Padua Franciscan High School’s Figure Skating Team won the Ohio High School Team Figure Skating Championship on Sunday, February 4, 2024 at Thornton Park in Shaker Heights. They claimed their 12th state title in school history. (Past championship years include: 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010 and 2008.)
This year in addition to winning overall first place, Padua took first in Solo Dance events, Excel Free Skate events, and Showcase/Interpretive events. The team won second place in Maneuver Team events. The Bruins finished third in the Production Ensemble event, in which teams of eight or more skaters performed a themed group number. The team performed to music from The Lion King. (The numbers are judged on illustration of character, music interpretation, costuming and audience appeal.)
Overall, the Bruins won 41 medals in 50 events. The girls earned 20 gold medals, 15 silver and 6 bronze. Padua’s top high school skaters were Abbey Kubit ’26, Alexis Martin ’24, and Celine Yoon ’24.
Padua’s head coach is Alex (Miranda) Babb ’11. The assistant coaches Alexis (Hipkins) Flinn ’10 and Allison (Margevicius) Vega ’10 have been part of the successful program, since its inception in 2007, along with team manager Lori Margevicius.
“This is our strongest team of the past 18 years,” said Margevicius. “The competition was intense, but we came prepared. I’m so proud of how our skaters all supported each other and how well they represented Padua.”
With each new state title earned, the program has become more popular. They receive year-round inquiries from area skaters and their parents about when their daughters, and occasionally their sons, can join the team as junior varsity members, during seventh and eighth grade. For more information, please contact Lori Margevicius at lmargevi@kent.edu or Admissions Director Katie Martin ’08 at kmartin@paduafranciscan.net.
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