University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Panthers Open ACC Championships with Two School Records
2/26/2020 6:00:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
GREENSBORO, N.C.—The University of Pittsburgh men's swimmers opened the second week of action at the 2020 ACC Championships with two individual school records during relay heats on Wednesday evening at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
A pair of Pitt seniors made history in leading off each relay. Luke Smutny swam the fastest 50-yard backstroke split in team history, beginning the opening relay in 21.63, while Eben Vorster swam the best 200-yard freestyle in Pitt men's swimming history – 1:34.96 – to pace the second relay.
Pitt's 200-yard medley relay of Smutny, Cooper van der Laan, Blaise Vera and Ellis Cannon finished tied for fifth with a time of 1:25.03, while the Panthers corps of Vorster, Samy Helmbacher, Armin Remenyi and Smutny completed the 800-yard freestyle relay in 6:21.72 to finish eighth.
"It's always exciting to break school records," Pitt head coach John Hargis said. "It was a very positive start for the team, and we're ahead of where we were a year ago in the opening session. We're in a spot to battle for team placement over the next few days. We need to keep the momentum rolling."
The ACC Championships resume at 10 a.m. tomorrow with a full day of action. The 6 p.m. evening finals on Thursday, Friday and Saturday will be broadcast via ACC Network Extra.
This week, legendary American swimmer and broadcaster Rowdy Gaines will join the broadcast crew in Greensboro, bringing fans color from one of top meets in collegiate swimming and diving.
Stay tuned to @Pitt_SWIM_DIVE on Twitter for updates from each morning's preliminary action.
The remaining schedule of events at the ACC Championships will be as follows:
Thursday
Men's 500-Yard Freestyle
Men's 200-Yard Individual Medley
Men's 50-Yard Freestyle
Men's 200-Yard Freestyle Relay
Friday
Men's 100-Yard Butterfly
Men's 400-Yard Individual Medley
Men's 200-Yard Freestyle
Men's 100-Yard Breaststroke
Men's 100-Yard Backstroke
Men's 400-Yard Medley Relay
Saturday
Men's 1,650-Yard Freestyle
Men's 200-Yard Backstroke
Men's 100-Yard Freestyle
Men's 200-Yard Breaststroke
Men's 200-Yard Butterfly
Men's 400-Yard Freestyle Relay
#H2P | #H2oP | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
A pair of Pitt seniors made history in leading off each relay. Luke Smutny swam the fastest 50-yard backstroke split in team history, beginning the opening relay in 21.63, while Eben Vorster swam the best 200-yard freestyle in Pitt men's swimming history – 1:34.96 – to pace the second relay.
Pitt's 200-yard medley relay of Smutny, Cooper van der Laan, Blaise Vera and Ellis Cannon finished tied for fifth with a time of 1:25.03, while the Panthers corps of Vorster, Samy Helmbacher, Armin Remenyi and Smutny completed the 800-yard freestyle relay in 6:21.72 to finish eighth.
"It's always exciting to break school records," Pitt head coach John Hargis said. "It was a very positive start for the team, and we're ahead of where we were a year ago in the opening session. We're in a spot to battle for team placement over the next few days. We need to keep the momentum rolling."
The ACC Championships resume at 10 a.m. tomorrow with a full day of action. The 6 p.m. evening finals on Thursday, Friday and Saturday will be broadcast via ACC Network Extra.
This week, legendary American swimmer and broadcaster Rowdy Gaines will join the broadcast crew in Greensboro, bringing fans color from one of top meets in collegiate swimming and diving.
Stay tuned to @Pitt_SWIM_DIVE on Twitter for updates from each morning's preliminary action.
The remaining schedule of events at the ACC Championships will be as follows:
Thursday
Men's 500-Yard Freestyle
Men's 200-Yard Individual Medley
Men's 50-Yard Freestyle
Men's 200-Yard Freestyle Relay
Friday
Men's 100-Yard Butterfly
Men's 400-Yard Individual Medley
Men's 200-Yard Freestyle
Men's 100-Yard Breaststroke
Men's 100-Yard Backstroke
Men's 400-Yard Medley Relay
Saturday
Men's 1,650-Yard Freestyle
Men's 200-Yard Backstroke
Men's 100-Yard Freestyle
Men's 200-Yard Breaststroke
Men's 200-Yard Butterfly
Men's 400-Yard Freestyle Relay
#H2P | #H2oP | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Players Mentioned
BACK/FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
BREAST/FREE/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
FLY/FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
FLY/FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
FLY/FREE/IM
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