Swimming and diving prepare for season

When it comes to Pitt athletics, one of the best-kept secrets is the success of the men’s… When it comes to Pitt athletics, one of the best-kept secrets is the success of the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams.

Since joining the Big East Conference in 1982, the women have won the Big East title 10 times, while the men have won an unprecedented 18 titles.

These athletes know their sport does not garner much attention, but that has no effect on their work ethic or their will to keep winning. For swimmers like senior Eric Limkemann, competing has nothing to do with personal glory.

“I know swimming isn’t a glamour sport,” Limkemann said. “We don’t usually draw the big crowds. Those are just things you deal with when you’re a swimmer. You don’t do it for the recognition; you do it because you love the sport.”

Pitt’s swimming and diving teams put in long hours up at Trees Pool. Senior Jenny Livingstone knows the type of commitment it takes to be a swimmer, but the fulfillment she feels is what makes it all worthwhile.

“You have to make sacrifices,” Livingstone said. “Sometimes you do think, ‘What am I missing?’ But in the end, the feeling, the satisfaction you get out of it is a feeling that you’ll never get anywhere else. You’ll never have that feeling. Being a part of the team is just something more.”

All the hard work and dedication has paid off over the years, but head coach Chuck Knoles said previous success has nothing to do with getting it done this year. Knoles’ team is never satisfied.

He said that each year, the team keeps raising the bar, and this year, the men have their sights set on more than just the Big East title.

“Winning a Big East title is fine and dandy, but that’s all it is,” Knoles said. “It’s not a tremendous accomplishment as far as stretching yourself at the national level is concerned.”

The women have also set out to improve from last year’s fifth-place finish. Senior Carolyne Savini said that finishing less than third in the Big East is not an option. The women are especially looking to knock off their longtime rival Notre Dame.

According to Knoles, the women’s team has really improved on their times since last year, but they have also matured. He said the maturity the women have shown should carry them a long way this season.

“Beating Notre Dame is a doable thing, depending on how much our girls want to hurt,” Knoles said. “The women are becoming tough, and that’s not the bad tough, that’s a good tough. It’s nice to see that athletic toughness start to take hold. We’re far less emotional than we’ve been in the past. Far fewer breaks in emotion, fewer tears, and I think the women are becoming top level, elite, Division I athletes. And I think that’s what it’s all about.”

The coaches and players are excited about getting this season underway. All of the hard work will be put to the test this weekend, and Knoles is confident that his team will perform.

“The kids are really getting ready to compete,” Knoles said. “We’ve had lots of training, but not really many meets. We’ve got our first competition [this] week against St. Bonaventure on Friday and then against Syracuse on Saturday. I think that the proof will be in the pudding when we get to those competitions, but I think we’re going to see quite an improved team this year.”