First Year Coach Looks Forward To Leading Riverside Co-Ed Swimming

The Riverside boys swimming team enters the 2023-24 season as a five-time undefeated section champions, and this year will look to add another under the direction of new head coach Alaina Marshall.

Marshall replaces Gwen Nulph who accepted a coach position earlier this year as Assistant Swimming and Diving Coach at Grove City College.

The coach will have familiarity with a majority of the team from her years as assistant coach and with three top male competitors – Joseph Roth, Ryan Turner, and Michael Styn – all returning this season, Marshall expects the boys team to continue to remain a highly competitive and successful group.

“Having already worked with the majority of the team last year within the assistant coach role, I’m very hopeful as head coach this season to continue to promote the same level of success the boys’ team has achieved each year,” says Marshall.

On the other side of the coin, the Riverside girls have several newcomers that Marshall is expecting to make a positive impact on the overall girls team success.

“My goal for both the boys and the girls’ teams is to get as many of them as possible qualified individually for the MAC, WPIAL, and PIAA Championship meets,” says the first-year coach.

Peter Ruggeri, freshman, and Lila Fox, sophomore, are two swimmers to keep an eye on this season according to Marshall.

“Ruggeri has been working hard inside the weight room in the offseason this past summer and has already seen major time drops at preseason competitions competing under the Three Rivers Swim Team,” says Marshall.

Fox is a previous club team swimmer who is returning to swimming for the first time since the pandemic.

“I expect her to play a major role in the success of our girls team this season,” says Marshall.

If there is one area of weakness for the Panthers, Marshall would point out Riverside no longer has a diving team which causes the team some problems when we travel for away meets.

“If we’re away and our opponent has divers, then that’s guaranteed points in their favor and we have to play catch up as soon as the swimming events commence.”

Marshall says the program lacks numbers across both the boys and girls teams with only ten boys and six girls, but fortunately, for both teams, the Panthers have the depth among the existing swimmers to be competitive among any event.

Fans can expect to see high intensity section meets this season according to Marshall.

“Our toughest opponent this season will be our first section meet just after the first of the year (1/4/24) against Blackhawk,” says Marshall. “Emotions are always high
at this meet as the majority of swimmers among both of our respective teams are all club teammates in the offseason competing under the Three Rivers Swim Team.”

“This is one of our favorite meets every year as we get to come back together to cheer each other on and see a lot of fast races, and we expect this year to be no different.”

The new Riverside head coach is no stranger to the waters either.

Marshall was a Blackhawk swimmer for 10 years where she was a 3-time PIAA qualifier and finalist in various relays and the 200 IM her senior year.

The Riverside Panthers swim team is set to opens its season on December 4th with a road meet at Seneca Valley and will host its first meet at home on Monday, December 11th versus North Catholic.

For more updates on the team, follow their Facebook.com Page

PICTURED BELOW, returning seniors: (Top, left to right) Ryan Turner, Joseph Roth, Igor Stachowiak, and Aidan Adams. (Bottom, left to right ) Athena Woods and Nichole Vignolini.