Helmbacher, Vera Conclude Campaign at NCAA Championships

Wednesday, March 27

Austin, TX

Pitt

NCAA Men's Championships

Helmbacher, Vera Conclude Campaign at NCAA Championships

3/30/2019 1:00:00 PM | Swimming & Diving

AUSTIN, Texas—University of Pittsburgh swimmers Samy Helmbacher and Blaise Vera finished their historic 2018-19 seasons by competing in three events each this weekend at the 2019 NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships at Texas' Jamail Swimming Center.

In giving Pitt multiple men's swimmers at the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2002, both Helmbacher and Vera posted top-25 finishes at the meet against the nation's top competition.

"This is the fastest meet in the world every year, and this year certainly didn't disappoint," Pitt head coach John Hargis said of the NCAA Championships. "It was a great experience for Samy and Blaise, but we didn't come here for the experience. I know they learned a lot that they will take with them that will benefit themselves and the team next season. We will look forward to next year, knowing that there's so much to build upon that will carry momentum into the fall."

A junior from Rosheim, France, Helmbacher's NCAA Championships debut was highlighted by a 19th-place finish in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 3:43.51. Although Pitt's Frenchmen just missed out on Honorable Mention All-America honors, Helmbacher did record the first top-20 finish by a Pitt men's swimmer at the NCAA Championships since 2000.

Helmbacher also competed in two other events in Austin, finishing 41st in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:56.32 and placing 43rd in the 200-yard individual medley in 1:44.99.

After cementing his status as the fastest sprinter in Pitt swimming history with a standout sophomore season, Vera capped his campaign with three top-30 finishes at nationals.

Also making his first appearance at the NCAA Championships, Vera placed 24th in the 100-yard freestyle in 42.41, took 25th in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 19.35 and finished 28th in the 100-yard butterfly in 46.09. The sophomore from Clinton, Miss., ended the season as the Pitt school record holder in each event.

Pitt swimming & diving's 2018-19 campaign wrapped up with the program taking numerous significant steps forward in Coach Hargis' third season at the helm.

The Panthers sent three student-athletes to the NCAA Championships, broke 19 school records at the ACC Championships, placed five athletes in conference championship finals and saw both Helmbacher and Vera become Pitt's first men's swimmers to stand on an ACC podium.

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