April 12, 2006

PITTSBURGH-The Pitt swimming and diving teams announced their 2005-06 awards at the annual postseason banquet this past weekend after finishing the season ranked among the top-three in the Big East Conference.

The men's swimming and diving squad placed second at the 2006 Big East Championships and posted a 10-2 record, while the women claimed a third place finish in the conference meet and a 9-3 record on the year. For the men's team, it was the third-consecutive seasons where at least 10 wins were achieved.

The banquet featured the announcement of the team's postseason awards, including the Panther Triad Award, Most Valuable Diver, Most Valuable Swimmer, Most Improved Diver and Swimmer and Academic Awards.

Senior Darryl Washington (Aldan, Pa./Penn Wood) and junior Andrea Shoust (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/White Pines) and were named the Panther Triad Award winners, given to the swimmer or diver who best represents commitment, teamwork and pride as voted on by their peers. The 200 freestyle Big East Champ, Washington continued his success in the sprint freestyle events with six All-Big East honors, including three individuals accolades, this season. Shoust was a two-time All-Big East honoree at this year's Championships and was one of the team's top sprinters in the 100 freestyle and 100 and 200 backstroke events.

The most valuable divers were sophomores Jeremy Stultz (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) and Kristin Caiazzo (Princeton, N.J./Hopewell Valley). Both Stultz and Caiazzo represented the Panthers at the NCAA Championships this season. The Stultz-Caiazzo duo was also honored as the Big East Male and Female Divers of the Year at the Big East Championships.

After sharing the Most Valuable Swimmer award last season, senior Jason Miller (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) won the outright vote this year. Miller was the anchor leg of the 200 free relay that set a school record during the Big East Championships and returned to campus with six All-Big East honors. On the women's side, junior Kristin Brown (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) earned her second-consecutive honor as the Most Valuable Swimmer, as well. Brown reset her school record in the 200 freestyle and assisted all three freestyle relay squads in outdoing their previous school-record marks, all while earning four All-Big East honors.

The Panthers' Most Improved Divers were freshmen Aleksandr Volovetski (Seffner, Fla./Armwood) and Kaylee Riggs (Meadville, Pa./Meadville). In his first season, Volovetski claimed the top spot on the platform boards, while placing second at the conference meet in both the 1M and 3M dives. Riggs improved her dives and scores as the season progressed and set a personal-best in the 3M dives with a score of 312.20.

Pitt also announced its Most Improved Swimmers - sophomore Scott Shearer (Allison Park, Pa./North Allegheny) and sophomore Sarah Wagner (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock North). Shearer worked hard all season and qualified for the Big East Championships in the distance frees, setting two career-bests. Wagner also qualified for the conference meet this year and set personal bests in the 100 fly and 400 IM at the meet.

The two swimmers or divers with the highest grade-point average were also honored at the banquet. In a narrow victory, freshman Jonathan Buchanan (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek) posted the men's top GPA with a perfect 4.0 and set the 400 IM freshman record at 3:55.05, this season. Senior co-captain Amy Miteff (Wellington, Fla./Wellington), who was in graduate school for rehabilitation science this year and one of the team's top flyers, had a 3.95 GPA to lead the women's squad.