Bridgeport Swim Teams Makes Mark on Opening Day as Girls in First Place and Boys Currently in Second
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on February 19, 2026
By Rich Stevens
For Connect-Bridgeport
Stealthily, Bridgeport swimmer Emma Ahmed flipped at the wall and vanished upon the ensuing push in Thursday’s 50-yard freestyle finals of the West Virginia state swimming championships.
The sophomore then rapidly emerged beyond the WVU flags dangling over the clear water of the Peak Health Aquatic Center in Morgantown’s Mylan Park and closed to a time of 24.69 for the Indians, competing in Division 1 with the state’s largest schools.
Her performance propelled the Indians to the first-day lead, 10 points ahead of George Washington. The Patriots have 30 points with second and sixth place separated by only eight points.
For the first time, schools are separated by divisions 1 and 2 in each of boys and girls, increasing the field from 40 total teams in 2025 to 58 this year.
The more the merrier as far as Ahmed was concerned, as she cleared her preliminary time by .18 seconds in the final and was the only competitor to swim a sub 25 seconds in each.
In the 100-yard free, Ahmed extended her advantage in the final 50 yards for a second championship on Thursday, beating her preliminary time by a half-second with a 53.69.
While Ahmed competes in the sprints on the water, she operates in distances on land – she ran the 3,000 meters in middle school and the 800 last April in Morgantown.
Ahmed was also the third leg of the 200-yard medley relay won by Bridgeport, the team that included Brooklyn Richmond, Jacie Wood, 
and Kennedy Marsh – Wood is the only upperclassman of the four.
and Kennedy Marsh – Wood is the only upperclassman of the four.
Friday’s finals will mark the last day for Bridgeport coach Jan Grisso, who will retire after 33 years on the job. The 1972 graduate of Washington Irving began her coaching career in 1992.
In one of the notable big school Division 1 events, Morgantown sophomore Ellie Perella held off George Washington freshman Presley Pendell in the girls 100-yard butterfly final. Morgantown sits in sixth place with 16 points, three behind Fairmont Senior and John Marshall, who are tied for fourth.
In Division I boys, George Washington leads by just three points ahead of Bridgeport. While Indian senior James Hadjis didn’t secure a title on Thursday, he pointed well.
Hadjis couldn’t hold off a late push from Musselman’s Sawyer Wright, whose final dash resulted in a win in the boys 50 free, defeating the
Indian senior by one-hundredth of a second.
Indian senior by one-hundredth of a second.
Hadjis also scored a second in the 100-yard freestyle behind Fairmont Senior sophomore Tred Bennington, helping the Indians into second place entering Friday’s final day.
While it was still only worth nine points, Kenneth McGlothen’s performance in the 200 yard individual medley was dominant, finishing 6 seconds ahead of second-place John Humphreys of St. Albans.
The Indians pointed in the 200 medley relay with a third-place finish behind Jacob Keener, Cole Parsons, Anderson Mitchell, and Nate Dodson – Dodson is the only 
underclassman of the four.
underclassman of the four.
DIVISION 2 boys was dominated by north central programs with Robert C. Byrd leading second-place Elkins by 23 points. Philip Barbour sits in third and Grafton in fourth, just one point behind the Colts.
The Elkins girls are comfortably ahead of second-place Herbert Hoover, which is comfortably ahead of third-place Charleston Catholic.
Click HERE for the results.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows Emma Ahmed after one of several strong showings, while Coach Jan Grisso is shown in the second image. In the third photo, James Hadjis gets ready to head to the podium after the 100 free event. In the bottom photo, Jacob Keener is shown in action. Photos by Joe LaRocca.
