University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Shields, Helmbacher Receive Pitt Student-Athletes of the Week Honors
11/13/2018 9:00:00 AM | Cross Country, General, Swimming & Diving
Cross Country, Swimming Student-Athletes Awarded
PITTSBURGH – Sam Shields of women's cross country and Samy Helmbacher of men's swimming were named the University of Pittsburgh Student-Athletes of the Week, announced Tuesday.
Shields became the third Panther ever to qualify for the NCAA Women's Cross Country Championship, announced Saturday. The Lititz, Pa., native advanced with a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Friday in University Park, Pa., posting a time of 21:29 in the 6K race. She earned All-Region honors and an at-large bid to the Championship with the placement. Shields is the first to qualify for the Championships since Gillian Schriever in 2016. The only other Panther to qualify for the meet is All-American Maureen McCandless, who represented Pitt in 2002 and 2004.
Helmbacher posted one of the top performances of the inaugural ACC/B1G Challenge last weekend, winning the 400-yard individual medley with the nation's best time in the event (3:44.43). Helmbacher's time was just fractions off a second off his own personal best—and the Pitt school record—and helped score maximum points for the ACC men in their close dual meet with the Big Ten. Helmbacher also added boosted his team with a fifth-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley (1:48.17), a seventh-place swim in the 200-yard freestyle (1:37.73) and he splitted 1:36.79 on the ACC 800-yard freestyle relay squad that took third in the event.
Shields will travel to Madison, Wis., for the NCAA Women's Championship Saturday. Participants who place in the top 40 at the meet will earn All-America honors.
The Pitt swimming & diving programs will compete next at the prestigious Ohio State Invitational, held Thursday through Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.
#H2P | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Shields became the third Panther ever to qualify for the NCAA Women's Cross Country Championship, announced Saturday. The Lititz, Pa., native advanced with a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Friday in University Park, Pa., posting a time of 21:29 in the 6K race. She earned All-Region honors and an at-large bid to the Championship with the placement. Shields is the first to qualify for the Championships since Gillian Schriever in 2016. The only other Panther to qualify for the meet is All-American Maureen McCandless, who represented Pitt in 2002 and 2004.
Helmbacher posted one of the top performances of the inaugural ACC/B1G Challenge last weekend, winning the 400-yard individual medley with the nation's best time in the event (3:44.43). Helmbacher's time was just fractions off a second off his own personal best—and the Pitt school record—and helped score maximum points for the ACC men in their close dual meet with the Big Ten. Helmbacher also added boosted his team with a fifth-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley (1:48.17), a seventh-place swim in the 200-yard freestyle (1:37.73) and he splitted 1:36.79 on the ACC 800-yard freestyle relay squad that took third in the event.
Shields will travel to Madison, Wis., for the NCAA Women's Championship Saturday. Participants who place in the top 40 at the meet will earn All-America honors.
The Pitt swimming & diving programs will compete next at the prestigious Ohio State Invitational, held Thursday through Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.
#H2P | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Players Mentioned
BR/FREE/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
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