Gateway Class of 1986
Ten years after Mel Nash graduated from Gateway High School, along came a freshman named Michelle Chow, who rewrote the girl’s W.P.I.A.L. and P.I.A.A. record books.
She was the driving force that propelled the 1985 and 1986 P.I.A.A. state championship swim teams.
Here are Michelle’s remarkable records and swimming accomplishments:
| 1983 Freshman Year | – P.I.A.A. State Individual Champion 50 freestyle & 100 freestyle |
| 1984 Sophomore Year | – P.I.A.A. State Individual Champion 50 freestyle & 100 freestyle (new state record) |
| 1985 Junior Year | – P.I.A.A. State Individual Champion 50 freestyle & 100 freestyle |
| 1986 Senior Year | – P.I.A.A. State Individual Champion 50 freestyle & 100 freestyle |
| 1983-1986 | – Eight Individual State Championship Titles |
| 1985 | – P.I.A.A. State Team Champions 4 x 100 freestyle relay team champion |
| 1986 | – P.I.A.A. State Team Champions 4 x 100 freestyle relay team champion |
| 1985-1986 | – Two Team State Championships |
| 1983-1986 | Total of 10 State Championships (8 individual and 2 relay) |
| 1983-1986 | – Seven time individual event W.P.I.A.L. Championship Titles |
| 1983-1986 | – Set multiple Gateway High School team records in individual and team events |
| 1986 | – Gateway High School girls swimming co-captain |
| 1986 | – Gateway High School establishes the Michelle Chow Award given to the outstanding female swimmer of the year. |
| 1986 | – Pittsburgh Post Gazette Co-Female high school athlete of the year. |
| 1986 | – Pittsburgh Athletic Academic All American Team |
| 1983-1986 | – Set the unbeatable record (and never tied) of 8 for 8 individual event State Championship Titles |
| 1986-1991 | – Full athletic scholarship to Women’s Swimming Team at Texas A & M University and coached by Mel Nash. |
| 1988 | Olympic Trials Qualifier in the 50 freestyle |
| 1987 | N.C.A.A. Division I Women’s All American Honorable Mention |
| 1986 | U.S. Open Swimming Championship Finalist |
| 1986-1991 | GTE/Texas A & M University Academic Athletic Award |
| 1993-1998 | – Fifteen time #1 Swims in U.S. Masters Swimming |
| 1993-1998 | – Fifty-one U.S. Master Swimming top ten finishes * U.S. Masters Swimming 2 event world recordbreaker * Second place in the women’s 30-39 age group in the Alcatraz Swim |
| 1999 | Most recently completed various distance swims, the 5K and 10K swims |
Michelle was just recently married. She graduated from college in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She entered graduate school and in 1997 she completed her M.B.A in finance and marketing. She currently lives in Dallas, Texas.
“Michelle Chow brought Gateway Women’s Swimming to State prominence. Her accomplishments put W.P.I.A.L. Women’s Swimming on par with the men’s competitions. Her eight P.I.A.A. individual gold medals set a standard by which future winners judge themselves. Michelle’s reputation attracted more swimmers to the Gateway program and her training intensity brought the women’s training to that of the men’s team. Michelle brought a presence to all of the meets and her competitors held her in high regard. Coaching Michelle was very rewarding for me.”
Coach Larry Petrillo
We asked Michelle about her most vivid memory of Gateway High School athletics.
“My most vivid memory of Gateway High School athletics was winning State Championship #7, the 50 freestyle my senior year. After placing fourth in the preliminary round, the feeling of sheer joy and amazement at capturing the State Championship title (and when I tied the state record) in the finals is something I will never forget.”
Michelle Chow, 1999