Swimming and diving sets records at annual Blue-Gold meet

The Pitt swimming and diving teams kicked off the 2003-04 season in grand style Friday… The Pitt swimming and diving teams kicked off the 2003-04 season in grand style Friday afternoon by breaking 19 meet records at the annual Blue-Gold intrasquad meet.

Head coach Chuck Knoles was very pleased with his team’s performance, and is looking forward to this year’s campaign.

“[There were] too many good performances to mention,” Knoles said. “[It’s] probably the deepest men’s team we’ve ever had and definitely the deepest women’s team in 15 years.”

Led by senior co-captain Jenny Livingstone’s record-setting performance in the 50-yard freestyle, the women’s Gold team narrowly defeated the women’s Blue team 130-125 at Trees pool. Livingstone swam the 50-yard freestyle in 24.23 seconds to set the new meet record.

Also capturing victories for the women’s Gold team were senior Ryan Redman in the 100-yard breaststroke, sophomore Amy Miteff in the 200-yard butterfly, senior Kelli Tielking in the 100-yard butterfly and junior Jennifer Koch in the 200-yard individual medley. The women’s Gold team set meet records in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:45.42, and in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:38.09.

For the women’s Blue team, senior co-captain Carolyne Savini won the 100-yard freestyle and the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke, setting meet records in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 52.20 seconds and in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 57.54.

“[Savini] is a phenomenal athlete and team leader,” Knoles said. “She’s the prescription for a team captain.”Additionally, junior Cynthia Snyder set a meet record for the women’s Blue team with her time of 2:24.21 in the 200-yard breaststroke. Kate Butrie recorded a victory for the women’s Blue team in the 500-yard freestyle as well.

Also, the women’s Blue team received a strong performance from freshman Kathy Siuda, as she set a meet record with her time of 1:55.18 in the 200-yard freestyle.

Freshman Marie Houghton captured the lone diving event of the afternoon for the women’s Blue team with her score of 147.4 points on the 1-meter board.

“[The freshmen women] are a boatload of talented girls,” Knoles added.

Meanwhile, senior Eric Limkemann captured victories in the 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley, setting a record in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:40.91, as he paced the men’s Gold team to 140-122 win over the men’s Blue team.

“You can’t do much better than that,” Knoles said. “He’s going to go out in a blaze of glory.”

Also setting new meet records for the men’s Gold team were sophomore Jason Miller and senior Randy Gertenbach. Miller set records in the 200-yard butterfly and 100-yard butterfly with times of 1:52.99 and 50.41, respectively. Gertenbach set a record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 57.82 seconds in addition to his victory in the 200-yard breaststroke.

“What a fireball,” Knoles said of Gertenbach. “It must be that red hair.”Freshman Jeff Leath took home a win for the men’s Gold team as well, winning the 200-yard backstroke. Additionally, the men’s Gold team set a record in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:33.57.

For the men’s Blue team, Eric Bugby and Tommy Bird set records in the 100-yard backstroke and 50-yard freestyle, respectively. Bugby finished the 100-yard backstroke in 50.51 while Bird completed the 50-yard freestyle in 20.96. Also recording a win for the men’s Blue team was Adam Webber in the 100-yard freestyle. The men’s Blue team set a new record in the 200-yard freestyle relay as well with a time of 1:23.43.

Sophomore Troy Kaczorowski scored 185.45 points on the 1-meter board for the men’s Blue team as well.

While Knoles is looking forward to the new season, he is confident that his team understands what is expected of them.

“[It’s] tough to be a member of the swimming and diving teams when the previous year’s teams keep raising the bar,” Knoles said.