North Hills grad, Pitt swimmer earns ACC honors

North Hills graduate and Pitt swimmer Brian Lovasik will advance his studies with the help of a prestigious honor he earned recently.

Lovasik, a senior, is a recipient of the 2019 Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship Award from the Atlantic Coast Conference.

He will receive $6,000 toward his graduate education.

A rehabilitation science major, Lovasik plans to pursue a doctorate in physical therapy at Pitt.

“This award is the recognition of all my hard work and dedication these past four years in the pool and in the classroom,” Lovasik, 21, of Ross said. “I’m so grateful that it has paid off.

“There are so many talented athletes in the ACC. It is an incredible honor to be recognized as one of them.”

Lovasik was one of 52 recipients, including three from Pitt. The ACC said those honored have performed with distinction in the classroom and their sport, and demonstrated exemplary conduct in the community.

They will be recognized at a luncheon April 10 in Greensboro, N.C.

Pitt swimming coach John Hargis said Lovasik is a role model.

“From my first day at Pitt, Brian has been an all-star from an academic standpoint,” said Hargis, who completed his third season with the Panthers. “His maturation as a student-athlete is what we want to see for every young person (who) passes through the program.

“He’s a goal-driven, (extremely) determined individual, which has allowed him to be successful as a swimmer and as a student.”

Lovasik, the 2014 and 2015 WPIAL Class AAA champion in the boys 100-yard freestyle and 200 freestyle, set a Pitt record in the men’s 200 freestyle (one minute, 34.97 seconds) in the preliminaries of this year’s ACC championship meet. He came in 13th in the finals (1:35.20).

He was part of the 400 freestyle relay (2:52.79) and 800 freestyle relay (6:19.87) teams that broke school records and finished sixth and eighth, respectively.

He placed 22nd in the 100 freestyle (43.68).

Lovasik, who was named honorable mention NCAA Division I Scholar All-America by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America in 2017 and 2018, plans to retire from competitive swimming.

“Although my season has just ended and it hasn’t hit me yet that I’m done swimming, I’m enjoying my time off so far,” Lovasik said.