Pitt wrestling’s domination over Duke on Saturday was the only win the Panthers mustered this weekend, but individual Panthers fared well this past weekend.
Women’s basketball
Pitt women’s basketball (9-14, 1-9 ACC) took to the road this weekend, losing out to Stanford 58-46 (11-10, 3-7 ACC) on Jan. 30 before losing to No. 19 California (19-4, 7-3 ACC) on Feb. 2.
Against Stanford, graduate center Khadija Faye dominated, earning a double-double with 21 points. This accounted for 46% of the Panthers’ points scored throughout the game. Faye also tallied 15 rebounds. Despite this impressive display, Pitt lost, failing to score 50 points for the second time this season.
On Sunday, Pitt faced a similar fate as the Golden Bears beat down the Panthers 84-53 — the fourth loss by 30 or more points this season and a fifth consecutive loss in the ACC. Pitt has struggled in the ACC this season, winning just one out of 10 games.
Junior guard Marley Washenitz led the Panthers in scoring, tying her career-high with 20 points. Faye, who once again impressed, scored 16 points in a misfiring Pitt offense. Faye is now 28 points short of 1,000 in her career and looks on track to achieve this in the 2024-25 season.
Next, women’s basketball returns to the Petersen Events Center as it hosts Boston College on Feb. 6 before traveling to Dallas to face SMU on Feb. 9 — a team Pitt claimed its only ACC victory against.
Track and field
Pitt track and field traveled to State College to participate in the Penn State National Open this weekend.
Sophomore thrower Norrah Lemongo set a personal best of 16.77 meters in the shot put, crushing a school record that’s stood for 20 years to claim the event title.
In the men’s 400-meter, Pitt claimed a one-two on the podium as senior Malik Ricketts claimed the top spot with a time of 46.73, followed closely by junior Devin Nugent. Senior Je’Nyia Burton added a third victory for the Panthers in the women’s 400-meter, running a 52.83 to outpace her competition.
Pitt’s fourth victory came in the men’s 4×400 meter relay invitational with a collective time of 3:07.71 to conclude the meet. The Panthers team consisted of Ricketts, senior Nigel Hussey, senior Thomas McDonough and Nugent.
Women’s gymnastics
After losing back-to-back ACC matchups, Pitt women’s gymnastics (3-3, 0-3 ACC) traveled to South Carolina on Friday to face No. 22 Clemson (3-3, 2-1 ACC). In their second matchup with the Tigers in just 14 days, the Panthers once again fell just short, losing 195.350-195.275.
Pitt came away from the meet with team wins on the uneven bars and the balance beam, improving on its last meet with the Tigers where the Panthers won just one event and scored 0.175 points less overall.
Sophomore Emily Todd recovered from an uncharacteristic slip in the pair’s last meeting to claim the joint top spot on the uneven bars, recording a career-high 9.850. First-year Darbi Simcox also scored high with an impressive 9.875 on the beam, paving the path for a team victory.
Looking to get their first ACC victory, gymnastics travels to Raleigh, North Carolina, to face North Carolina State on Feb. 8.
Swim and Dive
On Saturday, Pitt swim and dive (men 4-4, women 7-1) fell to Ohio State. The men lost 181-114 while the women lost its first meet this season 161.6-131.5 after starting the season 7-0 in its best start since 1985-86.
The day wasn’t without reason to celebrate for the Panthers, as fifth-year Sophie Yendell and senior Max Matteazzi both re-set their Trees Pool records in the 50 free, with a time of 21.92, and 400 IM, with a time of 3:43:42, respectively. Both records were originally set during the Panthers’ first home meet of the season.
Pitt didn’t stop there, with sophomore Avery Kudlac setting the school record in the 100 freestyle with a time of 49.98 during her leg of the women’s 400 freestyle relay — a first individual record for Kudlac.
The swim and dive teams return to action next at the Ohio State Winter Invitational from Feb. 14 to 16, as they prepare for the ACC Championships that begin on Feb. 18.
Wrestling
No. 16 Pitt wrestling (9-3, 2-1 ACC) dominated Duke (4-12, 0-4 ACC) with a shutout 42-0 victory. The wrestling team made light work of Duke to secure its fifth home victory in six tries.
Redshirt sophomore Mac Stout once again claimed individual victory at 197 lbs, extending his win streak to 14.
Duke mustered just two takedowns across the 10 matches, whereas Pitt managed 26 as it went on to win all 10 bouts. The Panthers achieved seven bonus point victories with three matches by a technical fall, three by major decision and one by a pin .
Next, wrestling once again has the home-mat advantage as it hosts North Carolina on Feb. 7.