STAC GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING: WITH INCREASED NUMBERS OWEGO LOOKS TO FILL VOIDS (2025-09-02)

By TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
OWEGO — The Owego girls swimming and diving roster doubled when Summer Pierce took the head coaching job last year. She’s added three more competitors as the River Hawks’ roster expands to 19 this season.

Owego will need to fill three huge voids.

“We lost Sophia Lee and Olivia Schrader due to moving and choosing not to compete, and they both were double event scorers at sectionals so that will leave spots to fill on our roster.

The River Hawks’ Kaelyn Katchuk, a five-time Section IV diving champion who holds numerous records, is the team's lone graduate.

Lee and Katchuk were STAC All-Centra/East all-stars.

“Our overall 2024 record was 6-4 and we placed fourth at the Section IV Class B meet,” Pierce said. “In 2024, Ayla Young and Ava Murphy were selected as STAC All-Central and they both will continue to make a big impact this year.”

“Our goal for the 2025 season is to place top three as a team at sectionals and have relays place top three as well. Some close dual meets we will have this year are with Waverly and Elmira.

Due to a construction project, the team is practicing at Tioga and will be on the road for several of its meets.

Owego opens the season Wednesday against Chenango Forks at Chenango Valley.

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2025 roster Sydney Shoen, senior
Isabelle Taylor, senior
Cecilia Clair, junior
Hannah Hildebrandt, junior (newcomer)
Ava Murphy, junior
Natalia Nowetner, junior
Hailey Stevens, junior
Elizabeth Williams, junior
Xoey Kozakowski, sophomore
Emily MacNaughton, sophomore (newcomer)
Kaiah Malmstrom, sophomore
Riley Masterson, sophomore
Sawyer Pratt, sophomore
Maura Wilburn, sophomore
Ayla Young, sophomore
Reese Hunt, freshman (newcomer)
Maliah McMillen, freshman (newcomer)
Abigail Root, freshman (newcomer)
Savannah Wood, freshman (newcomer)

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IN PHOTO 1: Diver Ayla Young is a returning STAC all-star. IN TOP PHOTO: Returning STAC all-star Ava Murphy (third from left) swam on the team’s top two relays at sectionals last season. … STOCK PHOTOS.

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