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Last year’s WPIAL Class 3A championship meet was one to remember for the Plum girls swim team.

The Mustangs earned five medals — two in individual events and in all three relays — and placed 10th in a deep team standings.

While seven seniors were lost to graduation from the team, all but one who reached the medals podium returned, and Plum coach Shawn Haupt is excited to see what the team can do this season.

“It was an unbelievable feeling,” Haupt said. “This is my 15th year, and we’ve had some great performances at WPIALs, but there’s never been a year like that one where the excitement level never dropped. We were running back and forth, taking pictures on the podium. To be on that podium that many times made me proud, made the girls proud, and made Plum proud.”

One of the highlights of the WPIAL meet last year was the girls 200-yard freestyle relay of graduate Nina Ricciuti, junior Giuliana Ricciuti, senior Amelia Faust and sophomore Dom Massie setting a new school record in a time of 1 minute, 39.25 seconds.

The team placed sixth and qualified for states.

Nina Ricciuti added an individual medal with a seventh in the 50 free (24.72).

Giuliana Ricciuti, Faust and Massie are back from the relay, and Haupt said the fourth team member is being determined.

“It is up for grabs, to be honest, between a couple of really strong candidates,” Haupt said. “We have swimmers who could easily fit in there. It could come down to the end of the year as to who is swimming the fastest.”

Giuliana Ricciuti secured an individual medal in the 200 free (seventh, 1:56.71) and also was on the 400 free relay which took seventh (3:40.27).

Massie was a common bond in all three relays, helping to secure three medals in her WPIAL debut.

Also back after helping relays earn WPIAL medals are sophomores Delaney Hunsinger and Brooke Price, and junior Kaileigh Smith.

Senior Reese Schollaert returns to provide leadership after swimming the 200 individual medley at WPIALs last year.

“There’s definitely a lot of excitement coming into this season, especially with the new WPIAL times released,” Giuliana Ricciuti said. “There are a lot of girls with bigger goals. I think we have a shot at more individual events. There are a lot of girls, returning and new, who have a chance at coming in and making an impact. It’s going to be a lot of fun to see what we can do.”

The girls team is fairly young with just Faust and Schollaert as seniors.

“They both are great senior leaders,” Haupt said. “We have strong sophomore and junior classes. The freshmen this year are young, but they are going to grow and be big additions.”

The Plum boys were shut out of WPIALs last year as a young group of swimmers was not able to make qualifying cuts.

But lone senior Ethan Schohn, who swam two relays at WPIALs two years ago with junior Maddox Sciullo, said that should change this year.

“This is a good group that has worked hard, and we’re seeing a lot of improvement,” Schohn said. “We’re really looking forward to getting into meets and showing what we can do. I can’t wait to see all of the time drops. WPIAL is an amazing experience, and I want to get back there, and I know Maddox does, too. We want to help get as many to WPIALs as possible.”

There are 12 on this year’s Plum boys team. Nine are either freshmen or sophomores.

“We had amazing growth last year, more than I would’ve thought,” Haupt said.

“I expect the same this year. They are getting stronger and more confident. They’re going to keep getting faster.”

The Plum teams were to open their seasons Thursday against rival Franklin Regional.

Haupt said a challenging December meet schedule features additional contests against Latrobe, Penn-Trafford and Butler.

“We’re going all-in to start the season,” Haupt said.

“We’re going to get tested real quick, and I am OK with that. Let’s see where we are. It will give us a look at the progress we’ve made, and what we still need to work on. We know we still have some building and developing to do, but come January we hope to hit our stride.”

While the Plum boys again will swim in the Class 2A meet at WPIALs, they and the Mustangs girls will compete in a Class 3A section with Baldwin, Central Catholic, Fox Chapel, Gateway, Penn Hills and Shaler.

The first section meet is Jan. 4 at Fox Chapel.

Qualifying for the WPIAL championships has been simplified back to pre-covid requirements of a set series of standard times. If an individual swimmer or relay hits the single qualifying time at any point of the season, they will automatically be entered in the field for that event at WPIALs.

The WPIAL championship meet is slated for Feb. 29 and March 1 at Pitt’s Trees Pool.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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