The following is the first of a three-part article series sharing about the success of the Mikesell siblings. Claire, Paige, and Luke have all excelled in swimming, school, and life. This series will document each Mikesell’s rise through swimming, the people who have inspired and aided their success, and the milestones and hurdles they accomplished and faced along the way.
CLEARFIELD – In economics, there’s a term known as an “early adopter”. These individuals are the first people to try the latest and greatest appliances and contraptions that hit the marketplace. In life, usually the oldest sibling is the parents’ early adopters to test out different activities and sports. But with the Mikesells, Claire was not the earliest adopter of swimming. In fact, she was the latest to hit the water of the trio.
At seven, Claire began her journey through swimming, which still continues today; just in a different role as a coach. She started her sport together with sister Paige as a five-year-old and brother Luke at just three. Together, the trio grew and found their strides in the sport. Despite being the oldest to hit the water, she unquestionably served as the inspiration for her younger siblings. But who was this role model for her?
To her, it was her parents, Jon and Sue. Jon was an all-around athlete, but Sue was the swimmer in the family. Even with an athletic background, nothing could have prepared the couple for the journey the three kids would take them on. It truly was led by Claire, as she was the first to express the interest in taking swimming farther than meets at the Clearfield Community Pool. She joined Clearfield YMCA Pool Sharks for indoor competitions and eventually became a YMCA National Championships qualifier in high school.
In addition to the club season, Mikesell joined the Lady Bisons high school swimming team and made her impact felt from the jump. By the time high school concluded for her in 2016, she had become a two-year team captain, racked up various individual District 9 titles, helped the program to a District 9 team title as a senior, became a high school All-American in 50-yard freestyle, set a collection of program records, and became a multiple-time state medalist. Her best mark while at Clearfield was finishing second place in states in the 50-yard freestyle in her junior season.
“The 17 years that I swam were immeasurable for me and have made me who I am,” she said. “I was fortunate to be born in a community that supports swimming and building important lifelong skills along the way. It’s been amazing to see the additions and improvements to the pools in Clearfield and be a part of the success of the programs. To come home and give back to the community and programs I care so deeply about is a special feeling.”
After graduating from Clearfield Area High School in 2016, she attended Ohio University for her first two seasons as a collegiate swimmer. Moving to Athens, Ohio was an excellent test as the Bobcats are a Division I program and this was the first time in her life she moved away from home. Over those first two seasons, the Clearfield Area High School graduate became an Academic All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) and made major strides in the 100 breaststroke; an event that would become her best during her college career. After two years at Ohio University, Mikesell changed her life through the transfer portal. She wanted to be closer to her family and liked the opportunity to specialize more in an area of education. The perfect fit became the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). What would happen over the next four years were moments she never would have expected.
Yes, that’s correct. Four years is how long her college career continued at IUP. With a redshirt season in 2019-20 followed by a COVID-19 redshirt competition year in 2020-21 granted by the NCAA, she was a Crimson Hawk for four years. In that time, she made her mark and even could reunite with Paige for four years and be teammates with Luke for the first time; a stint that lasted two seasons. “No matter what I accomplished in swimming, being able to be teammates with my siblings will always be the top experience I had in my swimming career,” she noted.
There certainly were many accolades that followed when Mikesell became an IUP swimmer. Over her time as a Crimson Hawk, she became a multiple time individual Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champion in a collection of short-distance strokes, helped the program win their first PSAC team title since 1999, became a seven-time All-American, competed at the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships in her three seasons of competition, set the 100 and 200 breaststroke program records, became IUP’s Women’s Scholar Athlete of the Year, and finished second in the nation in the 200 breaststroke in 2021 to name a few of her most notable accomplishments.
“I have so many role models and supporters to credit for helping me to have the success I did,” she said. “My high school coach Jackie Morrison was one of my first mentors in the sport and was a huge part of pushing me to get to the college level. At IUP, Coach (Chris) Villa and Coach (Adam) Stoner each helped me become a better swimmer and person. No matter what I was feeling, they were always there to pick me up and believe in me. My family also provided unconditional support for me. Between my parents, siblings, grandparents, and teammates, I couldn’t have asked for better support and memories.”
Today, Mikesell is making her presence felt in the Clearfield community as a second year health teacher in the Clearfield Area School District. She earned a bachelor’s degree in community health education, a master’s in health and physical education, and she is around halfway complete with a second master’s in food and nutrition education. Sports have also not gone far as she is a coach for the boys and girls swimming programs alongside her father and sister, a high school cross country coach, and a track and field coach at the middle school level.
Giving back to those coming after her is a mission that always excited her. Claire Mikesell is grateful for this new chapter and all the opportunities it brings, whether it’s helping young people lead healthier lives or pushing them to excel as athletes. She set the table for her younger siblings and was a critical role model for them in their own swimming pursuits. It’s been a ride filled with some unforeseen twists and turns, but her swimming career is one worth celebrating and mentioning to young people in the area who hope to one day pursue the sport collegiately, too.
“I like to think I made the most of the opportunities I had. Through COVID-19 concerns, taking a redshirt in my senior year, and transferring to IUP, I look back and have no regrets about anything. I’ve gotten so much from swimming. If I can give back to these athletes close to the way my coaches gave to me, it will be a success to me,” she said.
