PITTSBURGH—Pitt swimming & diving will host its home opener Friday evening when the Panthers welcome Buffalo to Trees Pool for a nonconference meet. The dual will begin at 4 p.m. with diving events before swimming starts at 5 p.m.
New Pitt head coach John Hargis will lead the Panthers in a competitive meet at Trees Pool for the first time after the Pitt women (2-1, 2-1 ACC) and Pitt men (1-2, 1-2 ACC) began the 2016-17 season on the road with conference matchups away from home against Boston College, Georgia Tech and Virginia.
“We’re really looking forward to competing at home in front of our fans,” Hargis said. “We’ll need to be ready to face a talented Buffalo team. It’ll be a special meet for myself as well with it being my first home meet at Pitt, but I really just want to see some improved performances from our team.”
Friday’s meet will be Pitt swimming & diving’s annual “Pink the Pool” event to support the fight against breast cancer. Pink swim caps will be on sale with all proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The first 100 fans to take advantage of the free admission to the meet will receive a pink Pitt swimming & diving decal. Susan G. Komen wristbands and information cards will also be on hand for fans to pick up, along with Pitt swimming & diving 2016-17 schedule posters.
The reigning ACC Men’s Diver of the Week—and reigning NCAA champion on 3M—will be in action for the Panthers as senior Dominic Giordano will compete at home for the first time since his history-making performance. ACC 3M champion Meme Sharp is also schedule to dive for Pitt on Friday.
In swimming, Pitt will unveil a significantly overhauled squad to the home fans that features key returners such asKinga Cichowska, Amanda Richey and Zach Lierley, along with promising newcomers in the form of fantastic freshmen Valerie Daigneault and Shan Hochkeppel and talented transfers Henrique Machado and Lina Rathsack.
Friday’s meet will also be the first time the Pitt swimming & diving team will enter Trees Pool from its brand new locker rooms and team room, which were recently finished as part of a $3 million renovation.
Swimming news courtesy of Pitt Swimming & Diving.
Who is this Henrique Machado person that you speak of? I think you meant to write, HONNNDDAAAAAAA! Hopefully his legs aren’t too tired for tonight with all of this hype!