The Pitt women’s basketball team released its 2003-2004 schedule on Tuesday, with new head… The Pitt women’s basketball team released its 2003-2004 schedule on Tuesday, with new head coach Agnus Berenato and the Panthers opening the season at home against Coppin State on Nov. 25.

The 26-game schedule includes nine teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season and two teams that reached the Women’s National Invitational Tournament. Among those teams will be two-time defending national champion Connecticut.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity of competing as a part of the University of Pittsburgh and the Big East Conference,” Berenato said. “We have a very challenging and competitive schedule, playing against 11 postseason teams from last year. We can never take a day off, and we have to work day-in and day-out competing at our highest level of ability.”

Among the other non-conference teams that will be coming to the Petersen Events Center will be Central Connecticut State, Duquesne, Hartford, Clemson, Xavier and Fordham. Pitt will also go on the road to face Penn State, Norfolk State and Robert Morris.

The Panthers will begin their conference schedule at West Virginia on Jan. 3. Pitt will host conference foes Syracuse, Providence, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Rutgers, Georgetown, Notre Dame and Villanova at the Petersen Events Center.

“We are going to challenge our student athletes to be competitive in one of the best conferences in the country,” Berenato said. “We need to be mentally ready to face the challenges of a rigorous schedule, but I know we will be ready.”