Swim official Marie Weferling along with former competitive swimmers Bill McCalmon, Marci Barrows-Scharf, and Emma Waddell join current Masters swimmer David Vail as 2024 inductees into the Maine Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame.
“I am excited to see the diversity of the class,” Lee Crocker, president of the HOF since its inception, said of the 23rd class to be inducted.
Highlighting the diversity, Crocker said the class includes the first masters swimmer selected, an official with years of impressive national experience, and an interscholastic championship swimmer from the 1950s.
Weferling started her officiating career in 1996 at Maine and New England meets. In 2011, the Camden resident began officiating national competitions including the United States Open, United States Senior Nationals, United States Junior Nationals, USA Futures Meet, YMCA Nationals, and the Grand Prix.
The member of the USA Swimming National Review Board also has officiated at both the Arena Pro Series and TYR Pro Series competitions.
McCalmon, a 1959 New England champion in the 200 yard freestyle for Portland High, coached by Harold Paulson (MSD HOF 1995), won gold medals for the Bulldogs at the state championship in 1958 (200 freestyle), 1959 (100 freestyle) and 1960 (50 freestyle and 100 freestyle). His 1960 100 freestyle time (53.1) established a state record. In addition, he won the Maine Amatuer Atheltic Union (AAU) 440 freestyle setting a meet record in 1959, a year after winning the 100 freestyle.
The former 200 individual medley record holder and team captain at the University of Connecticut qualified for and competed in the 200 freestyle at the AAU Nationals where the field included 1960 Olympians Mike Troy (2 time Olympic gold medalist), George Breen (Olympic medalist and world record holder ), and Murray Rose ( 3 time world record record holder and winner of 6 Olympic medals).
During her four years competing for Westbrook High, Barrows-Scharf won eight individual events at the Class A Maine Principals’ Association State Championships, one of only three female Class A swimmers with this distinction. She set the Maine interscholastic state record in the 500-yard freestyle as a sophomore and her senior year set the state record in the 200-yard freestyle
In 1999, she was awarded the Swimmer of the Meet at the MPA Class A State Championship while also voted the Athlete of the Year by the Maine Varsity Sports Club. As an age group swimmer, she set 10 Maine age group state records and earned six Maine Zone team selections. She competed for the University of Maine Black Bears serving as team captain her senior year.
Waddell, a five time NCAA Division lll gold medalist for Williams College, competed in the 2016 Olympic Trials in the 100 meter butterfly. As an interscholastic swimmer at Bangor High, she won five individual titles at the MPA Class A State Meets and earned All-American recognition in 2014. Her 100-yard butterfly gold medal win in 2014 established a state interscholastic record.(54.49)
The five-time YMCA National Championship finalist also set Maine age group records in the 50-yard butterfly (23.99) and the 200 individual medley (2:01.53).
In 2017 at the NCAA Division 3 nationals, Waddell set a meet record in the 50-yard free (22.69). She collected 27 gold medals competing for Williams at the New England Small Conference Athletic Conference Championships during her four years. She earned NESCAC Swimmer of the Meet honors in 2017 and 2018. Following the 2017 season, she was nominated for the NCAA Division lll Honda Athlete of the Year Swimming and Diving.
She graduated holding NESCAC Championship Meet records in the 100 free (49.17), 100 fly (53.37), 50 free (22.98) and the 50 fly (23.99).
Since entering his initial Masters competition at the age of 51, Vail, the first masters swimmer to be inducted into the HOF, continues to train with the Polar Bears Masters at Bowdoin College and race at age 80. He has competed in three National Senior Games, winning four gold medals, eight silver, and one bronze. At the 2023 NSG held in Pittsburgh, he won the 100-yard backstroke (80-84 division) and claimed a silver medal in the 200-yard freestyle. The Maine Senior Games inducted him into the HOF in 2016.
The former collegiate swimmer at Princeton University has earned 79 top ten United States Masters Swimming national rankings in events ranging from the 50 fly to the1650 freestyle including five second place and seven third place rankings. He is a member of four number one ranked relays and 11 silver medal relays.
During his masters swimming career, Vail has held the number one ranking in New England Masters all-time top ten in more than 20 events.
The professor at Bowdoin College from 1970-2011 competed in the 1998 Swedish National Short Course Meters Championship in the 50-55 age group and collected individual gold medals in several events.
The Maine Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame will hold the induction event this fall. Crocker indicated details regarding the date, venue, and tickets will be announced.
