Photo Courtesy of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum

Amanda McGrory competes in a wheelchair race for the U.S. Paralympic team.

Emma Marcotte ‘27

REPORTER

Unionville alumna Amanda McGrory represented both Unionville and the United States on the international stage at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games as a track and field announcer. Now 38, McGrory graduated from Unionville in 2004, after which she accepted an athletics scholarship to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There, she played wheelchair basketball and raced on the track and road racing teams, eventually graduating from college in 2010. Despite being diagnosed with transverse myelitis at age five, which affected her ability to walk, she has remained positive and perseverant, allowing her to win seven Paralympic medals and compete in over 25 marathons. Recently, McGory attained a role in the 2024 Paris Paralympics as an announcer for Track and Field. McGory is now a member of the NBC Olympics announcer team and serves as an archivist for the U.S. Olympics and Paralympic Committee, primarily focusing her broadcasting on marathons. McGrory’s former science teacher Mr. Mark Lacianca noted, “She had a really good outlook on life, especially in her situation,” looking back on the year he taught her in Physics (circa 2003). Regarding Unionville’s participation for para sports, Mr. Lacianca responded, “We certainly would be in favor of having those para-athletes on our track (in the cross country and track & field program),” remarking bringing awareness and opportunities to para-athletes at UHS would be positively influential and inclusive.

McGrory’s inspiring journey from Unionville High School to the Paralympic stage embodies her spirit of determination and resilience, reinforcing to the Unionville community the importance of dedication