Pitt’s Sturk resigns

Women’s soccer head coach Roland Sturk announced his resignation Friday after seven seasons… Women’s soccer head coach Roland Sturk announced his resignation Friday after seven seasons with the Panthers.

Sturk, who was the first and only coach since the team’s inception in 1996, cites a lack of progress by the program as the reason surrounding his decision.

“When I came to Pitt, I had aspirations of building a championship program,” Sturk said. “The program has made some progress but the resources and infrastructure are not in place.”

During his tenure, Sturk compiled a 36-87-6 record, including a 4-15 mark last season. In just his second year at Pitt, Sturk guided the Panthers to the Big East Championship playoffs, a season in which the team also won a program-best eight games.

Prior to his time at Pitt, Sturk spent seven seasons as the head coach at Regis University, and in 1994, he took the team to the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Championships. That same season, he was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s Regional Coach of the Year.

Sturk says his experience at Pitt was a “good opportunity” and that he is exploring his options for the future. He added that while it was not a spur of the moment decision, no one knew about his choice and that the arrangement will be mutually beneficial for both himself and those in the athletics department.

“We appreciate Roland Sturk’s efforts during his time at the University of Pittsburgh,” interim athletics director Marc Boehm said in a statement released Friday. “We certainly wish him well in his future pursuits. Our search for a new head coach will begin immediately. With a thriving university and athletic department, we believe we will attract a strong pool of potential candidates.”

Boehm could not be reached for further comment.