Last year at this time, Brandon Miree was one of a handful of Pitt players trying to nail… Last year at this time, Brandon Miree was one of a handful of Pitt players trying to nail down the job of starting halfback.

This year, he not only opens the season as Pitt’s starter at that position, but also as a preseason candidate for the Doak Walker Award.

Miree is one of 39 players named to the watch list for the award, which is given annually to the nation’s top running back. The winner will be announced in late November.

Miree finished last season with four 100-yard performances in his final five games, leading Pitt with 943 rushing yards on the year while averaging 4.4 yards per carry.

His best performance came against Virginia Tech, who, at the time, had the nation’s No. 1 rushing defense. Miree ran for 161 yards, averaging 7.0 yards per carry, including a 53-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter that put the Panthers ahead for good, 28-21.

Miree also ran for more than 100 yards against Miami (118), West Virginia (121) and, in the Insight Bowl, Oregon State (113). His performance against the Beavers earned him the Insight Bowl’s offensive Most Valuable Player Award.

Having graduated from Pitt in the spring with a degree in public administration, Miree is currently enrolled in Pitt’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Panthers headed for sellout

With three ranked teams heading into Heinz Field this season, Pitt has one of its most anticipated home schedules in years.

Pitt season-ticket sales are a perfect example of that.

On Aug. 20, the athletics department announced that a record 41,664 season tickets had been sold for the 2003 season, and, including the 10,000 tickets held aside for students, the 65,000-seat stadium is almost sold out.

“We are very excited and appreciative of the tremendous response we’ve received from our season ticket sales,” Athletics Director Jeff Long said. “Our alumni, the city of Pittsburgh and the entire region are rallying around our football team, and we anticipate a tremendous fan environment at Heinz Field this fall.”

Fewer than 1,000 season tickets were available as of Aug. 20, and, if the pace continues, the Pitt ticket office plans on beginning a waiting list for the 2004 season. Single-game tickets are also now on sale.

The Panthers have six home games this year, including contests against Notre Dame, Miami and Virginia Tech.

Gymnastics earns academic honors

On Aug. 20, eight Pitt gymnasts were honored as National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women Scholastic All-Americans.

Pitt’s squad also ranked 13th in the nation in grade point average, posting 3.45 during the 2002-2003 academic year.Diandra O’Connor and Marcy Blitz both earned honors for the third time. O’Connor posted a 3.92 in neuroscience and Blitz earned a 3.6 in accounting and finance.

Also among the school-record eight Panthers recognized are Lisa Yarosh, Lauren Musulin, Sarah Gibson, Nathalie Sulpher, Roslyn Singleton, and Lelia Tait.

A student-athlete must have earned a grade point average of 3.5 in order to qualify.

Overall, Pitt finished second to North Carolina among East Atlantic Gymnastic League teams. The Tarheels ranked 12th in the nation. The Panthers were the top-ranked school in Pennsylvania and third in the North East Region.

Southern Utah University finished first, with a grade point average of 3.76.