‘Leaving the badge in a better place’: Senior leaders of No. 3 Pitt men’s soccer

The seniors of No. 3 Pitt men’s soccer know from experience that the job is far from finished. Three of the players, midfielder Guilherme Feitosa, forward Luis Sahmkow and midfielder Michael Sullivan, joined the Panthers in 2021 and played through the highs and lows of three eventful seasons.

“I mean, they all came in in different situations,” head coach Jay Vidovich said. “Mikey is a local kid, Luis is a guy from the national championship team out of Texas and Gui started over in France. What’s important is that they all bought into what we want to do. They all stayed the course. They all had their journeys to become leaders on this team.”

The veterans of the 2024 squad used all of their leadership and the successes and failures of their careers to reestablish a standard of excellence within the program.

“What I love about these guys is last year was really difficult. It was an extremely hard year for them, and they decided they didn’t want a piece of that anymore,” Vidovich said. “They wanted to improve the team. They wanted to leave the jersey in a better place. And I think that ambition, the resiliency that they had and then their drive to grow the culture and set the standard higher makes them unique. They’re going to leave the program in a better spot.”

Even as first-years and sophomores in the Panther’s runs to the Elite Eight in 2021 and the College Cup in 2022, the now-seniors played crucial roles on the team.

As a first-year, Feitosa scored three points in the postseason, including a goal in an Elite Eight matchup. On the way to the 2022 College Cup, Feitosa set up the game-winning goal in the Panthers’ first-round win over Cleveland State. Sahmkow remained a key reserve during both tournament runs, netting a goal in their second-round win over Akron in 2022. Meanwhile, Sullivan appeared in all five 2022 NCAA Tournament games while earning three starts.

The 2023 campaign went much differently for the Panthers. In 2023, Pitt entered the season ranked No. 5 in the country and the expectations became sky-high. However, they crumbled under the pressure. The Panthers went 0-2-1 to finish ACC play and were outscored 1-8 in these games. 

The 2023 squad disappointed equally in the postseason. Despite their best efforts, they lost in double OT to Louisville and then dropped their first game 3-2 against James Madison in the NCAA tournament while playing at home in both contests. 

2024 was a pivotal season in program history. Had the Panthers established an identity of excellence or would they fade back into mediocrity?

“We don’t want to be part of a losing program,” Feitosa said. “We don’t want to be part of the program that loses in the early stages of the NCAA tournament. And us coming back with that mentality also raises the level for the new guys that came in.”

After starting the season unranked, the Panthers climbed up to No. 3 in the polls. When faced with adversity after dropping consecutive contests for the first time this season, the team had a convincing answer against UNC and UVA. 

Although the postseason awaits, the program already feels the impact of this senior class. They made history by clinching a share of the program’s first ACC regular season championship this year. And on senior night, the leaders of the team received much-deserved recognition. With friends, family and fans packing the stands, their teammates rallied around them and trounced Virginia 4-1.

“We’re the grown men leading the program. I’m so grateful for not just the player[s] but those guys that are around and do so much for the program every day,” Feitosa said. “And I feel like that win with the packed house even while volleyball was playing was a great way to reward not only the seniors but everyone.”

“It’s about setting the standard for the younger guys,” Sahmkow said. “Like, once we leave, leaving the badge in a better place. And then those guys leaving it an even better one”.

Each of these long-tenured Panthers plays an equally important role for this squad. Vidovich recognizes that these leaders bring what it takes to make a special run.

“The seniors have the ambition to police themselves,” Vidovich said. “And then when the collective is doing it, that’s when there’s such a magic to get to the championship.”

With the postseason looming, Pitt men’s soccer certainly feels it has unfinished business to take care of.

“The program hasn’t won anything, and we want to be the first ones to do it,” Feitosa said. “The guys are here. They’re going to stay here after we leave. That’s the culture we’re trying to give to them.”

“It’s like, win every day and never settle for less. It’s the small things, the small details you need, the momentum, being together and being positive you need to win. That’s how we did it tonight and that’s what we’re going to keep doing,” Feitosa said after Pitt’s win against Virginia.

The Panthers return to action Friday night as they look to clinch the sole possession of the ACC regular season title with a win or draw over Syracuse.