Sewickley Academy restarts girls golf program

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, July 14, 2024 | 5:07 PM

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The girls golf program at Sewickley Academy has been revamped.

It is one of eight new girls golf programs in the WPIAL, including five in Class 2A — Belle Vernon, Beaver, Ellwood City, North Catholic and SA. The three new teams in Class 3A are Latrobe, Plum and Trinity.

“Sewickley Academy is pleased to announce that our girls golf program will return to the WPIAL for the 2024 season,” said Kelly Carioto, assistant athletic director, in an email announcement. “Over the past few years, we have been rebuilding our team and last season competed with a schedule that proved our team’s ability and readiness to rejoin the WPIAL.

“Our golf teams have a long history of accomplishment at Sewickley Academy. Our boys team, in particular, has seen a great deal of team and individual success. We hope to rebuild our girls program to mirror the boys’ recent achievements.”

The Sewickley girls will be coached by Kelly Beatty, who welcomed a small group of golfers to the program by the end of June.

“Golf is a lifelong sport,” Beatty said. “We aim to offer an opportunity for our female athletes to grow their skills and love of the game. Sewickley Academy is excited to rejoin the WPIAL this year and rebuild our girls golf program.”

Sophomore Emily Milanovich, senior Josie Whitcraft and junior Olivia Busatto will return to the girls team this season and be joined by a few other Sewickley teammates.

Milanovich participated in Sewickley’s boys golf program last year and competed in the WPIAL individual qualifier.

“My expectation for (2024) is for the girls to keep learning the fundamentals of the game while having fun competing,” said Beatty, who is an avid golfer.

“I started playing golf when I was younger with my father,” she said, “and now play as often as I can with my husband.”

Sewickley will compete in Section 2-2A this season with Ambridge, Beaver, Central Valley, Ellwood City, North Catholic, Seton LaSalle and Shady Side Academy.

It was a four-team section a year ago won by Central Valley (6-0) ahead of Seton LaSalle (3-3), SSA (3-3) and Ambridge (0-6)

Five teams competed in Section 1-2A in 2023. Greensburg Central Catholic (8-0) was the section winner. The remaining teams were Mt. Pleasant (6-2), Ligonier Valley (4-4), Derry (2-6) and Southmoreland (0-8).

GCC is the defending WPIAL Class 2A champion. In fact, the Centurions have won nine consecutive district titles.

Central Valley and Mt. Pleasant tied for second place and were followed by Seton LaSalle and Shady Side Academy in the WPIAL top five.

Sewickley Academy previously fielded a girls golf team in the last decade and won a program-first WPIAL championship in 2014. Tanvi Rana shot a personal-best 81 at Cedarbrook Golf Course and was a silver medalist that year.

The Panthers, coached by Nancy Means, also were led by Rachel Becker, Kelsey Milo and Natalie Wei. The girls team finished undefeated in section play in reaching the WPIAL finals in 2014 and was the WPIAL runner-up the previous two seasons.

Sewickley also captured the PIAA Class 2A girls golf title in 2017 and won section championships in 2014-15, 2017-18.

Sparked by Tatum McKelvey’s school-record 5-under 67, the Panthers logged a 244 team score at the 2017 state finals. GCC placed second with a 252.

McKelvey finished 10 strokes better than any other girl in 2A, recording six birdies on the day with just a single bogey on the par-5 18th hole.

Zoe Luther (86), Brianna Milo (91), Lexie Bosetti (110) and Haley Nocito (121) rounded out the Panthers’ top five scoring leaders.

McKelvey won the WPIAL individual title that year, shooting an 81 at Diamond Run in Sewickley. As a sophomore in 2016, she placed fourth at the WPIAL tournament, was the regional runner-up and ended up 11th at the PIAA finals.

The dual-sport athlete earned four varsity letters in golf and three in basketball, then continued her career on the links at Bucknell.

Getting back to this year, the first practice date is Aug. 5 for the WPIAL golf season.

Sewickley will kick things off Aug. 14 at the Chairman’s Cup at Cedarbrook.

Tags: Sewickley Academy