Several Panther athletes are eligible for National Awards

Pitt senior quarterback Rod Rutherford has been named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien… Pitt senior quarterback Rod Rutherford has been named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, given each year to the nation’s best quarterback.

Following his 400-yard plus performance Saturday night against West Virginia, Rutherford has now thrown for over 6,000 yards in his career, one of only four Pitt quarterbacks to ever do so.

In the loss against the Mountaineers, he completed 25 of 47 passes for 419 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

Pitt is now 7-3 and tied for first place in the Big East at 4-1. They will travel to Philadelphia this weekend to play their first-ever game in the brand-new Lincoln Financial Field, which is home to both the Temple Owls and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

Wilson named semifinalist for John Mackey Award

Pitt tight end Kris Wilson has been named a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, given annually to the best tight end in Division I-A football.

Wilson, a senior, has 36 catches for 503 yards this season with eight touchdowns, which ranks second among all tight ends in the country. Earlier this year, he finished with a career-high nine catches for 110 yards against Rutgers, including an 11-yard touchdown reception. Wilson also added a personal-best 111 yards on six receptions and one TD in the Panthers’ 31-28 upset over Virginia Tech on Nov. 8.

Against West Virginia, he caught four more passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns.

Finalists for the award will be selected on Wednesday, Nov. 26., and the winner will be announced Tuesday, Dec. 9.

Pitt-Miami game set for prime time

When the Miami Hurricanes come to Pittsburgh for their showdown on Nov. 29 with the Panthers, the Big East title could be on the line. One thing is for sure: it will be on television. ABC will broadcast the game regionally with a kickoff set for 8 p.m.

Young named to All-Big East Second Team

Forward Keeyan Young has been named to the All-Big East Second Team, voted on by the conference coaches, making this his first postseason honor.

Young becomes just the fourth Pitt player to earn second-team honors and the first since former Panthers standout Ben Garry did it during the 2000 season. Young led the team with six goals, three assists and 15 points. He helped the Panthers to a season mark of 6-11-1 overall, including a mark of 3-6-1 in Big East Conference play.

Pair of volleyball players earn honors

Senior Sarah Rollman was selected to the 2003 Verizon Academic All-District II women’s volleyball team. Rollman, a history of art major in the classroom and an outside hitter on the court, has helped the Panthers to a 20-4 record.

She has a cumulative grade-point average of 3.79 and is on the verge of recording her 1,000th career kill. Rollman ranks among the team leaders in kills, hitting percentage, digs, and blocks, and leads the team with 21 service aces.

After breaking the school record for block solos with seven against Notre Dame this weekend, junior Megan Miller has been named the Big East Volleyball Player of the Week. She also recorded a career-high 12 blocks in the win over the Irish. It is the second time this season Miller has won the award.

The Panthers shared the conference’s regular-season title with Notre Dame and will be the No. 1 seed in this week’s Big East Volleyball Championship, played at the Joyce Center at Notre Dame. Pittsburgh will take on No. 4 Villanova at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22, while No. 2 Notre Dame meets No. 3 Miami in the other semifinal. The two winners will play at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 23 for the title and a berth in the NCAA Championships.

Nine athletes sign letter of intent with Panthers

Jamie Dixon signed three athletes to letters of intent for the men’s basketball program, making up his first recruiting class as a head coach. The Panthers will add guard Keith Benjamin, swingman John DeGroat and guard Ronald Ramon. All of the players are originally from the New York area, making a total of seven players that will be on the Panthers’ roster from that area.

Agnus Berenato, the new women’s basketball head coach, is doing some recruiting of her own. She has signed her first two recruits here at Pitt. Guard Karlyle Lim, from North Carolina, has committed to the Panthers. The Panthers’ also added Viktoria Sholokhova, who can play both guard and forward and stands 6-foot-4.

Pitt softball head coach Michelle Phalen has announced three signings. Next year the Panthers will welcome corner infielder and catcher Mary Hecker, second baseman Valerie Mihalik and corner infielder Kelly Stiles. The Panthers open the 2004 softball season at the South Florida Tournament Feb. 20-22.

Pitt’s head track and field coach Alonzo Webb has also announced the signing of Selena Sappleton to a national letter of intent. Sappleton will join the Panthers’ track and field team for the 2004-05 season.

As a junior, Sappleton had the second-fastest indoor time in the country in the 600 meters and she also had the fifth-best indoor time in the 800 meters.