With the rise of the NCAA transfer portal, Pitt has had the opportunity to hook up with other schools as it recruits college athletes who enter the transfer portal.
Whether it’s recruiting a “big D” for football or a basketball player who is elite at stopping players coming from his back door, here are some of the top recent transfer athletes for Pitt.
Desmond Reid, football
Redshirt junior running back Desmond Reid experienced epic highs and lows in his first season as a running back with the Panthers. Reid previously played in 18 games over two seasons for Western Carolina, where he compiled over 1,723 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns.
Reid committed to Pitt in December of 2023, and the Floridian led Pitt in rushing yards in the 2024 season opener against Kent State with 14 carries, 145 yards and one touchdown.
Throughout the season, he continued to impress for the Panthers, with ESPN’s Sam Acho calling Reid “a walking big play.” Reid wrapped up the 2024 season earning first-team All-ACC honors as an all-purpose back and return specialist. He announced in December that he will play at Pitt in the 2025 season for his final season of eligibility.
Ishmael Leggett, men’s basketball
Senior guard Ishmael Leggett is in the midst of his second season at Pitt. Previously, Leggett played three seasons at Rhode Island, where he averaged 16.1 points and grabbed 5.9 rebounds per game in the 2022-23 season.
In April of 2023, Leggett committed to Pitt. Leggett broke 1,000 career points in November and was named ACC Sixth Man of the Year at the end of the season. He entered his senior year with 1,326 career points accumulated.
Bre Kelley, volleyball
Redshirt junior middle blocker Bre Kelley was a Gator before she committed to Pitt in June of 2023. The middle blocker spent two seasons at Florida, and as a sophomore, she competed in 110 sets within all 31 matches.
In December, Kelley was named a Second Team All-American and was also named to the All-ACC First Team. Kelley has accumulated a career 312 points with the Panthers in her 37 matches played in the blue and gold.
Malik Ricketts, track and field
Senior Malik Ricketts spent two seasons as both a distance and sprints runner at Fairleigh Dickinson before transferring to Pitt. At Fairleigh Dickinson, Ricketts competed in the 2021 Bill Ward Invitational, where he earned a personal record with a time of 1:05.22 in the 500m. Ricketts was part of Pitt’s 4×400 in the 2024 ACC Indoor Championship, where the foursome earned third place and took the fourth-fastest 4×400 in school history.
Luke Cantwell, baseball
Senior infielder Luke Cantwell also hails from Fairleigh Dickinson, where he played two seasons before he transferred to Pitt for the 2024 season. In 2023, Cantwell was selected for the First Team All-NEC and had a batting average of .331.
Cantwell spent his first season with the Panthers starting in all 55 games and set a program record with the most walks in a single season. That same season, he led the team in runs scored, hit by pitches and on-base percentage. In January of 2025, Cantwell was named a Preseason Top Five First Baseman by D1Baseball. Cantwell and the rest of Pitt baseball begin their 2025 season this weekend when they face Eastern Michigan.