First Posted: 1/12/2015
Kutztown University junior Samantha Scialpi set goals at the beginning of the season. One of those goals was to make the Pennsylvania State Athletics Conference championships.
That goal was realized this season.
Sciapli, a 2012 Pittston Area graduate, qualified for the PSACs with a time of 1:03.37 in the 100 backstroke during the Franklin and Marshall Invitational held in November. This will be the junior’s first appearance at the championships, which are set for Feb. 19-22 at the Graham Aquatic Center in York.
“I was really excited about it,” Sciapli said. “I worked really hard this year and I’m just hoping to do better. It was a big goal I had and I’m really happy I did it.”
The next goal will be to make it to the final 16 at the championships. To do that, Scialpi said, she’ll have to drop that number down just a bit. Kutztown coach Tim Flannery thinks it’s possible, but there’s some work left to be done.
“She’ll have to figure out how to get inside the top 16,” he said. “That’s where the money is made. Our conference has been very competitive in the last five or six years – very deep.”
In last year’s PSAC championships, Scialpi posted a career-best 1:02.90 in a solo 100-back time trial, but just missed the finals cut.
Not only is Sciapli set to compete in the championships in the 100 back, she also has a chance to make it in two other events.
The qualifying time for the 50 freestyle is is 25.88. Currently, Scialpi is swimming low 26s. In the 200 backstroke, Scialpi is a little further away, but anything is possible, she said.
“I think if I work as hard as I’ve been doing it’s possible,” she said. “I have to keep working as hard as I am. I already made it this far so we’ll see how it goes.”
Scialpi, according to Flannery, does whatever the coaching staff asks of her, this year especially. At times, Scialpi will swim in the 100 and 200 backstroke, the 50 free and several relay events.
“We’re a lot stronger in the backstroke than we have been,” Flannery said. “She’s played a pivotal role and provided a lot of depth in the 50 free.”
The Golden Bears sit at 0.500 on the season. With some tough competition already in the rear-view mirror, Kutztown expects to exceed that 0.500 before the season is finished.
At one point of her career, Scialpi was in the top 10 all-time at Kutztown in the 100 backstroke. She’s been been knocked off that plateau as of late. She’ll have to knock off nearly a half second to get back in. It certainly doesn’t help when her teammate is Madi Bleiler.
Bleiler is currently fifth all-time at Kutztown in the 100 backstroke. At the Franklin and Marshall Invite, she swam a 59.56.
Although she graduated from Pittston Area, Scialpi was led to the Golden Bears by former Kutztown swimmer and current Wyoming Area head swim coach Natalie Carr. Carr had success as an athlete at Kutztown and Wyoming Area, including a district runner-up finish and qualification for the state championships as a senior in the 100 breaststroke in 2010.
Before graduating from Kutztown, Carr qualified for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships in all four of her seasons, including a sixth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke as a freshman.
Scialpi spoke with Carr about heading to Kutztown.
“When I talked to her about KU she explained swimming and how it was so awesome,” Scialpi said. “I fell in love with it right away — the atmosphere, the team, everything.”
Scialpi made the dean’s list in 2014 and has been progressively learning how to deal with being at student-athlete at the college level.
“I’ve learned a lot of time management, there’s no doubt,” she said. “I’m doing the best I have. I really love the school.”
Scialpi is currently studying visual impairment at Kutztown. She is the daughter of Kenneth and Tracey Scialpi, Hughestown.
