1. After earning ACC Freshman of the Year honors for her record-setting season at the University of Virginia, Leah Smith qualified for the Pan-Pacific Swimming Championships held Aug. 21-25 in Australia. She qualified for the competition in Gold Coast during the Phillips 66 National Championships held earlier in the month at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center in Irvine, Calif. She finished third in the women’s 200-meter freestyle event with a personal-best time of 1:57.57. Because she collected a gold medal in the 4x200 freestyle relay and won the B final of the 400 freestyle and being the third fastest American in that event, Smith will swim in the World University Games in South Korea in the 200 and 400 freestyle and she will be going to World Championships in Kazan, Russia, for the 4x200 freestyle relay next summer. With victories in the 100- and 200-meter butterfly races during sectionals, Peters Township High School graduate and Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club swimmer Kyle Higgins of McMurray also qualified and competed in the Phillips 66 National Championships being held in Irvine, Calif.

2. TJ McConnell steered Arizona to Elite Eight in the NCAA Division I basketball tournament. The Chartiers Valley graduate averaged 5.5 assists, 8.3 points and 3.7 rebounds for the Wildcats, who lost in overtime to Wisconsin in the Western Regional final. The 6-1, 195-pound guard also was as a finalist for the Cousy Award and earned several Pac-12 honors. A senior, he had the Wildcats ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation until their recent upset loss to UNLV.

3. Michael Hull from Canonsburg led Penn State to its first bowl bid since the Jerry Sandusky child-abuse scandal caused NCAA sanctions against the University’s football program. The Nittany Lions competed in the Pinstripe Bowl in Bronx New York. The senior middle linebacker led the Lions in tackles. The Canon-McMillan High School graduate also garnered the Big Ten Conference’s Butkus/Fitzgerald linebacker of the year award as well as All-America honors from the Associated Press (third team) and USA Today (second-team).

4. Lauren Woodring of Bethel Park won the women’s division of the Columbus Marathon. Her time of 2 hours, 41 minutes, 24 seconds qualified the 26-year-old runner for the U.S. Olympics trials to be held Feb. 13 in 2016 in LA.

5. Kelsey Potts finished 17th during Foot Locker Cross Country Nationals in San Diego. The Mt. Lebanon junior covered the 5,000-meter course in Balboa Park with a time of 18:16. Potts, who finished third at the WPIAL meet and fifth at the PIAA championships this fall, even finished ahead of Brianna Schwartz for the second time in her high school career. The Shaler senior and Colorado recruit is the three-time defending WPIAL champion and reigning PIAA title holder. Potts also took second place for the Northeast Team in the competition.

6. Upper St. Clair graduate Victoria Lazur helped Ohio State University win its second consecutive NCAA rowing championship. The Buckeyes retained their title by totaling 126 points and claiming individual titles in the first and second varsity eights. Lazur piloted the first varsity eight. The 5-4 junior coxswain also steered her boat to 12-0 record, becoming the second consecutive OSU team to finish a season with an undefeated slate.

7. A surprise retirement party was held for Bill Kennedy May 3 at the Bethel Park Community Center. The event honored the teacher for his 36 years as a coach with the high school girls’ swimming program. Inducted into the Pennsylvania Swimming Hall of Fame in 2012, Kennedy helped the Lady Hawks claim four state titles, four PIAA runner-up trophies, 15 WPIAL championships and 23 section banners during his tenure. His record was 270-43 overall with six straight undefeated dual meet seasons.

8. Lauren Waller captured here second straight WPIAL Class AAA golf championship. The Canon-McMillan senior fired a 68 to claim the gold medal. She finished runner-up in the state after losing a one-hole playoff during the PIAA championships.

9. Demonstrating true grit, James Smith of Upper St. Clair grinded out a victory in the 800-meter run during the WPIAL track and field championships. Despite severe pain caused by plantar fasciitis, Smith shattered the district record, winning the race with a gold-medal mark of 1:52.23. Though unable to compete in the PIAA championships because of his injury, Smith, who races for Lehigh University, was extended an invitation for a VIP meet and greet with the professionals racing in the Liberty Mile, dubbed the fastest race in Pittsburgh. In other WPIAL championship track news this spring, Troy Apke captured the 100-meter dash. The Mt. Lebanon graduate is now at Penn State, where he is a member of the football team.