Berlitz, Puskovitch Claim Top Spots in Individual Medley

Thursday, February 29

Morgantown, W.Va.

10 a.m. Prelims/6 p.m. Finals

West Virginia University

Big 12 Championships

Danny Berlitz at 2024 Big 12 SD Championships

Berlitz, Puskovitch Claim Top Spots in Individual Medley

February 29, 2024 10:05 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving

Big 12 Day Three Results Friday Prelim Schedule

By: Charles Montgomery

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Senior Danny Berlitz earned the gold medal for the West Virginia men's swimming and diving team as the Mountaineers finished the third day of the 2024 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships at the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown on Thursday.

West Virginia earned two medals in the men's 400 individual medley as senior Ivan Puskovitch placed second behind Berlitz to earn silver. Berlitz became the first Mountaineer to win the 400 individual medley at the Big 12 Championships as he finished with a final time of 3:43.02. Puskovitch touched the wall at 3:47.61.

This is just the second time WVU had swimmers place first and second in an event at the Big 12 Swimming Championships. Jake Armstrong and Tristen Di Sibio placed first and second, respectively, in the men's 100 breaststroke in 2018.

Despite only having Berlitz and Puskovitch in the A finals of individual events, the Mountaineers earned points in multiple events. For the women's team, senior Lilly Culp placed fourth in the B final of the 100 butterfly (54.21), and sophomore Gabriela Martin touched the wall at 1:49.28 to place second in the B final of the 200 freestyle.

West Virginia locked out the top three in the B final of the men's 200 freestyle as senior Roanoke Shirk (1:36.45), sophomore Max Nielsen (1:36.55) and redshirt sophomore Christian Simpson (1:37.07) placed first, second and third, respectively.

To finish the night, the relay team comprised of freshman Delaney Cox, sophomores Mia Cheatwood and Ada Szwabinska and Culp placed fifth in the 400 medley event (3:39.41). The relay team of juniors Braden Osborn and Conner McBeth and seniors Joe Schaefer and Justin Heimes finished in fourth place in the 400 medley (3:12.82).

In the diving well, freshman Owen Recker placed third in the B final of the men's 3-meter (341.70) and junior Glenn Eloriaga finished sixth (311.35).

The meet continues on Friday with the preliminary round, beginning at 10 a.m. The finals are slated to start at 6 p.m.

For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUSwimDive on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.