Addison Chang ’25 | Elizabeth Becket ’25
Hannah Neilly ’24 started swimming at the age of five when her parents introduced her to the sport to increase her confidence in the water. To their surprise, Neilly fell in love. She began her club swimming career at Radnor Aquatic Club but now swims for Suburban Seahawks. Her current coach at Episcopal, Brian Kline, has known Neilly since she swam for the Radnor Aquatic Club.
Neilly came to EA in ninth grade for academic opportunities and athletics. She explains, “I love the team dynamic. Being a part of the high school team is exceptional every winter, especially with the new group of girls and guys every year. The coaches and swimmers make the experience great. It’s something that has made my high school experience so special.” In return, Neilly makes the swim season special for her teammates. Co-captain Grace Murphy ’24 remarks, “Being on the same team as Hannah has been so amazing. Her positivity and upbeat demeanor encourage those around her to never strive for anything less than their best”
She has swum on varsity for all four years of high school. She comments, “Ever since I was a freshman, I have looked up to the captains and the seniors on the team in general. They have led by example and showed me that swimming is a team sport.” She recalls her favorite memory with the team: “Easterns last year is probably my favorite memory so far because we all enjoyed the meet. The bus ride up and the team dinner and the conversations with everyone are just something I will never forget.”
Neilly has high aspirations for her team this season. The team is now looking ahead to the most competitive meet of the year. Neilly says, “We are going to Easterns at Franklin and Marshall. I think we have a great shot at doing well overall as a team.” Her high aspirations for the team have paid dividends against the stiff competition in the Inter-Ac. The varsity girls have secured statement wins against rivals Agnes Irwin, Baldwin, and Hill School and secured a fourth-place finish at the Inter-Ac meet. She hopes, “I just want to make sure the freshman swimmers are relaxed at some of our big meets. I hope people are having fun because sometimes this sport can get very stressful, and people can become distracted. As a senior with a lot of experience, I want to ensure everyone has fun.”
Neilly consistently swims with her club team, and her hard work has paid off, as she has been named a captain for this season. Kline believes she was voted captain because of her outstanding leadership qualities and work ethic. “ [She has] competitiveness and drive to want to be better today than she was yesterday. She just constantly works to be better.”
While Neilly’s leadership qualities make her an excellent choice for captain, she is also a technically skilled swimmer, and Kline appreciates how she can model the strokes for her teammates. Kline remarks, “Her streamlines are her best skill. Hannah’s got impressive streamlines. For any swimmer that can hold their streamlines and be proficient at it, it’s a nice trait.” When asked her favorite stroke, she replied, “Butterfly because I love the challenge of the stroke, and I also really enjoy the race execution.” Her favorite race is the 200m fly.
Regarding her aspirations, teammate Kieran Buckley ’25 adds, “Hannah has always had a hard work ethic. She claims she could swim butterfly for hours.” Neilly’s resilience shows through as she says, “A lot of my swimming journey hasn’t been necessarily easy in terms of injury, and also, I’ve had some challenging experiences on different club teams. However, I’ve worked with my coaches and teammates to push through that mentally.”
Neilly performed well at Inter-Acs last year but is mainly proud of her team leadership. She readily welcomed her role as a team leader this season, and Kline feels her best leadership qualities are motivation and inspiration. Buckley comments, “She always has something helpful to say; she always has an excellent motivational speech. She isn’t afraid to speak up and help others out.” Buckley continues, “Hannah always has a good attitude and encourages others, especially underclassmen.”
Photo courtesy of Gracie O’Neill ’24
Neilly chose to swim for the College of the Holy Cross for many reasons. She says, “I was drawn to Holy Cross not only because of the academic and athletic opportunities offered but also because of the school’s values. It’s a Jesuit school, meaning they value service. Service is very important to me, and I think I will be challenged and encouraged to develop my character through service.” But mostly, Neilly is excited to “branch out and experience change. I am really looking forward to being a part of a new team and school community.”