Penn-Trafford’s Antolena Damico hitting all the right notes for future in golf, dentistry

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, December 10, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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Things are starting to line up for Penn-Trafford senior Antolena Damico.

She recently committed to play golf at Washington & Jefferson College and pursue a degree in dentistry. She wants to be an orthodontist and plans on majoring in biology and chemistry.

Damico, who carries a 4.6 grade point average, said W&J will help her get into grad school. She received the highest merit scholarship.

She was the Warriors’ top golfer the past two seasons and helped them reach the WPIAL Class 3A championship this fall. She also competed in the WPIAL individual championships.

“I’m excited to continue my golf career,” said Damico, 17. “W&J is a great school and I’m looking forward to playing golf and continuing to sing while I pursue my degree.”

In addition to Damico’s focus on a future in dentistry, she also was named the 2023 YWCA Athlete of the Year and the selected to the 2023 Trib Total Media Outstanding Young Citizen Elite 100.

Another thing she loves to do is sing.

She started singing with her grandmother (Kathryn Mannella) when she was 3 years old. She started with a professional singing coach at age 6 where she sang opera.

“(My grandmother) told me I had a good pitch,” she said. “I love singing.”

That talent has opened up numerous doors.

Her mother, Juliann, said her daughter will be the “singing dentist.”

She has performed before large crowds the past 11 years.

She has sung the national anthem at Pirates’ games when she was ages 11 and 13 and then again this past August, at PPG Paints Arena during the NCAA Division I wrestling championships in 2019, the WPIAL championships and recently at Pitt’s Petersen Events Center for a men’s basketball game and a women’s volleyball game.

“I love singing at the Pete,” Damico said. “People have asked me if I get nervous. I tell them the bigger the crowd, the better.”

She was supposed to sing before a Penguins game in 2020, but the game was canceled because of covid protocols. She also sang at the Pittsburgh Marathon where she met Steelers owner Art Rooney II and hopes to someday to sing at Acrisure Stadium.

She has also sung at numerous events, including at the Naval Academy for different ceremonies, and will be singing prior to Penn-Trafford athletic events.

Damico also is trying out for the lead in the Penn-Trafford spring musical.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Penn-Trafford