Photo by: Jennifer Shephard
WVU Hosts Pitt in Backyard Brawl Meet
January 17, 2018 12:27 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University swimming and diving teams return home to host rival Pitt on Thursday, Jan. 18, at the WVU Natatorium.
The Backyard Brawl begins with diving at 4 p.m. ET, while swimming commences at 5 p.m. Admission is free for all fans and parking will be available in lots surrounding the WVU Coliseum.
"It's Pitt, so coming off how we swam last weekend on the road, we're going to need to do the same here at home," WVU coach Vic Riggs said. "We are one of the few sports on campus that has maintained our yearly rivalry since we left the Big East Conference, as they went to the ACC, and us going to the Big 12. It's a big meet, certainly it has a little added emphasis for both programs. We enjoy having them here and having the opportunity to compete against them and continue that rivalry."
The two programs have met annually since 1994-95, with the women's team competing against Pitt every year since the 1987-88 campaign. Last year, the Panthers swept WVU at Trees Pool in Pittsburgh. The Mountaineers' men's team fell, 214-86, last season, while the women fell to Pitt, 205.5-94.5. Then-freshman Morgan Bullock posted three wins to lead the women in the loss, while then-sophomore Merwane El Merini collected a pair of victories for the men.
The WVU men last earned a win over Pitt in 2016. On the women's side, the Mountaineers are looking for their first win over their rival since 2012.
Both of WVU's teams enter the competition with 3-0 dual-meet records on the season. The Mountaineers swept TCU on Jan. 13, in Fort Worth, Texas, in the team's Big 12 dual-meet opener. The men's team went a perfect 16-for-16 on the day, earning a 221-77 win. The women's team took 13 events over the Horned Frogs, collecting a 196-103 victory.
Four Mountaineer swimmers finished with four total wins at TCU, including El Merini, Bullock and freshmen David Dixon and Angelo Russo. Bullock and Dixon collected three individual victories and NCAA 'B' cut times in the 200 butterfly against the Horned Frogs.
Additionally, senior diver Michael Proietto won both of the men's springboard events against TCU, while juniors Averly Hobbs and Madelyn Woods won on the women's 1- and 3-meter dives, respectively.
Pitt is led by second-year coach John Hargis. The Panthers' men's team comes to Morgantown with a 5-2 dual-meet record. The women own a dual-meet record of 8-2.
Thursday's meet was originally scheduled for Jan. 6, before it was postponed. The meet also marks the Mountaineers' first home event since earning a pair of wins in a tri-meet against Seton Hall and Xavier on Oct. 27-28.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUSwimDive on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The Backyard Brawl begins with diving at 4 p.m. ET, while swimming commences at 5 p.m. Admission is free for all fans and parking will be available in lots surrounding the WVU Coliseum.
"It's Pitt, so coming off how we swam last weekend on the road, we're going to need to do the same here at home," WVU coach Vic Riggs said. "We are one of the few sports on campus that has maintained our yearly rivalry since we left the Big East Conference, as they went to the ACC, and us going to the Big 12. It's a big meet, certainly it has a little added emphasis for both programs. We enjoy having them here and having the opportunity to compete against them and continue that rivalry."
The two programs have met annually since 1994-95, with the women's team competing against Pitt every year since the 1987-88 campaign. Last year, the Panthers swept WVU at Trees Pool in Pittsburgh. The Mountaineers' men's team fell, 214-86, last season, while the women fell to Pitt, 205.5-94.5. Then-freshman Morgan Bullock posted three wins to lead the women in the loss, while then-sophomore Merwane El Merini collected a pair of victories for the men.
The WVU men last earned a win over Pitt in 2016. On the women's side, the Mountaineers are looking for their first win over their rival since 2012.
Both of WVU's teams enter the competition with 3-0 dual-meet records on the season. The Mountaineers swept TCU on Jan. 13, in Fort Worth, Texas, in the team's Big 12 dual-meet opener. The men's team went a perfect 16-for-16 on the day, earning a 221-77 win. The women's team took 13 events over the Horned Frogs, collecting a 196-103 victory.
Four Mountaineer swimmers finished with four total wins at TCU, including El Merini, Bullock and freshmen David Dixon and Angelo Russo. Bullock and Dixon collected three individual victories and NCAA 'B' cut times in the 200 butterfly against the Horned Frogs.
Additionally, senior diver Michael Proietto won both of the men's springboard events against TCU, while juniors Averly Hobbs and Madelyn Woods won on the women's 1- and 3-meter dives, respectively.
Pitt is led by second-year coach John Hargis. The Panthers' men's team comes to Morgantown with a 5-2 dual-meet record. The women own a dual-meet record of 8-2.
Thursday's meet was originally scheduled for Jan. 6, before it was postponed. The meet also marks the Mountaineers' first home event since earning a pair of wins in a tri-meet against Seton Hall and Xavier on Oct. 27-28.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUSwimDive on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
Fly/IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Fly/Breast
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Free/Back
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Diving
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Back/Fly
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Diving
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