By Maeve Rice
Over the years, McNick has had numerous talented student athletes compete at state level. While McNicholas has several state championships and athletes who have reached state level competition, this article will only focus on those currently attending McNicholas.
In 2016-2017 and 2022-2023 the Men’s Volleyball Team made it to state but lost in the first round. In the 2023-2024 school year, they won their first state championship. The following school year, 2024-2025, they won their second title as state champions.
In the fall of 2025, the Women’s Volleyball Team won the first state championship title for the program in school history. They made it to state in 2022-2023 but did not secure the state title. Varsity Coach Darlene Tierney helped lead them to this victory in 2025. When Tierney knew her team won, she said the emotions were mixed. “You spend so much time and preparation working toward a goal like that, but until it actually happens, it almost feels out of reach,” Tierney said.
Tierney also mentioned that the seniors on the team were a big help. “When players genuinely care about each other and buy into a shared goal, that’s when something special happens. This team bought into this thinking and that was, in a large part, due to the amazing selfless leadership of the seniors: Rad [Lauren Radtke], Sarah [Sarah Hutchinson] and Allie [Allie Runte].”
Junior Charlotte Jenkins went to state in 100 breaststroke in 2025, and senior swimmer, Emma Rosenbaum, has made it to state all four years of her high school career. During the 2025-2026 school year, Rosenbaum placed fifth in state in 200 free and eighth in state in 100 fly. She has been swimming since she was five years old. She said her older siblings did it, so she joined the team as well. “But I’m glad they joined a swim team because swim has been a big part of my life. I quit soccer for it because I loved it so much,” she said. Rosenbaum said her support system consisted of her coaches, family, and teammates. “My family is always at my meets to cheer me on,” she added.
Senior wrestlers Max Monahan and Solomon Snyder made it to state during the 2025-2026 school year. Snyder has been wrestling since his freshman year and said he started wrestling because, “I got cut from the basketball team and wanted to still do a sport and stay in shape.” He had a setback because he sprained his ankle in his third match at districts, but he continued and won his next three matches to make it to state. “I maintained my ankle through out the week and tried to imagine matches in my head,” is how he said he mentally prepared.
Tierney added, “As a coach, you learn to trust the process-focusing on small improvements, building confidence over time, and understanding that growth often happens gradually. Seeing athletes eventually succeed makes all of it worth it!”
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The McNicholas Milestone 