McKinley Rollins

Press release

SALISBURY — This was by far the best year for the Salisbury Cyclones Summer League Swim Team in an eight-year history.

The team is run by the J.F. Hurley Family YMCA swim teams department and practices in the summer through a partnership with the Country Club of Salisbury.

The team started with a handful of children in 2017. In 2024 the roster was the largest it’s ever been with 124 swimmers, 80 of whom participated in the conference meet. Salisbury is the youngest team in the Southern Piedmont Swim Conference, both in age and average roster age, but is already making an impact under head coach Matthew Epley.

Several milestones were accomplished.

Salisbury won its first dual meet with the girls capturing a win against the Northwest swim team from Kannapolis. The girls placed fifth out of eight, while the team was seventh out of eight in combined team scores at the conference meet. As a team, 33 individual and relay records for Salisbury were broken this season.

McKinley Rollins was undefeated in 8U individual events in five regular-season meets. She broke team records in every event. In the conference meet, she won the 25 free and 25 fly and was third in the 25 backstroke. She led the Cyclones in points scored with 118 out of a 120 max and was second in her age group for MVP.

Josh McBride had a fast conference meet with three individual team records for 13-14 boys. He was second in the 100 IM and 50 back. He was third in the 50 free. He scored 116 points out of a max 120 to tie for second in his age group for MVP. Josh also swims with Rowan Aquatic Club’s competitive teenage squad on a year-round basis and had completed a  three-day prelims and finals Y Regional meet a few days prior where he placed top three in seven events. As a freshman, he will be impactful for Davie County High this school year.

Eva Ross and Tessa Smith placed second and third in the 6U girls 25 freestyle. That is the only event for that age group. They compete in the 8U division for other strokes. The girls 8U medley relay took third with Harper Heard, Rollins, Charlee Clifford and Maggie Stirewalt.

Honorable mention Salisbury swimmers who had multiple top 10 finishes and scored 80+ individual points were Reese Bostian, Clifford, Guy Deal, Maggie Deal, Charlotte Hawkins, Patterson Herlocker, Jamison Johnson, Karis Miller, Andy Nguyen, Addyson Sechriest, Emory Sechriest, Cole Smith, Stirewalt, Adi Verdin, Noah Young and Ann-Margaret Zirt.

The benefits of swimming as a sport are well known and thanks to the Country Club of Salisbury, the Y, and the coaching talents of  Epley, Salisbury has a thriving summer team. Coach Epley is a RAC alumni and was a championship swimmer at Carson. He is assisted by Margeaux Rary, a former Catawba swimmer whose expertise guides the newest athletes. The Salisbury staff and volunteer team also includes current and former Rowan high school swimmers Gracie Lineberger, Makenzie Sechriest, Camden Miller, Lizzie Brilliant, Daniel Epley, Sydney Mobley and Gabe Young.