University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Swimming and Diving Holds Postseason Banquet
4/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
Swimming and Diving Holds Postseason Banquet
4/25/2003
PITTSBURGH ? After the men's swimming and diving team won its seventh consecutive Big East title and the women's swimming and diving team broke numerous school records, Head Coach Chuck Knoles announced postseason team awards at the annual banquet this past weekend.
Juniors Eric Limkemann (New Haven, Ind./Woodlan) and Carolyne Savini (Egg Harbour Twp., N.J./Holy Spirit) were named the team's Most Valuable Swimmers, while freshmen Dennis Nemtsanov (Calhoun, Ga./LSU) and Colleen Kristobak (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) earned Most Valuable Diver honors.
Limkemann won two individual Big East titles in February, claiming first place in the 500 and 1650 freestyle races. He also helped the 800 freestyle relay team to All-Big East honors and placed fifth in the 400 individual medley. Limkemann also broke his own school record in the 500 free at the Big East Championships with a time of 4:23.16.
Savini earned five All-Big East honors with second-place finishes in the 200 IM, 100 back and 200 back, and helping the medley relay teams to second and third-place finishes. She broke an unprecedented nine school records in 2003, including six individual and three relay marks. Savini also participated in her first NCAA Championships, and earned Honorable Mention All-America status in the 200 back, placing 11th.
Nemtsanov also earned Honorable Mention All-America honors for the Panthers with an 11th-place finish on the platform in his first NCAA Championships. He placed second in all three diving events at the Big East Championships in February and consistently led Pittsburgh on the board throughout the season.
Kristobak was Pittsburgh's top female diver from the first meet, just missing out on All-Big East honors with a fourth-place finish on the one-meter board at the conference meet. Kristobak also placed fifth in the three-meter competition and won several of the dual meet's competitions throughout the season.
Knoles and the coaching staff also awarded the Most Improved Swimmer awards to freshmen Steve Marcucio (Watertown, Conn./Watertown) and Kate Butrie (Orefield, Pa./Parkland) and the Most Improved Diver awards to sophomore Kevin Bast (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) and freshman Erin Leisey (Reading, Pa./Reading).
Marcucio was a standout on the Panthers' 200 medley relay team, leading the team to a fourth-place finish at the Big East Championships. He also improved his individual times throughout the season in the 100 breaststroke, missing out on All-Big East honors by placing fourth in the event at the Big East Championships. He also finished fifth in the 200 breast.
Butrie served as one of the Panthers' top distance freestyle swimmers in her first year. She had the team's third-fastest times in the 500, 1000, and 1650 freestyle events and scored at the Big East Championships in the 1650 with a 15th-place finish.
Bast missed the first semester of action before rejoining the team and qualifying for the Big East Championships in the second half of the year. His scores improved dramatically on both the one- and three-meter boards.
Leisey was Pittsburgh's second-place diver in many of the events throughout the year and like Bast, had her scores improve dramatically as the season went along.
The Panther Triad Award, given to the swimmer or diver that best represents Teamwork, Commitment, and Pride on the team, was awarded to freshman Darryl Washington (Aldan, Pa./Penn Wood) and junior Jenny Livingstone (Endwell, N.Y./Union-Endicott).
Washington was one of the Panthers' top sprinters in his first year with the team and earned three All-Big East honors. He was also one of the team's most vocal leaders and supporters, leading the pre-meet cheers and encouraging his teammates throughout the year.
Livingstone served as a co-captain of the women's swimming and diving team and led by example as a sprinter, winning several 50 freestyle races down the stretch in big meets. She also earned two All-Big East honors as a member of the Panthers' 200 and 400 medley relay teams that broke school records.
The Academic-Athlete Award was given to freshman Chad White (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) and senior Julia Carolan (Walkersville, Md./Walkersville). Both White and Carolan earned perfect 4.0 grade point averages in business and psychology, respectively. Carolan also was honored for receiving a Senior of Distinction honor from the University of Pittsburgh at the Eyetooth Celebration the previous weekend.
Also awarded that evening were the Eyetooth Awards to senior Mike Grube (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) and Savini. Grube was also the co-recipient of the University's prestigious Blue-Gold Award. He finished his career with five school records (two individual, three relay), six Big East individual titles, and 10 Big East relay titles.
