Ellianna Smith made history last weekend at the Pioneer Athletic Conference Swimming Championship Meet. The Upper Perkiomen sophomore

Nolan McCloskey posted a third in the 100 backstroke and  Beatriz Santos finished third in the 100 backstroke at the  PAC Swimming Championships at Upper Merion.

became the first female performer in school history to earn a PAC gold medal.

            Smith finished first in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 56.08 seconds. She added three other medals during the meet on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8 at Upper Merion High School in King of Prussia.

            Beatriz Santos finished third in the 100 backstroke (1:02.17). The junior earned three medals.

            Nolan McCloskey posted the top individual performance for the Tribe boys by finishing third in the 100 backstroke (54.07). The senior finished with four medals.

            Hunter Francisco and Jackson Kelly also earned four medals. Francisco, a 12th grader, ended up in sixth place in the 200 free (1:49.76). Kelly, a ninth grader, finished fifth in the 200 free (1:49.71) and sixth in the 100 backstroke (55.31).

            Smith edged Boyertown's Elisabeth Seip by 0.06 seconds to become the school's first girl to win an individual gold medal since the formation of the PAC 23 years ago. She added a fourth-place finish in the 50 free (25.59).

             Smith teamed with Santos, Katie Kovalenko, and Charlotte Forte to earn two relay medals. They finished fifth in the 200 free relay (1:45.33) and sixth in the 200 medley relay (1:55.14).

            McCloskey, Francisco and Brayden Favre each won three relay medals in the boys competition.

            They were joined by Kelly to finish fifth in the 200 free relay (1:32.92) and the 400 free relay (3:22.4). They teamed with Brennan Rooney to finish sixth in the 200 medley relay (1:42.58).

            McCloskey has already qualified for the District One Class 3A Swimming Championships, scheduled for Feb. 21-22 in York. He will compete in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke.

            Several male swimmers could join McCloskey at districts. Francisco hit the consideration time in the 200 and 500 freestyles. Kelly did the same in the 200 free and 100 backstroke. For the first time in school history, three boys relay teams have also hit the qualifying times.

            Three female performers have also made qualifying times since the inception of the PIAA created two classifications. Santos and Smith hit those times in two events.

            Santos will be considered in the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke, while Smith did the same in the 50 free and 100 free. Forte will receive consideration in the 500 freestyle.