T-L Photo/SETH STASKEY ST. CLAIRSVILLE senior Casadie DiBetta (front row, center) recently signed her National Letter of Intent to continue her swimming career at Ohio University. Front row, from left, are John Jackson (grandfather), DiBetta and her mother, Melissa DiBetta. Standing, from left, are Clair Jackson (Grandmother) and Olivia DiBetta (sister). By SETH STASKEY Times Leader Sports Editor ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Casadie DiBetta began her swimming career at the age of five. Since then, the St. Clairsville senior has never slowed down. Actually, she’s swam so fast that she’s going to have the opportunity to swim at the Division I college level. DiBetta recently signed her National Letter of Intent to continue her swimming and academic careers at Ohio University. “To have the opportunity to swim at Ohio is just amazing,” DiBetta said. “I am so grateful for my family, coaches, teammates and friends for all of the help and support they’ve given me over the years to help me get to this point.” Several factors played into DiBetta’s decision to become a Bobcat, including proximity to home, the facilities and the coaching staff. “As soon as I visited, I knew (Ohio University) was where I wanted to be,” DiBetta said. DiBetta was recruited to Athens to be a breaststroker, which should come as no surprise as she’s shined in that event both locally and at the state level throughout her career. During her career as a Red Devil, DiBetta has built one of the most decorated swim resumes in Ohio Valley history. It actually wasn’t until she started having some of the success and posting some of the bigger time drops when DiBetta believed that she had what it took to swim at Division I level. “I’ve always wanted to swim in college, but it wasn’t really until my sophomore or junior years where I saw myself as even having a chance to swim Division I,” DiBetta said. “Schools started reaching out to me and at that point, I really thought I could do it. Just to have this opportunity means a lot to me.” Still with a season to go, DiBetta has qualified to the Division II State Meet in 12 events and owns an All-Ohio finish in five events. In the aforementioned breaststroke, DiBetta has found her most success. She was the state runner-up both as as a freshman and sophomore and settled for the bronze last March. She also placed in the top five last season in the 200 individual medley, which is another event that Ohio coaches have told DiBetta she could see time when she gets to Athens. DiBetta has also claimed five individual OVAC titles and two district championships in the 100 breaststroke. She’s also going after her fourth consecutive Buckeye 8 championships in the breaststroke and IM. “I’m really excited for this season,” DiBetta said. “I hope to do as well as I have done the previous years. I am hoping to get back to state and do well there, too. I want to continue to drop even more time.” DiBetta’s times are already some of the best ever posted in both St. Clairsville and OVAC history. She owns pool and/or meet records at Wheeling University and in the East/Southeast District Meet. At St. C., she has sole ownership of the 100 breaststroke, 200IM and 100 fly records and she’s swam a leg on three, record-setting relays. Actually DiBetta’s been listed as an All-American in the 100 breaststroke. “It’s been an amazing (career) so far, and I just cant’ wait to see what the future holds,” DiBetta said. DiBetta’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed. She’s been named St. Clairsville’s swim MVP three times and captained both the All Times Leader and All-Valley swim teams three times. Though DiBetta’s earned most of her accolades in swimming, she’s by no means a one-sport athlete. She qualified to the Division II State Track meet last spring in the 100 meter dash. She was the OVAC champion in both the 100 and 200 meters. DiBetta is also part of the Red Devils’ highly successful competition cheer squad, which has won three state championships and two OVAC titles. Academically, DiBetta gets it done, too. She’s a member of the National Honor Society, carries a 4.0 grade point average and has achieved the Principal’s List in all semesters. She’s been named to the Academic All-OVAC team three times. Casadie, who is the daughter of Mike and Melissa DiBetta, plans to major in education and wants to be a teacher and swim coach.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Casadie DiBetta began her swimming career at the age of five.

Since then, the St. Clairsville senior has never slowed down.

Actually, she’s swam so fast that she’s going to have the opportunity to swim at the Division I college level.

DiBetta recently signed her National Letter of Intent to continue her swimming and academic careers at Ohio University.

“To have the opportunity to swim at Ohio is just amazing,” DiBetta said. “I am so grateful for my family, coaches, teammates and friends for all of the help and support they’ve given me over the years to help me get to this point.”

Several factors played into DiBetta’s decision to become a Bobcat, including proximity to home, the facilities and the coaching staff.

“As soon as I visited, I knew (Ohio University) was where I wanted to be,” DiBetta said.

DiBetta was recruited to Athens to be a breaststroker, which should come as no surprise as she’s shined in that event both locally and at the state level throughout her career.

During her career as a Red Devil, DiBetta has built one of the most decorated swim resumes in Ohio Valley history.

It actually wasn’t until she started having some of the success and posting some of the bigger time drops when DiBetta believed that she had what it took to swim at Division I level.

“I’ve always wanted to swim in college, but it wasn’t really until my sophomore or junior years where I saw myself as even having a chance to swim Division I,” DiBetta said. “Schools started reaching out to me and at that point, I really thought I could do it. Just to have this opportunity means a lot to me.”

Still with a season to go, DiBetta has qualified to the Division II State Meet in 12 events and owns an All-Ohio finish in five events.

In the aforementioned breaststroke, DiBetta has found her most success. She was the state runner-up both as as a freshman and sophomore and settled for the bronze last March. She also placed in the top five last season in the 200 individual medley, which is another event that Ohio coaches have told DiBetta she could see time when she gets to Athens.

DiBetta has also claimed five individual OVAC titles and two district championships in the 100 breaststroke. She’s also going after her fourth consecutive Buckeye 8 championships in the breaststroke and IM.

“I’m really excited for this season,” DiBetta said. “I hope to do as well as I have done the previous years. I am hoping to get back to state and do well there, too. I want to continue to drop even more time.”

DiBetta’s times are already some of the best ever posted in both St. Clairsville and OVAC history.

She owns pool and/or meet records at Wheeling University and in the East/Southeast District Meet. At St. C., she has sole ownership of the 100 breaststroke, 200IM and 100 fly records and she’s swam a leg on three, record-setting relays.

Actually DiBetta’s been listed as an All-American in the 100 breaststroke.

“It’s been an amazing (career) so far, and I just cant’ wait to see what the future holds,” DiBetta said.

DiBetta’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed. She’s been named St. Clairsville’s swim MVP three times and captained both the All Times Leader and All-Valley swim teams three times.

Though DiBetta’s earned most of her accolades in swimming, she’s by no means a one-sport athlete.

She qualified to the Division II State Track meet last spring in the 100 meter dash. She was the OVAC champion in both the 100 and 200 meters.

DiBetta is also part of the Red Devils’ highly successful competition cheer squad, which has won three state championships and two OVAC titles.

Academically, DiBetta gets it done, too. She’s a member of the National Honor Society, carries a 4.0 grade point average and has achieved the Principal’s List in all semesters. She’s been named to the Academic All-OVAC team three times.

Casadie, who is the daughter of Mike and Melissa DiBetta, plans to major in education and wants to be a teacher and swim coach.