Swimming & Diving News

By: Jared Barton

This week, five members of the North Allegheny swim and dive team made their college decisions official.

Dani Hinkson will be studying Health and Physical Education at West Chester University. The two-time WPIAL Champion and four-time PIAA Finalist was an All-American in the 400 free relay and 200 medley relay. She also placed seventh in the 100 fly at the PIAA Championships. The four-time scholar athlete holds a 3.8 unweighted GPA and was voted by her teammates as the Hardest Worker Award winner.

Tori Tieppo will be double-majoring in Environmental Biology as well as Wildlife and Fisheries at Clarion University. The four-time WPIAL Team Champion and two-time PIAA Team Champion was also a PIAA Team Runner Up in 2026. Tieppo was a three-time All-American and won Rookie of the Year as well as most improved in 2023. The captain also won the Tiger Award three times. In water polo, Tieppo was a state team member in 2022 and 2023 while earning state honorable mention and state third team laurels in 2023. She was a scholar-athlete and honor roll student all four years at North Allegheny. Tieppo is also a member of the National Honor Society, the Travel Club and the Honors Wind Ensemble.

Leah Laughlin is planning to study business at Grove City College next fall. The three-time WPIAL qualifier was a four-year scholar-athlete and member of the National Honor Society.

Emma Dietz is headed to Gannon University to be a part of the Physician Assistant program. The four-time WPIAL competitor and three-time PIAA member holds a 4.53 GPA, is a member of the National Honor Society and has spent four years with the Honors Wind Ensemble.

Claire Bacu will be attending Brown University to study Biology and Pre-Med. The four-year All-American was also a two-year Scholastic All-American. Bacu is a 15-time WPIAL medalist with six gold medals. She is a 13-time PIAA medalist with two individual golds at the state level. Bacu holds the varsity team and pool record in the 500 free and the pool record in the 200 free relay. The 2025 MVP was a key member of four WPIAL Team and two PIAA Team Championships. She recently won the WPIAL James Collins Scholar Athlete Award and UBO Georgia Thomas Scholarship. Bacu holds a 4.54 GPA while belonging to the National Honor Society, Key Club and Student Council.