Spring Game analysis: Pitt defense shined while offense struggled
By Cale Berger | Staff Writer
April 15, 2018
Filed under Football, Sports, Top Stories
Pitt’s annual Blue and Gold Spring Game may be the first chance of the year for Pitt students, alumni and fans to tailgate and bring their favorite jerseys out of retirement, but it is also an opportunity to get a small taste of what the upcoming season will bring on the field. This year was no ...
Gallery: Spring Blue and Gold game
By Thomas Yang | Visual Editor
April 15, 2018
Filed under Football, Sports, Visual
The Panthers split their football team into Blue and Gold sides Saturday afternoon for their annual Spring Game, a contest in which neither offense looked exceptional. It proved fitting that a defensive touchdown — junior defensive back Dane Jackson’s 60-yard interception-turned-touchdown — handed...
Weekend sports: Track tabs top-10s, tennis trips up
By Stephen Cuddy | Staff Writer
April 15, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
This past weekend for Pitt Athletics looked like a repeat of the one before it. Track athletes again set personal bests and nabbed top finishes as softball and baseball each won two of three and tennis continued to struggle. Baseball Like tennis and softball, the baseball team also hosted Georg...
Blue beats Gold, 10-3, in Spring Game defensive battle
By Trent Leonard and Joanna Li | TPN Staff
April 14, 2018
Filed under Football, Sports, Top Stories
The Panthers split their football team into Blue and Gold teams Saturday afternoon for their annual Spring Game, a contest in which neither offense looked exceptional. It proved fitting that a defensive touchdown — redshirt junior defensive back Dane Jackson’s 60-yard interception-turned-touchdown ...
Capel hires Tim O’Toole, Jason Capel as assistant coaches
By Grant Burgman | Sports Editor
April 12, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
Pitt men’s basketball coach Jeff Capel hired his brother, Jason Capel, and Tim O’Toole to be assistants on his staff, according to reports Wednesday. https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN/status/984087393371328513 O’Toole joins Pitt after spending the last two seasons as an a...
Take 5: Spieth, Simmons, Stanley Cup
By The Pitt News Staff
April 12, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Is Jordan Spieth the new Tiger Woods? Who is and who isn’t a rookie? Will the Penguins win their third straight Stanley Cup? All of that and more — The Pitt News staff is back to round up the week’s best sports stories. Masterful performance Golf is fun. Golf is exciting. This past Sunday was ...
Mountaineers maul Panthers, 12-1
By Michael Nitti | Staff Writer
April 11, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Top Stories
Pitt’s bats fell silent on Wednesday as they were unable to score more than one run for the third straight game, losing 12-1 to the West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown. West Virginia’s (15-15) offense found life against Pitt (17-13) in the 195th Backyard Brawl and handed the second straigh...
4 predictions for the NHL playoffs
By Max Sirianni | Staff Writer
April 11, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
After 82 games, the NHL regular season has officially ended, and the 16 teams that made the playoffs are ready to face off for the Stanley Cup. Playoff hockey is always full of surprises, so here are some attempts at predicting the madness in an intense playoff format that teaches us to expect the u...
Kent State clobbers Pitt, 4-1
By Michael Nitti | Staff Writer
April 10, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
After falling behind early in the game, the Pitt baseball team was unable to catch up to Kent State, ultimately falling 4-1 to the Golden Flashes Tuesday. The Panthers (17-12 overall, 6-9 ACC) lost to the Golden Flashes (18-10, MAC) in an out-of-conference matchup at the Charles L. Cost Field. ...
ACC releases 2018 basketball matchups
By Jordan Mondell and Trent Leonard | TPN Staff
April 10, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Top Stories
Jeff Capel and his new squad got a glimpse of their upcoming season Tuesday as the ACC announced conference matchups for the 2018-19 men’s basketball season. Pitt — who will be entering the season with Capel as head coach — will take on every team in the conference. Last season, the team went ...
Pitt gymnastics sets the bar with record-breaking season
By Jon Shaiken | Staff Writer
April 9, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Looking back on Pitt’s season, it is hard not to be impressed with the progress the gymnastics team has made under first-year head coach Samantha Snider. Despite finishing at a meager 7-18, new program records and history-making performances defined the Panthers’ season. The Panthers closed out their 2018 season Ap...
Panther Spotlight: Liam Sabino, Kayla Harris, Claudia Bartolome
By Alex Lehmbeck | Staff Writer
April 9, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Conference play is well underway for spring sports, with some Pitt teams performing much better than others. As regular seasons come to a close, here are some standout athletes of the last few weeks. Liam Sabino After dropping its first three series in ACC play against Virginia Tech, North Ca...
Column: Suzie McConnell-Serio needed to go
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
April 8, 2018
Filed under Sports, Women's Basketball
Pitt Athletics decided to uproot the second basketball program this offseason as it fired women’s coach Suzie McConnell-Serio Thursday. McConnell-Serio spent five years as head coach with the Panthers but didn’t have much success, going 67-87 overall and 22-58 in the ACC. Pitt had a record of 10-20 a...
Weekend sports: Softball causes upset, gymnastics competes at regionals
By Stephen Cuddy | Staff Writer
April 8, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Though some students may be struggling with the stresses that the end of the semester brings, Pitt athletes weren’t cracking under the pressure over the weekend. Track athletes continue to set personal bests, the baseball team improved on their impressive win percentage and the softball team registere...
Gymnastics competes at NCAA regional competition
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
April 8, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
The Pitt gymnastics team competed in the NCAA Regional Championship in the St. John Arena at Ohio State University Saturday, placing fifth overall out of six teams and finishing with a score of 195.125. This season — Samantha Snider’s first year as head coach — was the first time since 2013 ...
Parker Stewart announces decision to transfer
By Grant Burgman | Sports Editor
April 6, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
First-year Pitt guard Parker Stewart announced via Twitter on Friday that he will be transferring from the Pitt basketball program. Stewart — who was also the first Pitt player to request his release from the program after the firing of former head coach Kevin Stallings — is the only player of the nine that requested their releases to ...
Take 5: Pirates, playoffs, PGA tour
By The Pitt News Staff
April 5, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
There are just two weeks left in the semester and classes are winding down at Pitt. The same can’t be said for news in the sports world. The Pitt News staff is back with a weekly roundup of this week’s best. More of the same Are the Houston Rockets leading the West? Yes. Have the Cleveland Caval...
Q&A: Desiree Garland gets gold for Pitt
By David Leftwich | Senior Staff Writer
April 5, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Senior Desiree Garland never intended to become a collegiate sprinter — she began her high school career as a jumper. But after she finished with the best 400-meter time in replacement of a missing teammate at one high school meet, Garland’s path as a sprinter was set. She claimed Pitt’s fi...
Pitt fires women’s basketball coach McConnell-Serio
By Jordan Mondell / Assistant Sports Editor
April 5, 2018
Filed under Sports, Top Stories, Women's Basketball
Pitt women’s basketball head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio was fired from the program, Pitt Athletics announced Thursday afternoon. McConnell-Serio is the third head coach to be fired by athletic director Heather Lyke, with former women’s head soccer coach Greg Miller’s dismissal in December 2017...
Staff picks: Pitt athletics Hall of Fame
By The Pitt News Staff
April 4, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Pitt Athletic Director Heather Lyke announced in January that Pitt will be implementing its own Hall of Fame, with the inaugural class to be inducted Sept. 7. We’ll have to wait a few months to find out who will make the first Hall of Fame class — in the meantime, The Pitt News sports staff has ...
Randy Waldrum brings change, experience to Pitt women’s soccer
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
April 3, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Sports Features
For a team that won just three games last year, hiring one of the most successful women’s soccer coaches in the country might seem unlikely. But that’s just what athletic director Heather Lyke announced in December with the hiring of Randy Waldrum to lead the struggling program. Waldrum has been coaching soccer for the last 30 years. He comes to Pitt as one of the winningest head coaches ...
Cultures come together on Pitt’s tennis team
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
April 3, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Top Stories
A quick glance at the men’s top 10 world tennis rankings reveals that no two players share the same country of origin. The same can be said for the top eight women in the world — an unusual trend considering certain nations tend to specialize and often dominate in other sports. A microcosm of...
Panthers baseball pounces on Penguins, 9-5
By Jordan Mondell | Assistant Sports Editor
April 3, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Pitt baseball snagged their third victory in a row this season with a 9-5 win over Youngstown State Tuesday night. The softball team was also set to take on Penn State the same evening, but the game was canceled due to rain. The Panthers (15-10, 4-8 ACC) swapped runs with the Penguins (8-18, 6-3 Horizon) th...
Pitt cheerleaders and dance team showcase skills before heading to championships
By Marissa Perino | Staff Writer
April 3, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
On quiet upper campus yesterday evening, an eager crowd gathered to support the Pitt cheerleaders and Dance Team. Under the bright lights of the Petersen Events Center, the teams showcased their polished routines, which will debut at the National Cheer Association and National Dance Association Colleg...
Column: College sports deserve diverse leadership
By Jordan Mondell | Assistant Sports Editor
April 1, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Columns
Not only is Pitt’s new men’s basketball head coach Jeff Capel a star recruiter and successful tournament coach, he brings something to Pitt that the program has never seen before. Diversity. Specifically, Capel — a black man — is the first-ever head coach of any minority status to oversee ...
Weekend sports: Panthers split across the states
By Grant Burgman | Sports Editor
April 1, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
The Panthers’ track and field team found both faltered and found success from coast to coast during the weekend while Pitt baseball, softball and tennis stayed home for conference matchups. Track and Field The Pitt track and field team had a jam-packed weekend, with athletes competing in fou...
Panthers fall flat on the track in Texas
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
March 29, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
In the scorching Texas heat, five Pittsburgh track athletes competed in the annual Texas Relays — the second biggest relays in the country — at the University of Texas at Austin. The Panthers sent four women — seniors Morgan Harvey, Quadaisha Newkirk and Lalia Ismail and first year Breanna Phil...
Take 5: Harden, hot dogs, home runs
By The Pitt News Staff
March 29, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Oakland has been buzzing about the hiring of a new head basketball coach — our lord and savior Jeff Capel. But while the Pitt community has been busy celebrating the arrival of a new king, the rest of the sports world has continued to make headlines. The Pitt News staff is back to round up some of the...
Capel is more than capable
By Brandon Glass | Staff Writer
March 28, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
Just when it looked like Pitt would be left out in the late March cold without a head coach, Athletic Director Heather Lyke, unlike her predecessor, made a bold decision. Lyke hired Duke assistant coach Jeff Capel Tuesday — 17 days after firing Kevin Stallings. Capel’s hiring comes as a pleasant...
Pitt introduces Jeff Capel as new head basketball coach
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
March 28, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
Pitt Athletic Director Heather Lyke introduced Jeff Capel as the next men’s basketball coach during a ceremony at the Petersen Events Center Wednesday. The gym floor was packed with University students and staff, including Chancellor Patrick Gallagher, women’s head basketball coach Suzie McConnell-Ser...
Softball falls to Ohio, 6-1
By Michael Nitti | Staff Writer
March 27, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Pitt softball (17-12-1) traveled to Athens Wednesday to take on Ohio University (15-12) in a non conference matchup. Pitt baseball was scheduled to take on West Virginia University in the 156th Backyard Brawl in Morgantown, but the game was canceled due to rain. In Ohio, the Bobcats shut down the P...
Stevenson, Wilson-Frame plan to stay at Pitt
By Jordan Mondell | Assistant Sports Editor
March 27, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
Two Pitt men’s basketball players who requested release from the program upon the firing of head coach Kevin Stallings are staying with program after Pitt hired Duke’s Jeff Capel Tuesday. According to a post on Instagram, first-year guard Shamiel Stevenson has no plans to leave the program, s...
Pitt hires Jeff Capel as men’s basketball head coach
By Jordan Mondell / Assistant Sports Editor
March 27, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Men's Basketball, Sports
Duke assistant coach Jeff Capel has been hired as Pitt’s new head men’s basketball coach, the University announced Tuesday. Capel has made a deal with the Panthers on a seven-year contract. This hiring ends a long, rumor-filled search for Pitt after former head coach Kevin Stallings’ ousting Mar...
Pitt looks overseas for latest lineman
By Alex Lehmbeck | Staff Writer
March 26, 2018
Although a growing demographic, international college football players are hard to find. According to The Growth of a Game, a Belgian-based company connecting football advocates across Europe, only two active Division I college football players were born in Italy as of 2015. Incoming Pitt commit Haba...
European powers gear up for UCL quarterfinals
By Stephen Cuddy | Staff Writer
March 26, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
American soccer fans don’t have much to look forward to this summer, with the U.S. Men’s National Team failing to make this year’s World Cup in Russia. But for those still interested in gearing up for the tournament, the UEFA Champions League should provide great drama and competition. The C...
Weekend sports: Panthers provide weak performances
By Jon Shaiken | Staff Writer
March 26, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Basketball season may be officially over for Pitt, but it was still a packed weekend for athletics, as four teams took the stage with varied results. Gymnastics saw strong individual performances once again and softball swept their series. Baseball had a mixed bag against a ranked Duke, and tenn...
‘Stallings 2.0:’ Fans react to Pitt’s reported interest in Mark Schmidt
By John Hamilton / Managing Editor
March 23, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
St. Bonaventure men's basketball coach Mark Schmidt interviewed for the vacant Pitt job Thursday, according to multiple reports. Days after learning Pitt offered Dan Hurley $3 million for the job, fans were underwhelmed -- to say the least -- that Pitt is considering Schmidt. https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/977230454217723904 https://twitter.co...
Column: Don’t cry for Dan Hurley
By Brandon Glass | Staff Writer
March 22, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Columns, Top Stories
Heather Lyke pushed in all the chips — in excess of $3 million a year — to get Rhode Island’s Dan Hurley to be the new head coach of the Pitt men's basketball team. But Hurley chose to stay in New England, accepting Connecticut's offer, reported to be less than Pitt’s, Thursday. Both teams showed their hands, and the Huskies’ was better — there’s no shame in...
Take 5: Rookies, rejection, re-entry
By The Pitt News Staff
March 22, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
As professional sports seasons begin to wrap up, questions remain — who will win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award? How will the Golden Knights fare in the NHL postseason? Will Johnny Manziel get arrested again? The Pitt News sports staff is back with a weekly roundup of the best in sports ...
Hurley takes coaching job at UConn, Pitt’s search continues
By John Hamilton / Managing Editor
March 22, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
Update: Hurley took the coaching job at the University of Connecticut, the school confirmed Thursday. Athletic Director Heather Lyke wants to make Dan Hurley one of the highest paid coaches in college basketball. According to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, Pitt has offered the Rhode Island coach more th...
Panthers put on show for pro scouts
By Mackenzie Rodrigues | Contributing Editor
March 22, 2018
The newest Panther football players are just getting used to life in Oakland at spring practices. The draft-eligible former players, however, had a chance Wednesday morning to impress NFL scouts and potentially find their new homes. Representatives for all 32 NFL teams gathered in the UPMC Rooney...
New MLB rules may go too far
By Max Sirianni | Staff Writer
March 21, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
We’ve all been at a baseball game that just never seems to end. There are nonstop pitching changes and tedious at-bats. By the seventh-inning stretch, everyone likely wants to go home. Major League Baseball has taken notice. The game times have slowly increased over the last two years after dropping...
Pickett proves worth as rising Panthers star
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
March 20, 2018
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports Features
First-year Kenny Pickett wasn’t supposed to take a snap last year, much less lead the team to the biggest win of the season. As the third-string quarterback for the Pitt football team entering the 2017 season, he was firmly entrenched behind redshirt senior Max Browne and sophomore Ben DiNucci. The expec...
Hear me out: The sexiest mascots in college sports
By Jordan Mondell | Assistant Sports Editor
March 20, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
During the first media time-out of No. 2 seed Duke against No. 15 Iona in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament last week, the mascots from both teams hit the court for a dance-off. As I looked on in boredom, waiting for the game to resume again, my mind wandered, and I got to some serious thin...
Bentley brings brute force to Pitt D-line
By Alex Lehmbeck | Staff Writer
March 20, 2018
Rivalries are just for fans? Don’t tell that to 2018 Pitt commit Tyler Bentley. He is looking forward to the Panthers’ battles with one in-state foe as much as anyone else. “The one thing I’m looking forward to is playing Penn State, for sure,” Bentley said. “I have a couple of friends t...
Pitt men’s basketball future up in the air
By Grant Burgman | Sports Editor
March 19, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
The dominoes have started to fall after a tumultuous weekend for the Pitt men’s basketball team, which saw nine current players and two recruits request releases from the program. First-year guard Marcus Carr became the second Pitt player to be granted his release from the program Monday night. H...
Pitt grants Marcus Carr release from program
By Grant Burgman | Sports Editor
March 19, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
First-year point guard Marcus Carr became the second player from the Pitt men’s basketball team to be officially granted his release from the program on Monday night, according to reports from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Carr joins junior guard and forward Jared Wilson-Frame, who was granted his...
Weekend recap: Pitt track leads the way in disappointing weekend
By Michael Nitti | Staff Writer
March 19, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
It was an up-and-down weekend for Pitt athletics, as some Panthers were at the hands of crushing defeat, while others found themselves above all the rest. Although baseball and women’s tennis struggled and gymnastics came up just short, softball and track and field both found success in North Carolina...
Swimming and diving seniors sent off at championships
By Stephen Cuddy | Staff Writer
March 19, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Uncategorized
The Pitt swimming and diving team said goodbye to some of its most accomplished female divers in program history at the NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships in Columbus, Ohio, this past weekend. The Panthers had four athletes compete across seven events, with two earning top-25 finishes...
Panthers tap out early at NCAA championships
By Stephen Cuddy | Staff Writer
March 18, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
The NCAA Wrestling Championships took place this past weekend at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Pitt was represented by senior Dom Forys, redshirt sophomore Taleb Rahmani and redshirt seniors Nick Zanetta and Ryan Solomon. Forys and Rahmani provided the only highlights of the Panthers’ tournament...
Report: seven Pitt basketball players request release from program
By Grant Burgman | Sports Editor
March 16, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
Seven players from the Pitt men’s basketball team have requested their release from the program, according to a report from ESPN. The Panthers have now received nine total requests for release from either current players or committed recruits since the firing of former men’s basketball coach Kevin Sta...
Panther Spotlight: Giorgiona Zeremenko, Matt Pidich, Lydia Rosenthall, Dom Forys
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
March 15, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
While the Pitt swimming and wrestling teams send their top individuals to compete at end-of-season tournaments, the baseball and softball squads are just beginning to get into the swing of things. Here are some of the Panthers’ top performers during the transition from winter to spring sports. Gio...
Take 5: Tiger, Tournament, Tom Crean
By The Pitt News Staff
March 15, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
While Pitt may not have qualified for this year’s NCAA tournament … or the NIT … or the CBI, there are plenty of other things happening in the sports world Pitt fans can distract themselves with. The Pitt News sports staff is back with a weekly roundup of the best in sports this past week — an...
Pitt brings new quarterback to town
By Alex Lehmbeck | Staff Writer
March 14, 2018
Pitt football midyear junior college enrollee Ricky Town comes to Oakland with three years of college experience spanning three different schools. But despite his winding journey across college football, the quarterback has yet to play a single snap of Division I football. Town was aggressively...
Idowu gets set for senior season
By Michael Nitti | Staff Writer
March 14, 2018
Pitt senior linebacker Oluwaseun Idowu first came to Oakland from North Allegheny High School in 2014. There, Idowu played running back but transitioned to linebacker shortly after walking onto the Pitt football team in the fall of 2014. After redshirting his first year, it wasn’t until his second s...
Parker Stewart requests release from Pitt
By Grant Burgman | Sports Editor
March 14, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
Pitt first-year men’s basketball player Parker Stewart has asked for his full unconditional release Wednesday, according to a report from ESPN. Stewart — who averaged 9.1 points per game this past season and who was emerging as a reliable contributor — asked for the reported release less than a week after for...
Column: When it comes to Stallings’ firing, the blame should be shared
By Brandon Glass | Staff Writer
March 13, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Columns
In a time of uncertainty for Pitt basketball, one thing is for sure — former head coach Kevin Stallings’ tenure will go down in Panther history as an unmitigated disaster. In two years, the widely criticized coach managed to win just four conference games, go winless in the ACC during the 20...
Column: Potential picks for Stallings’ successor
By Colin Martin | Staff Writer
March 13, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Columns
Pitt men’s basketball and the athletic administration are officially on the quest for a new head coach to replace Kevin Stallings. The mission is straightforward — find the perfect person to rejuvenate the program and return Pitt to its status as a basketball school. Just like any hiring proces...
Touching base with the Panthers after break
By Max Sirianni | Staff Writer
March 13, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Spring break was anything but for the Pitt baseball and softball teams, as both found themselves involved in heated competition over the past week. Both teams found mixed results, the baseball team earning its first conference win of the season and the softball team ending break with a three-game losing ...
Panthers stay busy on break
By Jon Shaken | Staff Writer
March 12, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Top Stories
While students fled to warm weather and sandy beaches over break, Pitt sports had a busy week. The women’s diving team saw members qualify for nationals, but gymnastics fell short despite a solid performance. Tennis had mixed results and is still seeking the team’s first ACC win, even with near p...
Fans, players react to Stallings’ firing
By Grant Burgman and Jordan Mondell | TPN Staff
March 12, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
The firing of Pitt men’s basketball head coach Kevin Stallings didn’t come as a surprise to many fans and pundits. After a record-breaking losing season for the Panthers — going 8-25 overall and 0-19 in the ACC — a change of leadership was more than expected. But between reports of contentious contract ...
A year of firsts: Young team works to make change
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
March 11, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Features
Pitt first-year guard Marcus Carr is no stranger to rookie success. As a first-year at St. Michaels in his native Toronto, Carr once scored a season-high 49 points in one game — and was instrumental in leading his team to the quarterfinals of the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association...
Season in review: Women’s basketball lacks luster
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
March 11, 2018
Filed under Sports, Top Stories, Women's Basketball
When the final buzzer sounded against Wake Forest on Feb. 28, the Pitt women’s basketball team finished their season on a flat note — a 72-38 blowout loss in the ACC tournament. The lopsided loss was all too common this season. The Panthers finished 10-20 overall and 2-15 in the ACC, earning a 14th pl...
Season in review: Men’s team has campaign to forget
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
March 11, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
Well, it’s finally over. The Pitt men’s basketball season came to a close last Tuesday with a 67-64 loss to Notre Dame in the first round of the ACC tournament, and the 2017-18 Panthers are now history — albeit for not-so-great reasons. Pitt finished the season with an overall record of 8-25 inc...
Players to watch during the tournament
By Cale Berger | Staff Writer
March 11, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Uncategorized
Each year the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament provides an opportunity for players to breakout on a national stage. College basketball legends like Christian Laettner, Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Shabazz Napier have all etched their names in history with their performances at the big d...
Slept on: 4 tournament teams you shouldn’t count out
By Stephen Cuddy | Staff Writer
March 11, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Columns
Sleeper teams are the best part of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. Some will destroy your bracket, but if you bet big on the right school you may end up celebrating as much as the eventual champions. If there is one thing guaranteed about the tournament, it’s that nothing abou...
Photos: Kevin Stallings’ tumultuous two years at Pitt
By TPN Visual Staff
March 11, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Visual
Pitt fired men's basketball coach Kevin Stallings Thursday, ending his short, tumultuous tenure with the Panthers. Details of his buyout are still cloudy, but it's clear that Stallings will no longer be cheering and yelling from the Pitt bench. Here's a chronological look back at Stallings' two-year career at Pitt from The Pitt News' photo sta...
Uncertainty surrounds Stallings buyout
By Jordan Mondell and John Hamilton | TPN Staff
March 9, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
Pitt Athletics announced Thursday that Kevin Stallings would no longer be Pitt’s men’s basketball coach, but details regarding his multi-million dollar buyout are still unclear. Stallings’ lawyers, Scott Tompsett and Jim Lieber of Tompsett Collegiate Sports Law, said Friday that Pitt offere...
Stallings out as Pitt men’s basketball coach
By Grant Burgman / Sports Editor
March 8, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Men's Basketball, Sports
Pitt has fired men’s basketball coach Kevin Stallings, according to multiple reports, ending the coach’s tenuous two-year stint with the Panthers. Pitt confirmed the news later Thursday, with Athletic Director Heather Lyke thanking Stallings for his "commitment to our program." The news comes on the heels of a season that saw the Panthers go 0-18 in ACC pl...
Panthers fall to Irish in ACC tournament, finish 0-19 in ACC
By Grant Burgman | Sports Editor
March 6, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
For the second time in two weeks, the Pitt men’s basketball team made history in a loss to Notre Dame. The Panthers became the seventh team in history to go winless in the ACC after a losing to the Irish last week. They followed that up with a 67-64 loss to the Irish in the ACC tournament to become...
Take Five: Pirates, Pacquette and Rick Pitino
By The Pitt News Staff
March 2, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Spring break is upon us but the non-stop news cycle of the sports world takes no breaks. The Pitt News staff is back to round up this week’s best stories. Click here to see last week's takes. Cheapskates The Major League Baseball Players Union filed grievances against the Oakland Athletics, Mi...
Women’s club hockey skates to success
By Jordan Mondell | Assistant Sports Editor
March 2, 2018
Filed under Club Sports, Sports, Sports Features
It’s 5 a.m., and while most Pitt students are still hitting snooze and sleeping off late-night study binges or a night out, one group on campus is already wide awake and on their way out of the city to start their day. The sun rises over the passing scenery and empty roads as sticks and pads clatter i...
Imperfect Panthers: Pitt goes 0-18 in ACC
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
March 1, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
The Pitt men’s basketball team dropped its final game of the regular season Wednesday night at Notre Dame (18-12 overall, 8-9 ACC), 73-56, giving the Panthers a winless 0-18 record in the ACC and an 8-23 record overall. The loss gave the Panthers their first ever winless season in conference play, whil...
Demon Deacons send Panthers packing in ACC tournament
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
March 1, 2018
Filed under Sports, Women's Basketball
Riding a seven-game losing streak and with one last chance to turn the season around in the ACC tournament, the Pitt women’s basketball team was blown out in Wednesday’s first round by Wake Forest, 72-38. At the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, in Greensboro, North Carolina, the Demon Deacons (15...
Chase Brown brings talent to young Pitt offense
By Alex Lehmbeck | Staff Writer
February 28, 2018
Offensive tackle Chase Brown announced in June that he will attend the University of Pittsburgh, marking the Panthers’ ninth commit of the 2018 recruiting class and — more interestingly — Brown’s third stint at a university. Brown — unlike most of the class — enters the program with m...
Narduzzi rounds out staff for 2018 season
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
February 28, 2018
Pitt head football coach Pat Narduzzi announced three coaching appointments Saturday, finalizing his 2018 staff. Narduzzi promoted defensive line coach Charlie Partridge to assistant head coach, hired Cory Sanders as safeties coach and brought in Paris Johnson Sr. as assistant director of player perso...
Wheel city: Pitt groups team up to host 3-on-3 adaptive sports tournament
By David Leftwich | Senior Staff Writer
February 27, 2018
Filed under Sports
The Chair Bears claimed the title in Pitt’s inaugural 3-vs-3 Wheelchair Basketball Tournament last Saturday. The tournament featured 14 teams — a significant outcome for a school that had no program for adaptive sports just two years ago. “We’re hoping to use this as an outreach effort and ...
Few bright spots for Panthers in cloudy sports weekend
By Stephen Cuddy | Staff Writer
February 25, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
As winter sports athletes are attempting to close out their seasons, the spring sports are just getting started. And while some members of the track and field team set personal bests and both baseball and softball hit the diamond with winning weekends, both Panthers basketball squads and the tennis ...
No. 4 Cardinals clobber Panthers, 81-49
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
February 25, 2018
Filed under Sports, Women's Basketball
The Pitt women’s basketball team dropped its sixth straight — and final — regular season game, 81-49, at No. 4 Louisville Sunday, finishing with a 2-14 ACC record heading into the postseason conference tournament. A day after the men’s basketball team suffered a 29-point loss to the best team ...
Pitt runners compete, set personal bests at ACC Indoor Championships
By Jon Shaiken | Staff Writer
February 25, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Though some Pitt runners brought home personal bests from the ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend in Clemson, South Carolina, the men’s and women’s teams both struggled overall. Senior Desiree Garland made program history Saturday, earning Pitt’s first-ever ACC women’s in...
Panthers set individual records at ACC Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships
By Jon Shaiken | Staff Writer
February 25, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Pitt Men’s swimming and diving partook in the 2018 ACC Men's Swimming and Diving Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in North Carolina on Saturday, setting records and placing multiple athletes. Sophomore Brian Ramsey set a school record in the Saturday morning races in the 200m breaststroke with ...
No. 1 Virginia vanquishes Pitt, 66-37, in last home game of the season
By Michael Nitti | Staff Writer
February 24, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Men's Basketball, Sports
The No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers secured their third ACC regular season title in the last five years Saturday afternoon. The Panthers also continued to set records, extending their losing streak to 17 in a loss against the best team in the nation. Despite low attendance this season, fans filled the lower leve...
Gallery: No. 1 Virginia hands Pitt 17th straight loss
By John Hamilton / Managing Editor
February 24, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories, Visual
While the No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers secured their 3rd outright ACC regular-season title in the last five years on Saturday afternoon, the Panthers also continued to make history books — extending their losing record streak to 17 in a loss against the best team in the nation. Despite low attendance...
NCAA should leave the past alone
By Colin Martin | Staff Writer
February 23, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The last time the Louisville men’s basketball team won the NCAA tournament was 22 years ago — at least according to the NCAA. The NCAA vacated 123 wins from Louisville’s program — from between 2011 and 2015 — on Tuesday. The Cardinals will also be stripped of their 2013 NCAA championship win after bei...
Pitt falls to NC State, loses fifth straight
By Adin Link | Staff Writer
February 22, 2018
Filed under Sports, Women's Basketball
The Pitt women’s basketball team extended its losing streak Thursday night as they were chased down by the No. 21 NC State Wolfpack, 77-66. The Panthers (10-18 overall, 2-13 ACC) failed to capitalize on a strong early start as the Wolfpack (22-6 overall, 11-4 ACC) stymied the Panthers’ offense ...
Take Five: Mets, mock drafts, Mark Cuban
By The Pitt News Staff
February 22, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
With the NBA and NHL seasons passing their midway point and the MLB season on the brink, there are plenty of stories to sift through for fans of all interests. The Pitt News sports staff is here to round up the best ones of the week. Put Me in Coach Tim Tebow is a former professional quarterback with...
Demon Deacons dunk on Panthers, 63-57
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
February 21, 2018
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
In a game where neither team led by more than seven points, the Pitt men’s basketball team battled fellow ACC bottom-dweller Wake Forest Wednesday but couldn’t convert enough opportunities down the stretch and suffered its 16th straight loss, 63-57. A home game against the Wake Forest Demon De...
Point-Counterpoint: Pyeongchang brings the heat despite critiques
By Jordan Mondell | Assistant Sports Editor
February 20, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
If you don’t know what’s been happening during this year’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, you’re sorely missing out. That shirtless Tongan flag bearer you fell in love with during the Rio Games made an appearance, an Austrian snowboarder finished a race after literally breaking his neck and all-American swee...
Point-Counterpoint: Winter Olympics leaves fans iced out
By Brandon Glass | Staff Writer
February 20, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
What’s the biggest story from the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics so far? It could be Adam Rippon’s spat with Vice President Mike Pence, or Pence and North Korean propaganda vice director Kim Yo Jong’s awkward non-interaction. Is the answer legendary snowboarder Shaun White’s third halfpipe Olympic gold win in dramatic fashion, or ...
Taysir Mack transfers to become a Panther
By Alex Lehmbeck | Staff Writer
February 20, 2018
Pitt has a storied history of great college wide receivers, including Larry Fitzgerald, Antonio Bryant and Tyler Boyd. Taysir Mack, a new Pitt transfer from Indiana University, hopes to follow in their footsteps. “Every time I walk in the door, I look at the Biletnikoff Award, and I’m just li...
Syracuse stifles Pitt, 62-53
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
February 20, 2018
Filed under Sports, Women's Basketball
The Pitt women’s basketball team was blown out at the Carrier Dome, 70-52, in its first matchup of the season against rival Syracuse Jan. 21. During Monday night’s home stand, the Panthers played much better but still lost to the Orange, 62-53. The Panthers (10-17 overall, 2-12 ACC) kept the final margin clo...
Photos: Wrestling against Virginia
By Chiara Rigaud | Staff Photographer
February 19, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Visual
Much like last week against Duke, the team registered seven victories to take down the University of Virginia Friday night for the final home match of the season at the Pete. The win moves the team to 4-10 on the season and 2-3 in the ACC. Click here to read the weekend recap ...
Weekend sports: Baseball opens season, wrestling tries to pack the Pete
By Stephen Cuddy | Staff Writer
February 19, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
It was a quiet weekend on upper campus as Pitt sports traveled across the states to take on new and familiar foes. While many students stayed in Oakland this weekend, the baseball team travelled to Florida to compete against Oakland University. And while Pittsburgh experienced some snow, baseball and s...
Women’s swimming and diving breaks records at ACC Championships
By Trent Leonard | Staff Writer
February 19, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Despite being outperformed by eight of the 12 other teams, the Pitt women’s swimming and diving team showed significant signs of improvement, breaking 11 school records last weekend at the ACC Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships. Though they improved on last year’s score by 66 points, the Pa...
Seminoles smother Panthers, 88-75
By Michael Nitti | Staff Writer
February 18, 2018
Filed under 2. Featured, Men's Basketball, Sports
For the fifth straight time this season, the Pitt men’s basketball set a school record — this time after an 88-75 road loss to Florida State on Sunday — extending the team’s record losing streak to 15. This time, the Panthers (8-20 overall, 0-15 ACC) kept it close — leading the Seminoles (19-8...
Panthers swing in to spring: Baseball and softball preview
By Michael Nitti | For the Pitt News
February 15, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Uncategorized
While the Pirates just sent their pitchers and catchers down to Bradenton, Florida, for spring training, the Pitt baseball and softball teams are already getting started in their 2018 campaigns. Both Pitt squads are coming off of difficult seasons that saw each team finish with losing records in ...
Miami mauls Pitt, 82-58
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
February 15, 2018
Filed under Sports, Women's Basketball
The Pitt women’s basketball team kept it close early in the first half of Thursday night’s game against Miami but couldn’t keep up in the second half, losing 82-58. The Panthers (10-16 overall, 2-10 ACC) showed flashes of effective offense in the first quarter, as they shot 47 percent from t...
Pitt to Pros: Donald dominates NFL
By Jon Shaiken | Staff Writer
February 15, 2018
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports Features, Top Stories
Before Aaron Donald was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, he spent his Saturdays terrorizing college quarterbacks at Heinz Field. In the NFL, Donald has a reputation of being a hard worker and relentless competitor playing for the Los Angeles Rams. According to Chris Lasala, Pitt’s associat...
The NBA’s injury problem is overblown
By Cale Berger | For the Pitt News
February 15, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns, Uncategorized
Celtics forward Gordon Hayward was set to make his team debut opening night of the 2017-18 NBA season. He had just signed a four-year, $128 million contract during the off-season, joining forces with Kyrie Irving and Al Horford in an attempt to dethrone the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. ...
Interactive graphic: Sexual assault and college sports
By Jordan Mondell | Assistant Sports Editor
February 14, 2018
Filed under Sports, Sports Features, Visual