Sepich: Looking forward to new year of Pitt sports

With the first game of the new football season and beginning of the Paul Chryst era just days…With the first game of the new football season and beginning of the Paul Chryst era just days away, it might be a good idea for us to reminisce on the events of last year.

Last season was a forgettable one on the field for the Panthers as the team repeatedly blew big leads and finished with a disappointing 6-7 record.

But what happened off the field was unforgettable for many Pitt fans.

Todd Graham, the self-proclaimed master of all things “high octane,” shocked the football program by bolting for Arizona State without even saying goodbye to his players, leaving Pitt in search of its fourth head coach in the past three years.

In the wake of Graham’s departure, Pitt’s athletic department had a new goal when searching for Graham’s successor: find a coach who enjoys teaching and coaching more than conducting press conferences.

A few days later, Pitt found its guy, announcing former Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst as the latest leader of the University’s football program.

During Chryst’s spring practices and summer training camp, phrases such as “player’s coach” and “teacher” replaced “high octane” and “explosive” when describing the new coach, and the Pitt football program finally seems to have found a stable leader to guide it into the upcoming ACC years.

In a few months, as Chryst’s debut season at Heinz Field comes to a close, the Pitt men’s basketball team will return to the court after suffering from similar struggles to that of the football team last season.

The Panthers were never able to replace the three seniors that led them to the Big East regular season championship two years ago, and Coach Jamie Dixon’s squad finished with just five conference victories last spring.

However, Pitt didn’t finish the year trophy-less after it accepted an invitation to the College Basketball Invitational and defeated Washington State in the three-game tournament final series.

With the strong and talented 7-footer Steven Adams — a potential NBA Draft lottery pick in the near future, coming all the way from New Zealand to join the Panthers this year — don’t be surprised if Pitt returns to the NCAA tournament in March with a bang.

As for the remaining Pitt sports, fans should take advantage of spectating opportunities at the awesome athletic facilities across campus.

At the beautiful Petersen Sports Complex behind Trees Hall, both soccer teams will work toward improving themselves after rough 2011 campaigns, and in the spring the baseball and softball programs should continue their gradual rises on the way to consistent national prominence.

The wrestling team should light up the Fitzgerald Field House once again in its search for a fourth consecutive conference title. Redshirt senior Matt Wilps at 197 pounds has a legitimate shot to become a national champion after he finished fourth last season behind three graduating seniors.

Also, look out for 6-foot-11 women’s basketball freshman center Marvadene “Bubbles” Anderson, who should help improve a team that failed to win a conference game last year.

Across the board, Pitt athletics seem to be moving in the right direction as the University prepares to begin its ACC adventure next fall.

So when you walk across campus on this first day of classes and recognize a star football or basketball player strolling by, remember last year’s debacles at Heinz Field and the Petersen Events Center, but don’t dwell.

Like this University did during last spring’s bomb threats, Pitt fans, students and athletes rally for our teams when they struggle.

And remembering the bad times will only make future successes that much sweeter.