University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt
NCAA Men's Championships
Pitt Men Finish 20th at NCAAs; Earn Highest Team Finish in over 70 Years
3/28/2026 10:20:00 PM | Swimming & Diving
ATLANTA, Ga. — Pitt men's swimming and diving closed out the 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships on Saturday at Georgia Tech's McAuley Aquatic Center, finishing 20th in the team standings with 48 points, the program's highest team finish in 73 years. The Panthers scored in multiple relays for the first time since 2002, highlighted by a 10th-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay, the highest relay finish in program history.
Julian Koch earned first-team All-American honors in both the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle, setting program records in both events along the way. In the 100 butterfly, Koch posted a 43.85 in prelims to break the program record, then touched in 44.28 in the championship final for eighth place and first-team All-American status. In the 100 freestyle, Koch led all qualifiers with a 40.52 in prelims, breaking the program record, then finished fourth in the championship final in 40.43, breaking his own mark a second time.
The 400 freestyle relay of Koch, Merlin Belmon, James Allison, and Alan Vergine finished 10th in 2:47.17, a program record and the highest relay finish in program history. The relay earned All-American Honorable Mention.
Earlier in the meet, the 200 freestyle relay of Koch, Belmon, Evan Witte, and Vergine posted a program record of 1:16.20, with Koch's 18.65 leadoff split setting the program record in the 50 freestyle. The relay placed 21st.
The 800 freestyle relay of Koch, Allison, Belmon, and Vergine finished 14th in a program record 6:11.87, earning All-American Honorable Mention and tying the program's best relay finish at NCAAs. Koch's 1:31.95 opening leg set the program record in the 200 freestyle.
Results
100 Butterfly Julian Koch – 43.85 (prelims, program record); 44.28 (finals, 8th, first-team All-American)
200 Freestyle Relay Koch, Belmon, Witte, Vergine – 1:16.20 (21st, program record)
50 Freestyle Julian Koch – 18.85 (prelims, 15th)
100 Freestyle Julian Koch – 40.52 (prelims, 1st, program record); 40.43 (finals, 4th, first-team All-American)
800 Freestyle Relay Koch, Allison, Belmon, Vergine – 6:11.87 (14th, program record, All-American Honorable Mention)
1-Meter Diving Chase Marafioto – 250.55 (44th) Noah Bernard – 224.65 (46th)
3-Meter Diving Noah Bernard – 290.95 (46th)
Platform Diving Noah Bernard – 306.35 (32nd) Chase Marafioto – 264.60 (44th)
400 Freestyle Relay Koch, Belmon, Allison, Vergine – 2:47.17 (10th, program record, All-American Honorable Mention)
Players Mentioned
