University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Culibrk, Gring and Strong Highlight Women’s Swimming & Diving Incoming Class
9/20/2023 1:00:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
PITTSBURGH – The Pitt women's swimming and diving team looks to build off a successful 2022-23 season by welcoming a talented incoming class consisting of five freshman and three transfers.
"I am incredibly excited about our women's recruiting class for 2023," said head coach Chase Kreitler. "With the timing of my hire in the the late Spring of 2022, we started recruiting the class of 2023 almost a year behind the rest of the country. We took our time and found a great group of women who fit the core values of our program and will make an immediate impact in terms of performance. While we had some fantastic individual and relay results at the ACC Championships last year, we lacked the overall depth to move up in the team standings. This talented group of recruits will help us move up as a team nationally and in the ACC and set the tone for the future of the program.
The Panthers added graduate transfer Tara Culibrk (Denison), sophomore transfer Jessica Strong (Florida) and junior transfer Abbie Duncan (Ohio University) for the upcoming season. Culibrk comes to Pittsburgh as a 22-time NCAA Division III All-American, five-time NCAC Champion, and an NCAA DIII National Champion in the 800 Free Relay. Culibrk comes in with best times of 22.81 (50 Free), 49.66 (100 Free) and 1:48.73 (200 Free). Strong joins the Panthers after spending her freshman season with the Gators, prior to her time in Gainesville, Strong was a Canadian Olympic Team Trials Qualifier in the 100 and 200 Breast; as well as a three-time FHSAA Florida State Champion. Strong comes to the Panthers with best times of 1:02.09 (100 Breast) and 2:16.82 (200 Breast). Duncan, originally from Bridgeville, PA transfers in with best times of 25.99 (50 Back) and 54.77 (100 back).
"Tara, Jessica, and freshmen Parker Del Balso and Avery Kudlac are all in a position to be competing for relay spots at ACCs and NCAAs, which is fantastic," said Kreitler. "I am confident that this group has a special year ahead!"
Incoming freshman Sydney Gring is a highly ranked recruit out of Muhlenberg High School. Gring comes off a senior season that saw her win the 200 Free and finished second in the 100 Free at the PIAA 3A State Championships. She comes to Pitt as a seven-time All-American and recorded Top-8 finishes at Junior Nationals East in the 100 Free, 200 Free, 100 Fly, and 200 Fly. Among the 2023 recruiting class, the Reading, Pa. product ranks 10th in the 200 Fly (1:56.65), 11th in the 100 Fly (52.56), 15th in the 200 Free (1:46.26), 19th in the 100 Free (49.15) and 26th in the 200 IM (1:59.47).
"Sydney entering the program with times faster than our 100 and 200 Fly school records and very close to our 200 Free school record is a huge boost," said Kreitler. "She has incredible versatility and comes in as the 10th best 200 Flyer in the Class of 2023 nationally."
Pitt also signed four more freshmen to their incoming class who will make an immediate impact on the program.
Parker Del Baso Foster City, Calif.
Del Baso was a two-time scholastic All-American and a 2023 CCS Champion in the 100 Back for San Mateo High School. The Foster City, Calif. native swims the 100 Back, 200 Back, and the 200 Free. Del Baso intends to major in mechanical engineering at Pitt. Del Balso placed third in the 100 Back at the 2022 California State Meet with a time of 54.15 and is a Junior National Qualifier in the 100 and 200 Backstroke.
Maggie Foley Fombell, Pa.
Foley is a local talent from North Catholic High School in Cranberry Township. Foley collected a WPIAL championship each year of her high school career, all coming in the 1-meter diving competition. She was able to maintain her impressive status as a diver even while being a three-sport athlete her senior year. The incoming freshmen intends on studying biology at Pitt.
Avery Kudlac Glastonbury, Conn.
Kudlac comes to Pitt after a decorated high school career including numerous championships, school records, and awards. Kudlac was a two-time All-American, three-time All-State, and four-time All-Conference athlete. Kudlac intends to study communication science at Pitt. Her primary events are 100 and 200 Butterfly and 50, 100 and 200 Freestyle.
Hannah Polosky Latrobe, Pa.
Polosky rounds out the Pennsylvania recruits for the incoming class, joining the Panthers from Greater Latrobe Senior High School. Polosky is a two-time WCCA Champion and two-time second place finisher at the WPIAL AAA Championships. Polosky joins the group of talented divers at Pitt and intends to study marketing.
