In addition to Swimmers of the Year Devyn Sargent of Notre Dame and Jacob Johnson of Springfield, the All-Delco team includes:
Tori Abruzzo, Notre Dame: The junior is an All-Delco selection for the third time, a key part of a special class of Irish swimmers. She joined Sargent and the other two All-Delcos on relays that set Delaware County records in the 200 medley (1:42.64) and 400 freestyle (3:26.84). Both are automatic All-American times that netted the Irish second and third, respectively, at the Eastern Interscholastic Championships. Abruzzo won the 200 individual medley at Easterns with a time of 2:00.38, leading a Notre Dame 1-2-3 with Sargent and Kaitlyn Kolessar. She also medaled in the 100 backstroke, going 53.95 for an All-American cut and third place. Abruzzo won Inter-Ac titles in the 200 IM and 100 back. She has committed to the University of South Carolina.
Kaitlyn Kolessar, Notre Dame: The youngest of three swimming sisters — Ashley is at UCLA; Madison at Florida — Kaitlyn’s second All-Delco nod brings the family total to eight. The sophomore was on both record-setting All-American relays, including a medley relay quartet that downed an Episcopal Academy Delco mark that had stood since 2012. She finished third in the 200 IM at Easterns in 2:02.89 and fourth in the 500 free in 4:56.48, both All-American consideration times. Kolessar showed her versatility at Inter-Acs by finishing fifth in the 200 free and fourth in the 100 breast.
Molly Lo, Episcopal Academy: The freshman emerged as the top sprinter in the area. Lo clocked in at 23.87 seconds at Easterns to finish fifth in the 50 free. She went 52.16 to place seventh in the 100 free. She anchored EA’s eighth-place 400 free relay and led off a 200 medley quartet that finished ninth. Lo was second in the 100 free and third in the 100 back at Inter-Acs.
Gabi Abruzzo, Notre Dame: The sophomore becomes the third Abruzzo sister to be named All-Delco, joining Tori and three-time Swimmer of the Year and now University of Georgia swimmer Mia. Gabi was a valuable leg on the All-American and Delco-record setting 200 medley and 400 free relays. At Easterns, she finished fifth in the 100 butterfly in 55.73 seconds and 10th in the 100 back in 57.00. Gabi was second to Tori in the 100 back at Inter-Acs, where she won the 100 fly.
Ava Keller, Ridley: The senior diver completed a long climb to a PIAA Class 3A medal. One of four Ridley states qualifiers, Keller scored 420.95 points to finish fourth at states. It was her third states appearance, having finished 12th as a sophomore and 14th as a junior. Keller was the runner-up at the District 1 Class 3A Championships (447.80) and the Central League meet (466.30), both to eventual PIAA champ Avery Hillier of Conestoga. Keller will dive next year at La Salle.
Kylie Arnot, Interboro: The sophomore makes it two All-Delco nods after two state gold medals in two years. Arnot scored 509.10 points in the PIAA Class 2A boys event, nearly 50 points clear of the field. The 2023 title came over six dives at states. Arnot improved her winning score at the District 1 Class 2A Championships from 414.75 in 2023 to 423.60 this season.
Jake Kennedy, Springfield: Kennedy capped an outstanding career, which included four All-Delco honors and the 2021-22 Boys Swimmer of the Year nod, with four medals and two golds at states. Kennedy’s stellar anchor leg of 19.64 led the Cougars to gold in the 200 medley in 1:30.04. It lopped a half-second off the Delco record, set in 2020, and beat runner-up North Penn by 1.05 seconds. He went 19.54 to bring home Springfield’s states runner-up 200 free relay in 1:22.28, trouncing the county mark from 2018 by .88 second. Kennedy edged Jonathan Hoole by .01 second to win stats gold in the 50 free in 20.25. He medaled in fifth in the 100 back in 48.94. All four states results are All-American times. At the District 1 Class 3A meet, Kennedy won gold in the 50 free and silver in the 100 back, plus medley relay gold and 200 free relay silver. For his career, Kennedy has nine states medals, including four golds and two silvers. He will attend the University of Alabama in the fall.
Shane Eckler, Ridley: Eckler rebounded from a disqualification in the 50 free at districts to collect his third career states gold medal and third All-Delco nod. Eckler’s time of 20.07 seconds in season is still the fastest in Delco this year and an All-American time. He made the most of his single event at states by winning the 100 back in 47.81, an All-American time and part of the Central League’s sweep of all 11 swimming titles. He had won the 50 free and 100 free as a junior, en route to 2023 Swimmer of the Year honors. Eckler’s 50 free and 100 back times are automatic All-American cuts. His 45.37 off the front of the 400 free relay at states is a consideration time. Eckler won the 100 back, over Kennedy and Hoole, at districts. Eckler is a Notre Dame signee.
Jonathan Hoole, Penncrest: After two medals at states, Hoole has his second All-Delco nod. The junior was the runner-up to Kennedy in the 50 free in 20.26, just .01 from gold. He was third in the 100 back in 48.35. Both times are automatic all-American cuts. Hoole finished fifth at the District 1 Championships in the 50 and third in the 100 back. He will join Kennedy, his training partner at Ridley YMCA, in Tuscaloosa in the fall of 2025.
Zack Oswald, Haverford School: Calling what Oswald did as a “breakout year” undersells the quantum leap the junior took. Along the way, he won two Easterns gold, set a meet record and erased two Delco standards. Oswald started Easterns by leading off the Fords’ winning 200 medley relay in an All-American 1:30.93. He went 1:47.61 in the 200 IM to finish second at Easterns. The All-American time took nearly a second off Sam Wesley’s 2020 county record. The 100 back was even more impressive, Oswald tying the meet and Franklin & Marshall school record in prelims at 48.01 before skipping 47 altogether to win in 46.82. That takes down the prestigious Delco mark of Shane Ryan (47.17) from 2012. Oswald routed the meet record set in 2018 by another Swimmer of the Year, Alex Boratto. (As a sophomore, Oswald went 50.69 at Easterns in the 100 back and 1:54.94 in the 200 IM.) He won an Inter-Ac title in the 100 back in 48.06, nearly 2 seconds faster than the 10-year-old Episcopal pool record of Ben Baturka. Oswald is committed to join Eckler at Notre Dame.
Max Marr, Haverford School: Marr was a big part of the Fords finishing second in the team competition at Easterns. He swam fly on the winning 200 medley relay, which went an All-American 1:30.93. He finished fourth in the 100 fly in 49.64, an All-American consideration cut, and fourth in the 100 free in 46.02. Marr showed his versatility by clocking in at 1:53.99 to finish second in the 200 IM at the Inter-Ac Invitational in addition to winning the 100 fly in 51.23. Marr will continue his career at Boston College.
AJ Rosenberger, Haverford School: The senior cinched his fourth All-Delco nod by repeating as the 1-meter diving champion at Easterns. Rosenberger scored 495.95 points, more than 30 points clear of Germantown Academy’s Brendan Hodgens. Hodgens had gotten the better of him over six dives at the Inter-Ac Invitational. Rosenberger improved his score from 486.90 at Easterns as a junior. He was third as a sophomore. Rosenberger will join Marr at BC.
