Harvard-bound East Bay high school swimmer makes waves in swimming competitions

CONCORD, Calif. - As a recent graduate of Carondelet High School in Concord, Stephanie Iannaccone knows about competition. She’s the youngest of five and a twin. Her siblings? All boys! 

As a champion swimmer in the state, she admits she’s been training since she was very young. 

"I started swimming when I was 3 years old. I have a twin brother, but I'm the youngest of five, and I think that having four brothers has definitely made me competitive," Iannaccone said.

She comes from a family of athletes, including her father who played college football. Her twin brother Scott is also a swimmer. 

"My father has been especially supportive of my brothers and I, especially with our sports," she said.

A lifelong lover of the water and competition, both in and out of the pool, Iannaccone admits as a child, she enjoyed dancing but ultimately chose swimming as her preferred sport. 

"I did rec swim. My whole family, like my brothers and I did recreational swim for a while, and then I switched over to year-round swim…I think at 11 or 12…I've been at Walnut Creek Aqua Bears ever since." 

At a recent team practice with the Aqua Bears, she glides across the pool, in a breaststroke, her strong arms sweeping in front of her, cutting through the blue water, clearing the way as she stays focused on her goal of touching the wall, turning, and doing another lap. 

She smiles broadly every time she surfaces the water. It’s obvious – this is her sport and she loves it! 

Stephanie Iannaccone with her brothers.

Iannaccone holds numerous honors in both the classroom and in athletics. Stephanie is a champion and attributes her success to the 

support of her family and her steadfast focus on what she wants. 

"I always have goals for myself, and I like just accomplishing those goals and just going in the pool and training every single day to get in and accomplish those goals."

Last year, Iannaccone was named Outstanding Swimmer in the Pacific Swimming Long Course. Before she graduated, she placed in the top six in two relays and two individual events at the state championships. 

"At the CIF state meet, I broke two minutes in the [200 meter] and went 159, which I was really happy. That was one of my goals," she said.

Between her speed and strength, Iannaccone propelled herself into arenas she never thought she’d see. Her mom is a native of Guatemala and she and her twin brother have dual citizenship, making her eligible for swimming on the country’s national swim team. 

Iannaccone is a 2024 Olympic hopeful with the games planned for Paris next year, Summer 2024. 

"I'm most proud of representing Guatemala, and since my mom has dual citizenship, my brother and I have dual citizenship, and we had the opportunity to go to Guatemala and represent them and be a part of their Guatemalan national team," she said.

For the fall, she’s looking forward to joining the varsity swim team at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., grateful for the inspiration and encouragement of her coaches, mentors and especially her family, who have all helped her achieve her goals. 

"I mean, both of my parents and my brothers, they're all an inspiration to me, but I would say my dad especially, he did sports growing up too." 

And she’s looking forward to her next adventures, both in and out of the water, including qualifying for her mother’s home country for the Olympics, stating, "…hopefully by next year, on the Guatemalan national team I can qualify for the Olympics. That would be a dream!"

Alice Wertz is a freelance reporter for KTVU. She can be reached at alice.wertz@fox.com Follow her on Twitter at @AlicesTake