As the Mountaineers prepare to host the 2024 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championship, placing senior Danny Berlitz in specific events may be a challenge.
That is not to say that Berlitz does not have events that he is particularly strong in. It may be quite the opposite. While other team members, such as distance swimmer and 2024 Olympian Ivan Puskovitch, have specialized strengths, Berlitz shines in several areas.
Including relay participation, Berlitz has placed first in 10 different events this season. He was most frequently seen leading the pack in breaststroke events, winning seven races between the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke events this year, but he also found success in freestyle, backstroke, and individual medleys.
Berlitz’s many talents in the pool have led to him becoming one of WVU’s greatest IM swimmers of all time. Currently, Berlitz holds the all-time Mountaineer record time in 200 IM and 400 IM. Versatility aside, he stands out as one of WVU’s greatest breaststroke swimmers ever, sitting in second in the team record books for the 200 breaststroke.
Berlitz’s well-built status as a Mountaineer was earned in just two seasons at WVU, as the senior transferred to West Virginia from Michigan in 2022 for his junior season.
In a short time, his impact has rippled across the Big 12 Conference, in which he earned co-swimmer of the week honors in October. Berlitz won seven individual races and two relays in matches against Penn State and Cincinnati.
Ahead of the Big 12 Championship at Mylan Park’s aquatics center, Berlitz is a proven, reliable force for the Mountaineers, one that will likely appear in several days of competition.
The Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championship kicks off Tuesday, February 27 at 10 a.m. EST in The Aquatic Center at Mylan Park and will run through Saturday, March 2.
Photo from WVU Swimming & Diving
