University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt’s van der Laan Earns ACC Bronze, Eight Panthers Advance to Finals
2/26/2021 9:00:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
GREENSBORO, N.C.—The University of Pittsburgh sent two men's swimmers to ACC championship final heats and won another individual medal on Friday evening at the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
Pitt junior Cooper van der Laan, a native of Gold Coast, Australia, led the way by earning a bronze medal with his third-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke at the ACC Championships.
With his final time of 51.52 in the evening's final, van der Laan not only bested his own Pitt school record in the event but also qualified for the 2021 NCAA Championships with a 100 Breast A-cut time.
Pitt senior Blaise Vera, from Clinton, Miss., just missed out on standing on the ACC podium for the second straight evening as he placed fourth in the conference's 100-yard butterfly. In his seventh appearance in an ACC championship final, Vera's 100 Fly time of 45.29 broke his own Pitt record.
In addition to the Panthers' two stand-out swimmers, Pitt's promising youth was also on full display.
Scoring for the Panthers on Friday at the 2021 ACC Championships, Serhii Ahadzhanian took 22nd in the 100-yard butterfly in 47.12, freshmen Javier Zorzano (22nd, 3:54.04) and Cameron Dafoe (24th, 3:57.72) tallied in the 400-yard individual medley, sophomore Wojciech Dutkowiak (24th, 1:37.41) continued his strong meet by placing in the 200-yard freestyle and sophomores Jerry Chen (15th, 53.43) and Flynn Crisci (18th, 53.31) scored more valuable team points for Pitt in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Several other Pitt men's swimmers were in action in each of Friday's individual prelims as well.
In the 100-yard butterfly, Armin Remenyi (28th, 47.15) and Marcin Goraj (39th, 48.34) represented the Panthers, while Judd Fishman (28th, 3:55.97) also competed in the 400-yard individual medley.
Dominic Toledo (27th, 1:37.38), Warren Briggs (30th, 1:38.14) and Owen McLaughlin (32nd, 1:38.32) showed promise for the Panthers as underclassmen in the 200-yard freestyle.
And Marcin Goraj (26th, 47.85), Stephen Hopta (30th, 48.24) and Ellis Cannon (32nd, 48.56) concluded the morning session by competing in the 100-yard backstroke.
The Greensboro Aquatic Center will host the final full day of men's swimming action on Saturday, with prelims starting at 10 a.m. followed by 6 p.m. finals in five individual events and a relay.
The entire 2021 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships, including prelims and finals, will be broadcast via ACC Network Extra and the WatchESPN app.
#H2P | #H2oP | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Pitt junior Cooper van der Laan, a native of Gold Coast, Australia, led the way by earning a bronze medal with his third-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke at the ACC Championships.
With his final time of 51.52 in the evening's final, van der Laan not only bested his own Pitt school record in the event but also qualified for the 2021 NCAA Championships with a 100 Breast A-cut time.
Pitt senior Blaise Vera, from Clinton, Miss., just missed out on standing on the ACC podium for the second straight evening as he placed fourth in the conference's 100-yard butterfly. In his seventh appearance in an ACC championship final, Vera's 100 Fly time of 45.29 broke his own Pitt record.
In addition to the Panthers' two stand-out swimmers, Pitt's promising youth was also on full display.
Scoring for the Panthers on Friday at the 2021 ACC Championships, Serhii Ahadzhanian took 22nd in the 100-yard butterfly in 47.12, freshmen Javier Zorzano (22nd, 3:54.04) and Cameron Dafoe (24th, 3:57.72) tallied in the 400-yard individual medley, sophomore Wojciech Dutkowiak (24th, 1:37.41) continued his strong meet by placing in the 200-yard freestyle and sophomores Jerry Chen (15th, 53.43) and Flynn Crisci (18th, 53.31) scored more valuable team points for Pitt in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Several other Pitt men's swimmers were in action in each of Friday's individual prelims as well.
In the 100-yard butterfly, Armin Remenyi (28th, 47.15) and Marcin Goraj (39th, 48.34) represented the Panthers, while Judd Fishman (28th, 3:55.97) also competed in the 400-yard individual medley.
Dominic Toledo (27th, 1:37.38), Warren Briggs (30th, 1:38.14) and Owen McLaughlin (32nd, 1:38.32) showed promise for the Panthers as underclassmen in the 200-yard freestyle.
And Marcin Goraj (26th, 47.85), Stephen Hopta (30th, 48.24) and Ellis Cannon (32nd, 48.56) concluded the morning session by competing in the 100-yard backstroke.
The Greensboro Aquatic Center will host the final full day of men's swimming action on Saturday, with prelims starting at 10 a.m. followed by 6 p.m. finals in five individual events and a relay.
The entire 2021 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships, including prelims and finals, will be broadcast via ACC Network Extra and the WatchESPN app.
#H2P | #H2oP | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Players Mentioned
FLY/FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
FREE
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BACK/FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
BR/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
BR/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
FREE/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
BACK/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
BACK/FLY/FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
BACK/FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
FLY/FREE/IM
/ Swimming & Diving
FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
BACK/FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
FLY/FREE
/ Swimming & Diving
BR
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