2014-2015 News
NA Alumna Named Penn State College of Engineering Student Marshal
University Park, Pa. – Kelly Ralston McClure will be the student marshal for the nuclear engineering baccalaureate degree program at the Penn State College of Engineering spring commencement ceremony on May 8. McClure will receive a bachelor of science degree in nuclear engineering. She has chosen Kostadin Ivanov, Distinguished Professor of Nuclear Engineering, to be her faculty escort. College of Engineering student marshals are selected for their outstanding academic achievement and contributions to engineering student life.
McClure is the daughter of Patricia and Richard McClure of Wexford. She is a 2011 graduate of North Allegheny Senior High School where she was a member of the WPIAL Champion Girls’ Swimming & Diving Team her senior season. Individually, McClure finished in fifth place at the WPIAL meet and 13th at states. McClure was also a North Allegheny Cheerleader from 7th – 11th grades before joining the NA swimming team.
A Schreyer Scholar, she completed an undergraduate honors thesis titled “Effect of Core Size on Rod Worth During a Control Rod Drop Accident.” Her awards and honors include the President’s Freshman Award and the John J. Brennan Excellence in Nuclear Engineering Award. She is a member of the Alpha Nu Sigma National Honor Society for Nuclear Science and Engineering. She was the recipient of the Bernadette and Warren Witzig Nuclear Engineering Merit Scholarship, the National Academy for Nuclear Training Scholarship and the Smidansky Family Scholarship in Engineering.
McClure completed two engineering internships, one with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, where she improved the procedure for rod withdrawal error simulation, and the other with Exelon Corporation, where she utilized industry codes to perform cost-benefit analyses on changing various core characteristics. Her extracurricular activities included the American Nuclear Society (secretary, 2014); Women in Nuclear (vice president, 2013); and the South Halls Residents Association (events lead, 2012).
Following graduation, McClure will join Exelon Corporation as a reactor engineer.
Patrick Wenzel Named Class AAA Coach of the Year
North Allegheny swimming coach Patrick Wenzel has been named the 2015 Class AAA Boys and Girls Coach of the Year by the Pennsylvania High School Swim Coaches Association. The award will be presented at the PHSSCA Clinic on Friday, May 1 during the Annual meeting at noon.
Taking over for long-time head coach Corky Semler, Wenzel continued the Tigers winning tradition by leading the NA swim teams to a gold medal sweep of the WPIAL Championships last month. It was the seventh straight WPIAL crown for the Lady Tigers and the ninth title in the last 10 years for the NA Boys.
Not done there, the Lady Tigers won silver at the PIAA Swimming Championships at Bucknell. The NA Boys claimed a bronze medal at states. Congratulations to coach Patrick Wenzel on being named Coach of the Year.
NA Swimmer Greg Arnold Signs On With U.S. Naval Academy
North Allegheny senior swimmer Greg Arnold has committed to the United States Naval Academy where he will swim for the USNA and pursue an engineering degree.
Arnold completed his fourth year as a member of the NA Tiger Swim Team and Co-Captain of the Boy’s 2014-2015 swim team. His high school accomplishments include a 52-0 record, four WPIAL Championships (over 4 years), WPIAL First place finishes in the 200 yard Medley Relay in 2012 and 2013, and placed in four WPIAL events all four years.
Arnold has been part of the PIAA States Team all four years at North Allegheny. In his last two years Arnold placed in all four PIAA events in addition to receiving an All-American Award. Arnold is a Scholar Athlete, member of the NA Strolling Strings and volunteer for Cystic Fibrosis, Ronald McDonald House and a community swim instructor.
Congratulations and best of luck to Greg Arnold at the U.S. Naval Academy.
(In photo: Greg Arnold with his parents John and Kris Arnold.)
Casey Melzer Commits To The University of Texas
North Allegheny senior swimmer Casey Melzer has made a verbal commitment to the University of Texas where he will continue his outstanding swimming career. Melzer has been a part of three WPIAL Swimming and Diving championships at North Allegheny and hopes to continue that success as he joins a storied swimming program at the collegiate level.
The Longhorns, led by head coach Eddie Reece, have had 34 consecutive top 10 finishes at the NCAA Championships and have won 34 consecutive conference titles. Melzer, a three-time High School All American and three-time U.S. Junior National qualifier, is proud to join the swimming program at Texas.
“Swimming for the University of Texas has been my dream,” said Melzer.
As a junior, Melzer broke North Allegheny’s oldest athletic record (32 years) when he swam 56.6 in the 100 Breastroke. Melzer and the Tigers begin their WPIAL title defense December 11 at Mt. Lebanon.
