Olivia Harper, a 2020 graduate of Morse High School of Bath, has been named a high school All-American in three events by the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association.
Harper is the first Maine swimmer since Cape Elizabeth High’s Taylor McFarland during 2002-2003 to receive All-America recognition in three events in the same year.
Harper earned All-America distinction in the 200-yard individual medley 2 minutes, 2.3 seconds), the 100 backstroke (54.2) and the 100 butterfly (54.9).
“She is one of the hardest workers I have ever coached,” said Long Reach Swim Club coach Jay Morrissette, who has coached Harper since she was 10. “To earn All-American honors on performances where she was not tapered, rested or shaved says a lot about who she is as a competitor.”
Morissette also commended the efforts of Morse High coach Todd Marco for his work with Harper.
“Todd shares the same vision we all have for her swimming. We collaborate on Harper’s training routine,” Morrisette said. “Todd and I work together on preparing workouts and setting goals.”
Harper will continue her swimming at the University of Tennessee where she will join a team that won last season’s Southeastern Conference championship.
“We are really excited about the skill set, work ethic, and attitude that Olivia will bring to Tennessee,” Volunteers head coach Matt Kredich said. “She comes from a really unique training environment that has an impressive record of producing elite swimmers once they reach college.
“She’s got a great sense of the value of team and family and has some really exciting skills and abilities that we think will help make her a fantastic Lady Vol swimmer,” Kredich added.
Harper, a qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Trials, is among the swimmers who have resumed training with Morrisette this summer at the Bath YMCA.
Correction: An earlier version of this report misidentified Cape Elizabeth swimmer Taylor McFarland’s first name.