Just a few days after entering the NCAA transfers database, 2019 CCSA Conference Champion and Most Outstanding Freshman Swimmer Gianni Pitto has found her landing spot: at the University of Nevada. She is expected to have 3 years of eligibility remaining.
Her new team takes her much closer to home – Reno, where Nevada is located, is only about a 2-and-a-half hour drive from her native Lodi, located in California’s Central Valley region. Liberty, meanwhile, is located all the way across the country in Virginia – a 41 hour drive.
In just 1 season at Liberty, Pitto broke the school record in the 400 IM (4:15.06), ranked 3rd in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.50), and ranked 3rd in the 200 breaststroke (2:15.12).
She also won a program-record 20 individual events during the regular season, and was the 2019 CCSA Champion in the 400 IM – tapering off more than 5 seconds for that meet. In total, she scored 97 (out of a possible 105) points individually at that meet, and was a part of Liberty’s winning 400 medley relay.
Nevada finished 2nd at last year’s Mountain West Conference Championship meet. The Mountain West is a little deeper than the CCSA – Pitto’s best times last season would have ranked her:
- 100 breast – tied for 6th
- 200 breast – 10th
- 400 IM – 3rd
In spite of her high scoring at CCSAs, Pitto’s breaststrokes didn’t progress much as a freshman, though she dropped more than 4 seconds in the 400 IM.
Time Progression in 3 Conference Events:
| BEST TIME IN HS | BEST TIME AS A FRESHMAN | |
| 100 breast | 1:01.34 | 1:01.50 |
| 200 breast | 2:14.13 | 2:15.12 |
| 400 IM | 4:20.69 | 4:15.06 |