Patrick Wenzel (Head Coach)

Patrick has been the head coach of Allegheny North Swim Club since the Spring of 2004 and took over the position of North Allegheny High School swim coach in the Spring of 2013. Since becoming the head coach, ANSC has had at least 2 Olympic Trial qualifiers for each Olympic year. Patrick has coached a myriad of athletes who have reached the Junior and Senior National levels through his career, including several Junior National Champions in individual and relay events.  He has been awarded the Allegheny Mountain Swimming coach of the year a dozen times in his career and has led ANSC to over a dozen age group championships during his tenure. On a high school level, Patrick has coached North Allegheny to a total of 15 WPIAL team titles, 3 boys’ State championships, 1 girls’ State championship, and a boys’ National Championship in 2018. In 2018, a 400 freestyle relay, coached by Patrick, set the all-time High School national record as well as the USA swimming national age group record. Patrick has been named the Pennsylvania High School coach of the year 5 times for boys and 1 time for girls in his head coaching career. Patrick holds Level 3 certification from ASCA.

Most of his swimming career, Patrick competed for the Michiana Marlins in South Bend, Indiana. In Indiana, he won a state championship in the 500 freestyle as a high school sophomore. In two years at North Allegheny and ANSC, Patrick won the state championship in the 500 freestyle and led the Tiger Men’s Team to a championship in 1994. He held the school record in the 500 freestyle at North Allegheny until 2008 when it was broken by one of his own swimmers. Patrick was inducted into the North Allegheny Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006 for his swimming achievements.

Patrick continued his education and swimming career at the Ohio State University (OSU) where he set three OSU records as a Freshman. Patrick was named the men’s team captain during his junior season, and was awarded the Steve Skillken Spirit of Giving Award, for giving selflessly to his teammates. Every year of his college career, he earned Academic All-Big Ten honors. In 1996, Patrick qualified for the Olympic Trials. He was ranked in the Top 16 in the country, and 51st in the world for the 1500 meters freestyle during that year. Patrick also finished his time at Ohio State with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Degree.  Patrick also completed his Master of Business Administration degree at Robert Morris University in 2004. 

Patrick is a proud father to his daughter, Macey, who currently is swimming for the club and following in her dad’s footsteps.

Shannon Tieppo (Assistant Head Coach)

Shannon began swimming for ANSC at the age of 8. She was the Pennsylvania High School State Champion in the 200 freestyle for two consecutive years. She was also part of four WPIAL team championships and two PIAA state championship teams with North Allegheny. During high school, Shannon qualified for Junior Nationals in six events (100 & 500 Free, 200 & 400 IM, 100 & 200 Fly) and Senior Nationals in one event (200 Free). She was a four year All American. Shannon held the school record in the 200 freestyle and the pool record in the 500 freestyle for over 20 years at NA. She was inducted into the NA Hall of Fame in 2005. Shannon continued her education and swimming career on a full scholarship at Michigan State University. She was a four year letter winner and three time Academic All American. Shannon broke the 200 freestyle and 400 Individual Medley school records and was a part of the record breaking 400 Medley Relay team while at MSU. Shannon graduated with honors from Michigan State University with a degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Learning Disabilities.

Shannon began her coaching career at Ingomar North Swim Club while in high school. After college, she coached an age group team of military children stationed in Germany and was able to travel Europe with the team. After returning to the US, Shannon was the head coach of Huron High School swim team in Ohio for three years. In 2005, Shannon returned to Pittsburgh and became an assistant coach for the North Allegheny High School team. Once her kids began to show an interest in swimming she switched from high school to age group coaching and has been with ANSC ever since. Shannon is a special education assistant in the North Allegheny School District.

Brittany Glass (Age Group Coach)

Brittany began swimming at the age of five and grew up in the Allegheny North Swim Club program. She became an All-American, WPIAL and PIAA Champion as a member of the North Allegheny Tiger Swim Team. Brittany continued her swimming career at Westminster College where she was a school record holder, PAC conference champion, NCAA DIII Qualifier and finalist, a College Swim Coaches Association of America Academic-All-American, team MVP, and team captain. As a senior, Brittany received the Marjorie A. Walker Award, given annually to honor the top Westminster senior female student-athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of fairness, sportsmanship, leadership, determination and competitiveness.

Brittany began coaching in 2004, and has been coaching with the Allegheny North Swim Club since 2008. She has been an Eastern Zone Coach, an Assistant Coach on Allegheny Mountain training trips to the U.S. Olympic Training Center, and has helped to coach many Zone, Sectional, Junior and Senior National athletes. She currently serves on the WPIAL Steering Committee for Swimming and Diving, as well as the Eastern Zone Board of Review.

Brittany is married to Brian, and has two children: Callie and Macklin; they currently reside in Allison Park and Brittany works for the North Allegheny School District.

Stacie Sloan (Age Group Coach)

Stacie began swimming with ANSC at the age of 5 and held many age group records for the team. She continued with the club throughout high school where she became a member of the North Allegheny Tigers. Stacie was a member of the WPIAL and PIAA championship teams as well as an All-American.

Stacie continued her education at Clarion University where she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Communication. She has worked for a local law firm as a senior billing specialist for the last 10 years, as well as coaching. She has been coaching for Allegheny North since 2005.

Stephanie Graham (Age Group Coach)

Stephanie began swimming for ANSC at age 12. She continued her swimming career at North Allegheny where she was a four year WPIAL qualifier; three year state qualifier; two year All-American and a key member of three WPIAL championship teams (2008, 2009, 2010). She swam for Gannon University where she was a four year PSAC qualifier. She has coached Shannopin Country Club’s team for three years. She graduated from Gannon in 2014 with a degree in Early Childhood and Special Education. Stephanie is excited and honored to be home at ANSC coaching our swimmers!

Beth Mock (Age Group Coach)

Beth Mock swam six years on her varsity high school team in Massena, New York. She held the pool and school records in the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley for many years. She held the section league record in both of those events as well. She was a strong representative at the NY State championships for four years in the backstroke and the individual medley and two years in the medley relay. She served as captain her junior and senior years and she was the team MVP her senior year. Beth Mock continued her swimming career at William Smith College where she led her team in points her freshman year. She was a NYSWCAA state finalist in the 100 backstroke and was part of a record breaking 800 freestyle relay team while at WS. In 2009, Beth was inducted into the Massena Hall of Fame.

Beth Mock was the assistant coach for the Massena, New York Varsity high school team in 2007 and 2008 and became the head coach in 2009. She coached her hometown team for five years with three undefeated seasons until her family was relocated to Pittsburgh. She continued coaching for two years at the Baierl YMCA and is now very happy to be part of the ANSC coaching staff. Beth is married to David and has two children, Ryan and Allie.

Celeste Gaber (Age Group Coach)

Celeste began swimming in the summer at Gateway Heights Swim Club in Monroeville and truly found her love! She swam for Pitt Aquatic and qualified for Jr. Nationals in the 200 and 500 Free placing top 8 in both events. During her high school career, Gateway swim team won States 3 years in a row with only 4 girls. Celeste received a full scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh in 1987. There she won the Big East Championship in the 500 as a Freshman and Sophomore. Pitt also won the Big East Championship all 4 years when Celeste was on the team and she was the team captain her Senior year. In 2005, Celeste was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Gateway girls swim team and then again as an individual in 2006.

Teaching has always been a huge love in Celeste’s life. She has taught preschool through 10th grade. Celeste holds an Elementary Education degree, a Masters in Reading and currently teaches preschool. Celeste was an assistant coach at North Allegeheny from 1995-2006 where she met and coached with Corky, Patrick and Shannon. Celeste was actually one of Brittany’s coaches in high school! In addition to raising two daughters, Celeste coached McCandless swim team in the summer for 10 years from 2007-2017. She is married to Eric and has lived in McCandless for over 20 years.

Casey Melzer (Age Group Coach)

Casey grew up swimming for ANSC. He later swam for North Allegheny High School, and was a member of multiple WPIAL championship teams. He still holds the school record in the 100 breaststroke, which was the school’s oldest athletic record (32 years!) when he first broke it. He went on to swim for the University of Texas, his dream school, where he was primarily a 200 breaststroker, but also excelled in the 100 breaststroke. He qualified for both the 2016 and 2021 US Olympic Trials.

Casey has experience coaching swimmers of all ages, ranging from age groupers to elite collegiate athletes. He was the head coach of the Austin Swim Club’s college group (where he made an appearance on Practice and Pancakes) and has coached for the University of Pittsburgh. He is known for resuscitating breaststrokes previously taken for dead as well as for making challenging workouts fun. When he’s not on a pool deck, he enjoys spending time with his boxer and playing the guitar or cello. He is thrilled to be working with the next generation of ANSC swimmers.

Stacy Finkelstein (Age Group Coach)

Stacy grew up in NJ and started swimming competitively at the age of 6. She swam for multiple teams including Morris County Swim Club (MCSC), a summer swim team, and her high school team. Stacy was awarded female class swimmer-of-the-year her freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years. After high school, she went on to swim for Penn State’s Club Swim Team, acting as both a swimmer and coach. From 2012-2013, Stacy was the Head Coach of a summer lake team in the North Jersey Regional Lake League, where she coached swimmers ages 6-18. 

After college, Stacy lived/worked in Los Angeles, NYC, and Newport, RI, before settling down in the Pittsburgh area. She is beyond excited to be back on a pool deck working with this incredible group of swimmers!

Mark Stepanian (Age Group Coach)

Mark began swimming at the age of twelve with the Blackhawk Cougar club program and continued swimming at the high school level at Blackhawk school district in Beaver County.   During his club career, Mark competed at several sectional meets, Jr. Nationals, and National meets.  On the high school side, Mark was a three time All-American, and WPIAL and PIAA Champion in the 50 Freestyle and 100 Freestyle.  Mark continued his swimming career at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY where he competed in the Ivy Conference Championship for three years.

Besides swimming, Mark’s other passion is all things theme parks.  After graduating from Cornell, Mark began designing and building roller coasters in Baltimore, MD while pursuing his MBA. Since then, he’s become the owner and President of CAVU Designwerks and leads a team to create innovative theme park attractions.  Mark hopes to transition those professional skills into the pool to help develop and prepare young ANSC athletes for the next steps of their lives both in and out of the pool.

Mark and his wife Sarah recently moved back to the Pittsburgh area and have settled in the North Allegheny district in Marshall Township. 

Alex Mathews (Age Group Coach)

Alex started swimming when he was in second grade, and was mostly a social swimmer until he started high school at Spring Grove Area High School in York, PA. Alex started training at the York YMCA my sophomore year in high school and was a YMCA Nationals qualifier my senior year in the 200 back and the 500/1000/1650 freestyles. 

Alex studied International Business and swam for Grove City College for two years, where he earned All-PAC First Team Distinction both years, competing in the distance freestyle and backstroke events as well as the 400 IM. After my sophomore year, he left college to join the Air Force, where he spent 4 years as an Arabic Language Analyst. 

After leaving the Air Force, Alex went back to the University of Pittsburgh to finish an undergraduate degree in Classics with a minor in English Literature. During my time at Pitt, he started coaching for Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics, where he got to work with swimmers of all ages across their different locations. Alex then worked as the Assistant Swimming and Diving Coach at Grove City College for two seasons, where he got some college coaching experience and assisted with recruiting and social media efforts. 

Alex lives in Cranberry with his girlfriend Kait and their dog, Annie. In my free time he likes practicing judo, working in my garden, chicken keeping, and cooking different kinds of food. His experience with swimming for a great coach and club changed my whole life for the better, and he is very excited to be a part of ANSC!