Diving took the spotlight on the first day of Pitt’s Senior Recognition Meet, as sophomore Dominic Giordano (Wexford, Pa./Florida State) and freshman Meme Sharp (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville HS) swept the competition to give the Panthers an early lead in the five-team meet.
The Pitt men lead both Carnegie Mellon by a score of 32-6 and Clarion, 31-7. Pitt’s women are in first in all four of its dual matchups. The Panthers lead both California (Pa.) and Duquesne 32-0, CMU, 32-6, and Clarion 29-9.
It was nearly a record-breaking day from Sharp, who for the third straight meet, swept the 1-meter and 3-meter dives. However, it was the first time in her career that she recorded scores of 300-plus in both events. Sharp finished with 335.00 points from 3-meter, the second highest score in school history, behind only the 342.45 point-record Sharp set back in November. She led off the day with 302.10 points at 1-meter, which was a personal best and only 4.15 points off the team record.
Following Sharp in the standings, sophomore Rachel Saunders (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks West) placed third in both events and junior Samantha Winkelmann (Richmond, Va./J.R. Tucker) was second in 1-meter (382.80) and fifth in 3-meter (255.05). Saunders’ scores were 271.50 from 1-meter and 271.90 from 3-meter.
Led by Giordano, Pitt took the top three spots in 3-meter diving and three of the top four spots in 1-meter diving. Giordano won both of his events for the second time in a row. He was on pace to break the school record in the 3-meter dive after four rounds, sitting about 130 points away from the record thanks to a pair of 75-plus point dives in his opening rounds. Giordano would have to settle for both his and Pitt’s second highest score of the season of 379.30. He also took first at 1-meter with a score of 326.05.
Sophomore Anthony Galante (Cary, N.C./Athens Drive) was second from 1-meter (318.50) and third in 3-meter (323.30) and senior Harris Bergman (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) grabbed second in 3-meter (342.70) and fourth in 1-meter (305.45).
The swimming portion of the Senior Recognition Meet will take place on Saturday, Jan. 31 beginning at 11 a.m.
