Pitt’s swimming and diving program announced 12 new additions to the upcoming 2018-19 season on Friday. These dozen athletes join the seven other members of the Class of 2018, announced last November.
“We believe that each of these kids has the potential to leave Pitt as an accomplished student and a phenomenal athlete,” Pitt head coach John Hargis said in a press release.
Gabriel Cardenes from Pouso Alegre, Brazil and Camryn Forbes from Butler, Pennsylvania both come to Pitt as transfers. Cardenes is a rising sophomore from Arizona, while Forbes is a rising sophomore from Indiana.
Cardenes boasts top times in the 50-yard freestyle (19.93), 100-yard freestyle (43.91) and 100-yard butterfly (48.20).
Forbes was a 2016 United States Olympic Trials competitor, and as a first-year placed 15th in the 200-yard backstroke and 26th in the 200-yard individual medley at the 2018 Big Ten Championships.
The rest of the new additions are comprised of nearly all swimmers, with the exception of one diver — Wesley Ahart of Telford, PA. Ahart will be under the guidance of Katie Hazelton, who was hired as the new head coach of Pitt’s diving program in June 2017.
In total, the program’s 19 new recruits since November include 15 U.S. natives and four international recruits.
“You want to add quality athletes with each recruiting class, but to be able to do it with the numbers that we did this year is very exciting,” Hargis said in a release. “As a coaching staff, we’re looking forward to training with this group in the future.”
The full list of the 12 new recruits includes:
Incoming Transfers:
Gabriel Cardenes | FREE/FLY | Pouso Alegre, Brazil | Arizona
Camryn Forbes | BACK/FREE/IM | Butler, PA | Indiana
Incoming Freshmen:
Wesley Ahart | DIVE | Telford, PA | Souderton Area
Jake Bowery | FREE | Salem, VA | Salem
Jeb Darhower | FREE | Oxford, PA | Oxford
Kendall Goit | FLY/FREE | Canton, MI | Mercy Catholic
Daria Hatter | BREAST/FREE | Pearland, TX | Glenda Dawson
Luay Hilmi | BACK/FLY/IM | Leesburg, VA | Potomac Falls
Robert Negron | FLY/FREE | Bethlehem, PA | Liberty
Daniel Retana | FREE | San Jose, Costa Rica | St. Jude
Megan Schimansky | BACK/FLY/FREE | Coral Springs, FL | Coral Gables
Anton Tamkovitch | BACK/FLY/FREE | Philadelphia, PA | Germantown Academy