Coming from a family of swimmers, it is no surprise that Torie Buerger has received an athletic scholarship from a D1 program and has set many new records at the North Allegheny pool.

Who would you say has been your biggest supporter?

My biggest supporters are definitely my parents. They come to all of my meets and are always cheering me on all the time. No matter what, I always get a “good job” and a big smile from them.

What led you to ultimately choose the University of Kentucky?

Kentucky provides me with the opportunity to succeed academically and athletically. The overall program seemed like a great fit for me.

Who is your biggest inspiration and role model?

My biggest role models are my three older brothers. They all swam and were able to accomplish their goals in school and also in the pool. I want to follow in their footsteps and accomplish my goals as well.

When did you know swimming was what you wanted to do?

Ever since I watched my brothers, I knew I wanted to swim. I went to almost all of my brothers’ swim meets, and I was always so excited to watch and finally be able to compete like them.

How long have you been swimming for?

I have been swimming for 12 years.

So far, what has been your favorite part about swimming in high school?

My favorite part of high school swimming has definitely been the dual meet against Mt. Lebo. It was the last relay (400 free relay). Everyone was cheering because whoever won this relay would win the meet. My teammates were yelling from across the pool the parents were standing and cheering, and it was so hype. We ended up winning, and half of the team was in a big huddle cheering so loudly and jumping because we won. This was one of the best feelings because we had so much support from everyone and it made me smile so much.

What has been the most challenging part?

The most challenging part was hell week. We practiced almost every day over Christmas break for 3-6 hours. The practices were very hard, and I definitely would not have been able to do it without all of my teammates encouraging me as well as each other to keep going and go even faster.

What are some of the future goals you hope to achieve in swimming?

As a whole team, we would like to keep our streak going of winning WPIALS. As an individual, I want to improve my times and keep working hard to reach my full potential.

How early do you have to wake up and about how much of your time is spent swimming?

I get up at 5 AM for morning practices. And I spend between 3-6 hours swimming depending on the day.

What would you say has played a major role in NA’s success in swimming?

NA’s success is definitely due to the team atmosphere. We all support each other and cheer each other on. We all want each other to do the best we can and ultimately reach our goal of winning.

With NA being as dominant as they are at swimming, what kind of pressure do you feel this places on you?

There is definitely a lot of pressure, but as long as we keep supporting each other, we will be able to swim our best and have fun so it will not feel that we are pressured.