By his own high standards, sophomore diver Dennis Nemtsanov called this season a… By his own high standards, sophomore diver Dennis Nemtsanov called this season a disappointment. But in reality, Nemtsanov had a remarkable year and, because of his achievements, is being recognized by The Pitt News as Male Athlete of the Winter.

Despite a shoulder injury that bothered him all season, Nemtsanov captured first place 13 times this season.

Nemtsanov earned two All-Big East honors with a score of 314.20 and a first-place finish in the one-meter springboard and a score of 479.10 and third-place finish in the three-meter springboard at the Big East Championships February 19-21 in East Meadow, N.Y. He also became the first non-Miami Big East diving champion since Pitt’s John Sharkey in 1991.

His success continued at the NCAA Zone ‘A’ Diving Pre-quals at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., where he won the one-meter springboard with a total score of 608.4.

Nemtsanov also qualified for the NCAA Championships in three-meter springboard with a third-place finish and 492.4 points and qualified for the platform with a fourth-place finish and 431.6 points.

Nemtsanov is the only Panther diver to qualify for the NCAA championships in either of the last two seasons.

At the NCAA Championships in East Meadow, N.Y., March 25 Nemtsanov earned All-American honors with 294.2 points and an 11th place finish in the one-meter springboard.

Nemtsanov, who also finished 11th last year on the platform as a freshman, became the first Panther diver since John Soulakis to earn at least Honorable Mention All-American status more than once. Soulakis was a two-time Honorable Mention All-American and a two-time All-American.

Nemtsanov did not fare as well on the three-meter springboard, where he finished 34th with a score of 240.95, or on the platform where he finished last behind 23 competitors.

The shoulder that he had surgery on last May and hampered him during the regular season was clearly bothering him.

“That definitely cost him,” Big East diving Coach of the Year Julian Krug said. “The three-meter and platform are his better events. The higher you go up, the more stress you put on your shoulder.”

With all of Nemtsanov’s accomplishments, the shoulder injury made him perform at a level lower than he had hoped.

“I thought last season was better than this one,” he said. “But considering the injury, the season was a success.”

Nemtsanov says that the shoulder is not bothering him much now and will not slow his plans for an off-season filled with aggressive training.

Both Nemtsanov and Krug expect the shoulder to be 100 percent by next season, and both have big expectations looking ahead to next year.

“He can’t really do much better in the regular season,” Krug said, “I would like him to be in the top eight [at the NCAA Championships] in one of the events and be an All-American.”

“I want to finish in the top eight in all three competitions at the NCAA Championships,” Nemtsanov said. “I also want to win the three competitions at the Big East Championships.”