Megan Van Berkom, Kaiser Neverman Win Three Events Apiece to Power Minnesota Past Pitt

Pittsburgh vs. Minnesota

• Jan. 19, 2024
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• SCY (25 yards)
• PDF results
• Team scores
  • Men: Minnesota 155, Pittsburgh 145
  • Women: No. 22 Minnesota 177, Pittsburgh 123

Minnesota senior Megan Van Berkom racked up three individual victories to lead the No. 22 Gopher women to a 177-123 win at Pittsburgh on Friday in the first-ever dual meet between the Power Five foes.

Van Berkom triumphed in the 200-yard butterfly by more than two seconds with a winning time of 1:58.81. She ranks 13th in the NCAA with her season-best 1:54.78, which is already more than a second faster than she went at last year’s NCAA Championships. Van Berkom picked up two more 1st-place finishes in the 200 IM (2:02.84) and 200 breaststroke (2:18.21).

Minnesota also got multiple individual victories from freshman Katie McCarthy, who swept the 500 free (4:57.23) and 1000 free (10:04.92). The Edina native has dropped almost three seconds in the 500 free this season with a personal-best 4:44.79 from November and her season-best 9:48.86 ranks 33rd in the NCAA.

Two more Gopher freshmen stepped up to secure big freestyle wins. Morgan Thomas triumphed in the 100 free while adding a runner-up finish in the 50 free (23.45). Mina Kaljevic touched first in the 200 free (1:50.25).

The Pitt women were led by British senior Sophie Yendell, who placed 1st in the 50 free (22.95) and 100 fly (54.82). After just missing scoring in the 50 free last year at NCAAs with an 18th-place finish in 22.02, she ranks 14th nationally this season with a 22.03. Yendell’s season-best 100 fly (52.08) isn’t far from NCAA scoring range, either, ranked 22nd nationally. She also contributed a 23.67 fly split on the Panthers’ triumphant 200 medley relay (1:41.79).

Pitt sophomore Claire Jansen joined Yendell as a multi-event champion in the 100 back (54.56) and 200 back (1:49.94). She also led off the Panthers’ victorious 200 medley relay with a 26.20 backstroke leg.

Men’s Recap

Minnesota senior Kaiser Neverman took home three individual titles at Pitt on Friday to help the Gophers hold off the Panthers, 155-145.

Neverman showed off his versatility by reaching the wall first in the 200 fly (1:44.92), 200 IM (1:46.14), and 100 free (43.68). His season-best 1:44.50 in the 200 fly ranks 50th in the NCAA.

Minnesota junior Bar Soloveychik flexed his freestyle prowess with victories in the 200 free (1:37.27) and 500 free (4:28.34) along with a runner-up finish in the 1000 free (9:32.41) behind senior teammate William Christenson (9:15.67). Soloveychik ranks 35th in the NCAA this season with a 4:18.37. Christenson also placed 2nd in the 500 free (4:33.78).

The Pitt men stayed within striking distance thanks in large part to a breaststroke sweep by fifth-year Jerry Chen, who won the 100 breast (54.32) and 200 breast (1:59.00). He also placed 4th in the 200 IM and split 24.55 on the breaststroke leg of the Panthers’ triumphant 200 medley relay (1:27.33).

Pitt had a strong showing in the backstroke department. Senior Marcin Goraj brought the Panthers a victory in the 200 back (1:46.50) along with a runner-up effort in the 200 free (1:37.59). Goraj also split 21.28 swimming fly on their 200 medley relay. Junior teammate Krzysztof Radziszewski touched first in the 100 back (48.42), placed 4th in the 100 free (45.55), and led off the 200 medley relay in 21.71 — within a second of what he went at NCAAs last year (20.89).

Pitt senior Max Matteazzi never topped the podium, but he still accounted for points in each of his swims with 2nd-place finishes in the 200 IM (1:48.11) and 200 breast (2:00.49) along with 3rd-place finishes in the 100 breast (55.97) and 200 medley relay (25.13 breast split). Panthers fifth-year Adam Mahler added runner-up finishes in the 100 fly (48.86) and 200 fly (1:47.01).

Pitt returns to action on Feb. 2 at Ohio State while Minnesota visits Big Ten opponent Purdue on Feb. 2.