In a breakthrough for gender equity advocates, Harvard has hired a woman to become the men's assistant coach. Samantha Pitter will join the Harvard men's swimming and diving coaching staff after an exceptional stint at MIT. As acting Head Coach at MIT, Pitter led the Engineers to their highest-ever NCAA Finishes including a third-place trophy for the men. At the 2013 World Championship Trials, Pitter's athlete placed top eight in the 50-meter butterfly, and reached the finals in the 50-meter freestyle. In 2012, Pitter guided MIT's first ever Olympic Trials Qualifier to a 21st-place finish in the 50 free in Omaha, Neb.
While an assistant at MIT, Pitter helped the men and women to three consecutive NEWMAC Conference Championships, and the men to four consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Division III championships.
A 2007 graduate of Hamilton College, Pitter was an accomplished swimmer. She was a four-time All-American sprinter, school record holder, team captain and NESCAC All-Academic recipient during her four years. She graduated from Hamilton Cum Laude with a double major in Economics and Communication.
In 2011, Sam completed her Master's of Education in Physical Education Specializing in Coaching, from Boston University. She has coached masters swimmers at both Boston University and here at Harvard with Cambridge Masters Swim Club.
Harvard's season gets underway on Nov. 15 with a trip to Ithaca, N.Y., for a tri-meet against Cornell and Dartmouth. The Crimson finished with an undefeated record (9-0, 7-0 Ivy), while finishing fourth at the ECAC Championship and second at the Ivy League Championships. Harvard had eight athletes go to the NCAA Division I championships in Indianapolis.
