Panthers rack up wins and records over the break

While Pitt students were away, hopefully enjoying lots of turkey, Pitt Athletics had a busy week at home and on the road. Here’s everything that happened in sports to keep you up to date. 

Volleyball 

Volleyball swept all three matchups over the break, earning a share of the ACC Championship title. Starting with Boston College (16-16, 5-15 ACC), the No. 4 Panthers (26-4, 18-2 ACC) dominated in three sets with junior right side hitter Olivia Babcock leading with 13 kills. 

Next up, Pitt bested rival No. 7, Louisville (24-6, 16-4 ACC), on Wednesday at home in three close sets. The Panthers capitalized on the Cardinals’ errors and sealed the win in each set. Babcock led hitters with 22 kills.

Finally, Pitt faced Georgia Tech (16-3, 11-9 ACC) on the road, earning its share of the ACC crown with Stanford. The Panthers dropped an 11-3 lead in the first set when the Yellow Jackets climbed back to tie the score 22-22. But the Panthers regained their lead and took all three sets.

The Panthers now wait for their next matchup, which is the start of the NCAA Tournament, where they face off against UMBC. 

Women’s basketball

Pitt (5-4, 0-0 ACC) fell to Lafayette (4-4, 0-0 Patriot) last Tuesday, 76-59, at the Petersen Events Center, with first-year guard Theresa Hagans Jr. leading the Panthers with 16 points.

On the road, the Panthers dropped their first game of the Florida Gulf Classic, 55-41, against Ball State (7-1, 0-0 MAC). Junior guard Amiya Jenkins led the team with 11 points, and sophomore forward Lauren Rust earned her career high of 13 rebounds. 

Pitt picked up a win in their final game of the Florida Gulf Classic over Chicago State, 67-53. Junior guard Mikayla Johnson and junior forward Fatima Diakhate were the two leading scorers of the day, and Rust added 10 points and nine rebounds. 

The Panthers return to their home court to face Central Connecticut on Monday, Dec. 1.

Men’s Basketball

The Panthers (5-3, 0-0 ACC) went 1-1 over the break in home games. Last Sunday, Pitt faced Quinnipiac (4-3, 0-0 ACC) and lost 83-75 thanks to Quinnipiac’s 57% shooting average from the field. 

On Friday, Pitt overcame Ohio State (6-1, 0-0 Big Ten) thanks to senior guard Damarco Minor’s 30-foot buzzer beater. Minor’s walk-off buzzer beater is the first for the Panthers at home since 2010. 

Pitt is back in action on Tuesday, as the Panthers host Texas A&M at 7 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center. 

Swim and Dive

The Panthers traveled to Austin, Texas, last weekend to compete in the Texas Invitational. They closed the meet out with two program records and three top-eight finishes. First-year Alan Vergine broke Pitt’s record in the 200-yard butterfly, and senior Claire Jansen broke the 200-yard backstroke record.  

The Panthers will return next for the Backyard Brawl in a road meet against West Virginia on Jan. 10. 

Cross Country

Pitt traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to finish their season in the 2025 NCAA Championship cross country meet. Sophomore Thomas McMahon finished 93rd with a personal record time of 29:33.0 in the 10K. This was Pitt men’s cross country’s highest individual win since 1990. 

Wrestling 

The Panthers faced No. 3 Iowa in their first dual of the season. The Hawkeyes dominated Pitt, 36-0, but the Panthers put up a fight in several matchups.

Redshirt first-year Tyler Chappell faced Hawkeye No. 7 senior Dean Peterson and lost in overtime. No. 4 redshirt junior Mac Stout picked up his first loss of the season against No. 8 graduate Massoma Endene in a time-crunched takedown to clinch the 5-4 victory. 

The Panthers return on the road to face No. 8 Lehigh in Bethlehem, PA, on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m.