Making Waves: Defining Athleticism with Mary Quay Wilson ’26

Competitive swimmer and powerlifter Mary Quay Wilson ’26 is diving into this season with passion and purpose. With ten St. Mary’s swim seasons under her belt, she is well-acquainted with the challenges of athletic competition. However, it is her tenacity, strength, grace, and work ethic that truly make the biggest waves.

Mary Quay discovered her love for the water at the early age of four. Born with spina bifida, the water helped Mary Quay practice balance and walking. “I just fell in love with being in the water,” she shared. At just five years old, Mary Quay had joined the St. Mary’s swim team, and by 13, she was swimming for a local club team, the Memphis Tigers.

In 2021, St. Mary’s opened the new Athletic Wellness Center, including a state-of-the-art Strength and Conditioning Center. Mary Quay’s athletic career was going swimmingly, but she saw an opportunity to explore her passions further.

“I had seen parapowerlifting at a competition and thought, ‘We’re getting a new lifting facility at school. I bet I could do that,’” she said. Without hesitation, Mary Quay signed up for a freshmen lifting class and began one-on-one training with Athletic Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Coach Claire Betti, quickly falling in love with the sport. 

Now a St. Mary’s junior, Mary Quay competes nationally in swimming and powerlifting, as well as in summer league, with the Memphis Tigers and the Disabled Athletes Sports Association (DASA). Mary Quay is also training to be a Camp Counselor at DASA’s Camp WeCanDu next summer. She is driven by her personal goals to compete for herself, but also to inspire others.

“I think it’s really important for kids with disabilities to see someone else with a disability follow their dreams, to show them they can do all of the things they want to do,” noted Mary Quay. 

Mary Quay credits her success to hard work, along with the supportive environment at St. Mary’s. From her early involvement with the Lower School Swim Team to training in the Strength and Conditioning Center with Coach Betti, St. Mary’s has provided her with the resources to turn dreams into goals and goals into reality. The sense of community, competition, and lifelong friendships she’s found on the St. Mary’s Swim Team has also been invaluable.

“I’ve always been very determined,” said Mary Quay. “If I want to do something, I’m going to go do it. It might not be the first, easiest path that gets me there, but I adapt. I’m not going to be able to do things exactly the way that other people do it, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do it. There’s no one way. Everyone is different. You can get to the same goal through different paths.” 

With her determination, perseverance, and work ethic, Mary Quay is setting the course for her future. She plans to swim the 500 freestyle her senior year and compete in swimming at the collegiate level. 

“I have some new goals this season. I’ve been swimming for over 10 years, but there’s still opportunity,” she shared. “Trying different events is uncomfortable, but doing things that are hard and uncomfortable helps you grow, not only as an athlete but as a person.”

We wish Mary Quay all the best as she competes for the Turkeys–and herself–this winter swim season and beyond!