When Lisa Quirmolue arrived at Conwell-Egan Catholic (CEC) as a freshman, she was looking for an opportunity to receive a strong education and continue pursuing her passion for track and field. Three years later, she has become one of the most accomplished athletes in school history.

"After suffering a season-ending injury in her sophomore year, Lisa rededicated herself once she recovered and had an amazing junior year, rewriting the CEC girls track and field record book," says CEC Track & Field Head Coach Brian Wurtz ‘84. 

This season alone, Quirmolue shattered numerous school records and established herself as one of the top track athletes in Pennsylvania. Her achievements have not only earned her a place in the CEC record books, but have also attracted attention from several NCAA Division I programs, including Ivy League schools Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Quirmolue's journey in track and field began in seventh grade at Armstrong Middle School, where she competed in hurdles, the 100-meter dash, and the 200-meter dash. Although she showed promise early on, she credits much of her growth to the support and guidance of her family, particularly her cousin.

"My cousin saw potential in me and thought I could be great," Quirmolue said.

Drawing from his own collegiate track experience, her cousin took her under his wing and began mentoring her last summer. He emphasized the importance of understanding the sport beyond competition, teaching her about training, recovery, and the mental side of athletics.

"He would always tell me that you have to know track and field, learn the background of the sport, and take care of your body properly," Quirmolue said.

His mentorship helped boost her confidence and transform her mindset. Throughout the offseason, he sent her training videos and tracked her progress, even researching CEC's records to identify goals she could chase.

That hard work paid off in a historic fashion.

During the indoor season, Quirmolue set school records in the 60-meter dash (7.77 seconds), 200-meter dash (25.49 seconds), 400-meter dash (61.68 seconds), and 60-meter hurdles (8.95 seconds).

She carried that momentum into the outdoor season, where she broke school records in the 100-meter dash (12.05 seconds), 200-meter dash (25.11 seconds), 400-meter dash (57.35 seconds), 100-meter hurdles (14.82 seconds), and 300-meter hurdles (43.19 seconds). She also helped set a new school record in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 4:09.25.

According to Quirmolue, the support of her coaches has also played a major role in her success. She credits Coach Wurtz for helping her improve the small technical details that make a significant difference in races.

The team's transition to having access to a track also helped elevate her performances.

"Hurdling in the parking lot made things harder for sure," she said. "Having the track made it much easier to work on things."

One of Quirmolue's biggest accomplishments came at the 2026 PIAA State Championships. After running a personal-best time of 43.19 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles during the preliminary round, she advanced to the finals and returned the next day to compete in difficult rainy conditions. Despite the weather, she delivered another strong performance and earned a fifth-place state medal.

While her list of accomplishments is already impressive, Quirmolue believes her best performances are still ahead of her.

Her favorite event is the 300-meter hurdles, and she says she has always enjoyed hurdling because of the flexibility she developed through years of dance. To continue improving, she trains year-round and competes with Philadelphia-based Royalty Track Club during the summer.

Looking ahead to her senior season, Quirmolue has set ambitious goals.

"I want to be a state champion in both indoor and outdoor track and lower my times even more," she said.

With a record-breaking junior season behind her and college recruiters taking notice, Quirmolue is poised for an exciting final year at CEC. If her determination and work ethic are any indication, the school records may need even more updates before she graduates.