One of the most integral parts of college life is sports. They bring out school pride and are a fun thing to have in common with classmates.
I’m not here to say it’s the most important thing during college, but sports are some of the things that makes college life so great. They are most definitely something that everyone who attends the University of Pittsburgh should experience and enjoy.
Before attending Pitt sporting events, however, there are a few crucial things to know.
Traditions
We say “Hail to Pitt!” — a lot. Pitt fans may find themselves saying this at least 20 times during one game — if the Panthers handle business. We also get the typical “Let’s go Pitt” chants often at Pitt games. I can’t forget the classic cheer of “PI … TT” that will quickly devolve into a “Let’s go Pitt” chant.
A fan favorite at Pitt sporting events is when “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond is played to rile up the crowd. At Pitt football games, Neil Diamond’s timeless classic is played after the third quarter to get the Panthers faithful hyped up for a crucial fourth quarter. Throughout the song, Pitt added their flavor to it by saying “Go Pitt” or “Let’s go Pitt” during the lyricless gaps during “Sweet Caroline.”
Rivals
Rivalries are what makes sports great. It ups the ante in games that are for nothing but pride. Pitt’s biggest rival is West Virginia University, which resides in Morgantown, West Virginia, just a 75-mile drive down I-79 from Oakland.
When the two teams face one another, it’s referred to as the Backyard Brawl because of how close the two schools are to one another. Last school year, Pitt lost to West Virginia in football by a score of 17-6 in one of the worst offensive games Pitt could display. But Pitt got revenge in basketball, winning 80-63.
Similar to Pitt, West Virginia also uses “Sweet Caroline” during its games to excite the home crowd. But, unlike Pitt, West Virginia doesn’t use the pauses to cheer on their team. Instead, they beg and plead for the Pitt faithful to eat their rear-end waste matter, even in games when the Mountaineers don’t face the Panthers.
A simple tip to incoming students who don’t know how to respond to this is to say the score “13-9” to these Mountaineer fans. This infamous score of 13-9 is from when Pitt football traveled to Morgantown in 2007 and defeated West Virginia, knocking off the then No. 2 Mountaineers from a chance to win their first National Championship.
Pitt has a rivalry with Penn State as well, but it has cooled off since the teams haven’t faced off in basketball or football since 2019. But returning from a multiple-year hiatus is Pitt against Penn State in volleyball, which should have as much, if not more, entertainment than a football or basketball game between the two teams.
Teams to watch
Pitt students should pay $150 for Pitt football and basketball games. Cheering alongside the student sections, Panther Pitt and Oakland Zoo, all season long is an unforgettable experience.
If $150 doesn’t feel worth it, Pitt features multiple National Championship contending programs where their games are free to attend as long as you have a Pitt ID and reserve your tickets before the game sells out.
These three teams play on upper campus at the Fitzgerald Field House — where Jerome sent it in — and Ambrose Urbanic Field.
The Fitzgerald Field House features the best team at the University of Pittsburgh and debatably the best squad in Pittsburgh — Pitt volleyball. The Panthers have appeared in three consecutive Final Fours and have never had as great of a shot to win a National Championship as this year.
Led by head coach Dan Fisher, Pitt volleyball has excelled year after year. For their 2024 campaign, the Panthers are returning four All-Americans, including an AVCA Freshman of the Year opposite hitter Olivia Babcock and ACC Setter of the Year senior Rachel Fairbanks.
Ambrose Urbanic Field features two soccer teams that are capable of making long runs in the postseason.
Last season, Pitt women’s soccer had one of its best seasons in the program’s history. The Panthers made a run up until the Elite Eight and finished the season with the highest ranking ever for the program at No. 6. Head coach Randy Waldrum — who also coaches the Nigerian women’s soccer national team — is improving the Panthers every year and could soon help Pitt find itself in the College Cup, which is college soccer’s Final Four.
Pitt men’s soccer 2023 campaign wasn’t as pretty as Pitt women’s soccer, as it lost in the first round of the Tournament. Head coach Jay Vidovich’s squad, however, is due for a bounce back after making a run at the College Cup in 2022.
When they aren’t studying, students should check out Pitt sporting events throughout the year.