Plum girls swim team boasts talent, depth

By: Michael Love
Sunday, December 11, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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Plum swim coach Shawn Haupt looks up and down his girls roster and is excited for what could transpire throughout the 2022-23 season.

“It is exciting because not only is our core and leadership coming back, but our freshmen coming in are just as excited and enthusiastic and are expected to be big players as well,” Haupt said.

“We have talent, but we also have depth that we’ve never had in my 12 years.”

Seven seniors are joined by two juniors, four sophomores and 12 freshmen.

“For us, to have 25 on the roster is huge,” Haupt said.

Elizabeth Glasspool, the Plum girls 100-yard butterfly record holder, graduated and now swims at Division I Providence College.

She was a member of the 200-yard medley relay, with sophomore Giuliana Ricciuti, junior Reese Schollaert and senior Nina Ricciuti, which medaled in eighth place at WPIALs last year.

“I think there could be a shakeup in the relays, but I expect to have a strong group overall represented at WPIALs in some form or fashion,” Haupt said.

“Putting together a meet lineup now is the best problem I can have. You try to put the best lineup out there, but you have so many options. It’s about making sure that everyone has the best opportunity to succeed.”

The 200 free relay of Glasspool, the Ricciuti sisters, and junior Amelia Faust took 11th at WPIALs last year.

Nina Ricciuti placed 10th in the 100 free and 20th in the 200 free.

Giuliana Ricciuti took 10th in the 100 back at WPIALs and quailed for states. Her WPIAL time in the 100 back was 59.20, and she is closing in on the school record of 59.01 set by Karen VanTassel in 1992.

Schollaert and Faust also joined returning seniors Emma Sullivan and Maggie Messina on the 400 free relay at WPIALs.

“I think we will have a larger girls group at WPIALs this year,” Nina Ricciuti said.

“Knowing the younger girls and their capabilities from growing up with them on the YMCA team, I know they will improve even more once they hit the high school atmosphere. I like what we will be able to put out there as far as a lineup when we go up against teams like Fox Chapel and Franklin Regional.”

Plum was to kick off its competition schedule Thursday at rival Franklin Regional.

December features a trio of nonsection meets as the Mustangs also will swim against Butler and Penn-Trafford before Christmas with hopes of meeting the established standards for berths to the WPIAL championships in late February.

Plum kicks off the Section 3 slate against Fox Chapel at home Jan. 5. The Mustangs also will swim section meets against Baldwin, Central Catholic, Gateway, Penn Hills and Shaler.

Haupt said the boys team doesn’t have the depth the girls team does. But, he said there is a lot of potential for a number of them to make their mark.

The only two returning boys swimmers are junior Ethan Schohn and sophomore Maddox Sciullo. Both are back with WPIAL experience from last year as members of the 200 medley relay (14th) and 200 free relay (16th).

The other two members of the relays, Sam Schohn and Mathew Glasspool, have moved on. Sam Schohn graduated, while Glasspool, a junior this year, did not come out for the team and is focusing on preparing for baseball, Haupt said.

“We are predominantly a freshman team,” Haupt said.

“Maddox and Ethan have been through the process. They know the expectations. They know my expectations for them and what I am going to continue to put them through in terms of training. I think they will be able to share that and their experience in a positive way.

“It is a really solid freshman boys class. They are still young and immature physically compared to a lot of the more experienced competition they will face, but the future is bright. We just have to do a lot of developing right now. The eight boys that are here, if they stick together and move forward in this process, in the years to come, we’re going to be back to what we want to do. This is going to be somewhat of a developmental year, and that’s OK.”

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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