Pitt Women Ink Eight to the 2024-25 Incoming Class
11/13/2023 12:25:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh women's swimming and diving program welcomed nine roster additions for the 2024-25 season, as six swimmers and three divers signed national letters of intent during the fall signing period.
"When our staff started recruiting the class of 2024, our biggest priority was to find student-athletes who were the right culture fit for our program," said head coach Chase Kreitler. "Recruits who will be fantastic teammates, who are great students, and are interested in committing to be the absolute best they can be as swimmers and divers. I am incredibly excited for our women's class of 2024! Our staff was able to find a fantastic group of young women who will help set the future of Pitt's Swimming and Diving program for years to come. They are very talented in the pool, but they will be equally as impactful as we continue to build a championship culture at Pitt that supports success at the highest levels of the sport."
JOCELYN BROOKS
Jocelyn Brooks becomes a Pitt Panther after qualifying for the 2023 USA Diving Junior National Championships and competing in the Liberty District and Northern Region Conference as a Highlander for the past four seasons. The Mclean, Va., native has received the 2022 Girls Varsity Dive Coaches Award and was named the Girls Varsity Dive MVP in 2021 and 2020. During her freshman and sophomore seasons, Brooks earned a spot on the All-American team as well as the First Team All-District. She secured a spot on the All-District First Team after placing fifth overall at States in the 2022-23 season.
MARY CLARKE
Mary Clarke is a talented freestyle and backstroke swimmer out of Snonhomish, Wash. Clarke will compete at the Winter Junior Nationals in December for the second consecutive year. Clarke is the WIAA 3A State runner-up in the 50 Free and 100 Free and is the current Snohomish High School record holder in the 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Back, 200 IM and 100 Fly. She comes to Pitt with best times of 23.29 (50 Free), 49.80 (100 Free) and 55.54 (100 Back).
"Mary will make an immediate impact on sprint events and will compete to be on A relays as a freshman," said Coach Kreitler. "She had a terrific junior season, breaking 50 seconds in the 100 free and she is on a great trajectory."
CASSIE GUERRERA
Cassie Guerrera comes to Pitt from Northville High School after placing her name on a school record this season. Guerrera started her diving career in her sophomore year of high school after becoming a Level 9 gymnast in her freshman year. The Northville, Mich., native finished third overall at the MHSAA D1 State meet and qualified for USA Diving Nationals in just her second year of competing.
AVERY HAFELE
Avery Hafele is a four-time All-American and a Junior National qualifier from Southlake, Texas. During her junior season, Hafele helped lead the Carroll Senior High School to a second-place team finish at the 2023 6A Texas State Championship and was a member of the state championship 200 medley relay team. Prior to Carroll, Hafele attended Lathrop High School in Fairbanks, Alaska, for her freshman and sophomore seasons. During that time, Hafele was the No. 1 Class Rank in Alaska and is the state record holder in the 50 Fly (25.92), 100 Fly (55.70) and the 100 IM (58.25). Hafele was the 2022 Alaska State Champion in both the 100 Fly (55.70) and 100 Back (58.04) and swept all six individual events at the Alaska Senior Championships. Out of the pool, Hafele was awarded the Alaska State Sportsmanship Award. Hafele joins the Panthers with best times of 23.30 (50 Free), 54.54 (100 Fly), 1:03.69 (100 Breast), 51.09 (100 Free).
"I watched Avery swim at the Junior National Championships in 2022 and immediately picked out her speed as an underwater kicker when she posted great relay splits in the Free (22.7) and in the Fly (24.3). She has shown terrific development over the past few years, and I expect her to be a big contributor in our sprint events."
MARIANA OSORIO MENDOZA
Mariana Osorio Mendoza is a Colombian Junior World Championship silver medalist, Colombian National Team member, and has won multiple national titles on the 1-meter, 3-meter and the platform. The Cali, Columbia, product ranked among the top-12 in the world for her age group in both the springboard and platform events. Mendoza placed seventh on platform at the 2023 Pan Am Games and picked picked up two top-12 finishes at the 2022 Fina World Championships on the platform (seventh) and the 1-meter (12th). Mendoza also placed second in the women's 10-meter synchro event at the 2021 Fina World Championships.
KIMMY SHANNON
Kimmy Shannon is a three-time Winter Juniors East Qualifier, two-time YMCA National Finalist and a Summer Futures Qualifier and finalist. The Lewisburg, Pa. product is a three-time state champion in the 500 Free and a five-time district champion. Shannon joins the program with best times of 4:51.98 (500 Free), 10:01.65 (1000 Free), 1:58.97 (200 Back), 2:01.20 (200 IM) and 4:23.05 (400 IM). During the summer, Shannon placed fourth at the Future Championships in the 400 IM (LCM) with a time of 5:00.06.
"Kimmy joins our program as the top ranked 500 and 1000 freestyler in the state of Pennsylvania and second fastest in the 200 IM. She has competed in swimming and softball at a high level but has huge potential as she shifts her focus solely to swimming. With her IM background, she will have a ton of versatility for us in dual meets."
SOF TIJUNELIS
Sof Tijunelis is a talented sprint freestyle and backstroke swimmer out of Libertyville High School in Libertyville, Ill. Tijunelis received All-State honors and sixth place at the State Championships in the 100 Free with a personal best time of 51.49. Tijunelis also set the school record in the 100 Back at the state meet with a time of 56.61.
"Sof will add depth to our sprint freestyle and backstroke events. She will have a great group of training partners around her as a freshman and we are excited to see her develop"
ANNA WIECHERTJES
Anna Wichertjes comes to the Panthers as a talented freestyle swimmer from Forest Hills Northern High School in Ada, Mich. Wiechertjes was named Rookie of the Year in her freshman year of high school and earned All-Conference and All-America recognition. A four-time conference champion in the 50 Free (23.00), 100 Free (50.73), 200 Free (1:53.35), and 100 Back (57.14), Wichertjes is seeded first heading into States.
"Anna will make a big impact on our relays. She has a good underwater kick and will quickly develop into a key swimmer for us in the sprint events."
ALLIE WITDOECKT
Allie Witdoeckt joins the Pitt Panthers from Fairfax, Va. after competing in the VCAC conference with the Gryphons for the past four seasons. Witdoeckt is a three-time Scholastic All-American who was a finalist for the NCSA in her first three seasons as a Gryphon. Witdoeckt primarily swims the 100 Fly, 100 Free and 200 Free. Witdoeckt has qualified for the Junior Nationals, Winter Juniors and VISAA twice in her career. She has been recognized in the National Top 100 list for both the 100 Fly and 200 Free Relay events. In her junior year, Witdoeckt became a two-time VISAA State Champion in the 100 Fly and 100 Free.
"Allie will join a very deep fly group at Pitt as a freshman. She had a very good junior year and long course season in 2023. She has a lot of versatility in events and I'm excited to see her develop in our program."