Former North Allegheny standout swimmer Molly Smyers making most of her time, winning titles at George Washington

Molly Smyers couldn’t really be upset about the outcome.

But in the moments after she touched the wall as the anchor of the George Washington University 800-yard freestyle relay team, the 2021 North Allegheny graduate said she also couldn’t help but let a thought creep into her mind.

This was even after her relay team finished the event in 7:12.19 last week to win an Atlantic 10 Conference championship and set a conference record.

“It was a really good outcome all around,” said Smyers, a sophomore at George Washington. “You can’t really complain about an A-10 record. It was more personally, my split, I wanted to go a little bit faster, but it was a great race. I was the last leg, and at that point we were pretty far ahead. It was the best I had at that moment.

“I was a little bit hard on myself and wanted a better split,” she added, “but that happens.”

George Washington swimming and diving coach Brian Thomas said he had a different reaction when speaking with Smyers about the race at the Atlantic 10 men’s and women’s swimming and diving championship meet at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

“She thrives on the relationships that she has within the team and with her teammates, but also she’s very competitive,” Thomas said. “She had the slowest split in the 800 relay, this relay broke a conference record. The first thing she did was come out and say, ‘Oh man, I was the weak link there.’ I was like, ‘Take it easy.’

“That’s kind of a window into her mindset and making sure she’s pulling her weight for the rest of the group,” the coach added. “Molly is a unique kid for sure. One thing I really like about her is her attitude and her approach has represented a switch for our entire team.”

The George Washington women’s swimming team has now won two consecutive Atlantic 10 championships, and three in the past five seasons.

In addition to her 800-yard freestyle relay title, Smyers would go on to win an individual conference championship in the 400-yard individual medley, finish second in the 1,650-yard freestyle and fourth in the 500-yard freestyle at the Atlantic 10 championship meet.

As a freshman, Smyers finished the 500-yard freestyle in second place, earned a third-place finish in the 1,650-yard freestyle and finished in sixth in the 400-yard individual medley at the Atlantic 10 championships.

“She definitely does not lack in confidence there’s no doubt about that,” Thomas said. “If you talk to Molly she just has an intensity about her. She has personality coming out of every orifice of her body.”

Thomas said he often has to remind Smyers to conserve energy at times to remain at her best.

“If she didn’t have swimming, I don’t know what she would do,” Thomas said. “She’s never exhausted. She’s never lacking intensity. She definitely brings that element to our team and that is invaluable. When I think about maybe why she’s had this success as a sophomore, she felt like she could be herself here. We didn’t try to change her.”

Before enrolling at George Washington, Smyers had plenty of success at North Allegheny. A four-time PIAA championship qualifier, she helped NA to win a team PIAA title by finishing in second place in the 200-yard individual medley and third in the 500-yard freestyle as a senior.

Smyers, who also won a PIAA title as a junior in 2020 as a member of the Tigers’ 400-yard freestyle relay, earned four WPIAL championships in the 500-yard freestyle.

Also a member of the Racer X Aquatics club team in high school, Smyers said racing at the highest level of competition in Pennsylvania definitely prepared her for Division I competition.

“I did feel pressure coming in,” Smyers said. “I think I kind of took the approach of if I work hard and if I have a positive attitude and I just take in every opportunity and the hard work and the competition, then it will all play out in the end.”

Thomas said Smyers has plenty to build upon by keeping up her demanding training routine over the summer.

“When I think of Molly she said to me a couple of times throughout her year so far, ‘I only have four years,’” Thomas said. “I love that kind of attitude. It means she wants to maximize her time here.

“I’ve loved what she’s brought to our team thus far,” he added. “She’s one of those kind of swimmers that keeps me honest. Anytime I want to tell her how great she’s doing she says ‘what’s next?’”

Smyers said she plans on that kind of attitude taking her far during her tenure at George Washington.

“At the end of the day, I want people to think that you can have an insane amount of talent, but how hard you work and how you present yourself on deck is what really matters,” she said. “How you made other people feel and the impact you made on them is going to be what’s left in your trail at the end of the day.

“I want to leave a positive impact and be a role model for the upcoming people,” she added. “I think this is an amazing team and I think my teammates and my coaches are amazing. I love all the people so much.”