Panthers of the Week: Recognizing standout Pitt athletes

Each week, The Pitt News’ sports staff will select a male and female athlete and a coach…

Nico Wrobel (21) scored three of the four goals Pitt scored this weekend as the Panthers defeated IPFW and Delaware.

Nick Vu, Staff Photographer

Each week, The Pitt News’ sports staff will select a male and female athlete and a coach from Pitt athletics to be the “Panthers of the Week.”

Following a successful weekend for Pitt’s men’s soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball teams, here are this week’s winners:

Male Panther of the Week: Nico Wrobel, junior forward, men’s soccer

Wrobel scored three of Pitt’s four goals this weekend as the undefeated Panthers (3-0-2) won the Pitt/Nike Invitational, thanks to victories against Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne and Delaware.

The junior forward, whom Pitt men’s soccer head coach Joe Luxbacher described as a “robot” from the penalty spot, easily converted two penalty kicks against IPFW Friday night as Pitt won 3-1. Wrobel followed that up by scoring the game’s only goal in the Panthers’ success versus the Blue Hens.

Wrobel’s impressive weekend earned him Big East Offensive Player of the Week recognition, and he will hope to continue his good scoring form when the Panthers host Northern Kentucky and face city rival Duquesne on the road this weekend.

Check out Thursday’s edition of The Pitt News for a feature on Wrobel.

Female Panther of the Week: Margy Acton, senior libero, volleyball

Acton led the Panthers in digs in each of the team’s three games this weekend as her defensive contributions helped Pitt defeat Sam Houston State, Tulane and Mississippi State at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Collegiate Classic in New Orleans.

In Friday’s game against Sam Houston State, Acton recorded her 1,000th career dig, becoming only the 10th player in school history to reach that mark.

“I don’t think anyone works as hard as Margy does,” Pitt head coach Toby Rens said of the senior libero. “She continues to impress me with her defense, and I think she took it to another level this weekend.”

Along with teammates Lindsey Zitzke and Alexa Campbell, Acton was also named to the all-tournament team as the Panthers stretched their winning streak to seven games.

Coach of the Week: Toby Rens, volleyball

With the Panthers on a seven-game winning streak after picking up three more victories this weekend, the Pitt volleyball team (8-2) is currently the hottest team on campus.

“I was really pleased on how we executed our game plan throughout the weekend,” Coach Rens said in a press release. “I was equally as pleased with some of the adjustments we made during the matches and how several people stepped up and provided something off the bench.”

Rens, in his fifth season as the head coach of the Pitt volleyball team, has his young team playing with confidence, which is impressive considering that the team currently has 12 underclassmen, compared to just seven upperclassmen.

The Pitt volleyball team will begin its Big East play at Seton Hall on Sept. 22, and if Rens’ Panthers continue to improve, they should qualify for a fifth consecutive trip to the Big East tournament after the regular season.