Gallery: Pitt vs Youngstown State
By Anna Bongardino and Wenhao Wu | Assistant Visual Editors
September 2, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Football, Sports, Visual
In the season opener, Pitt beat Youngstown State 28-21 in overtime. (Photo by Anna Bongardino | Assistant Visual Editor) (Photo by Wenhao Wu | Assistant Visual Editor) (Photo by Wenhao Wu | Assistant Visual Editor) (Photo by Wenhao Wu...
The Pitt News ACC Power Rankings
By TPN Sports Desk
August 31, 2017
Filed under Football
In preparation for ACC play, The Pitt News sports desk had a panel of seven writers rank the conference. Writers ranked the 14 ACC teams and then we tallied up the totals. We will update the rankings toward the end of every week — taking into account the most recent conference results — but for now,...
Underrated Penguins pose threat to Panthers
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
August 31, 2017
Filed under Football
Five years ago to the day, the Youngstown State Penguins came into Heinz Field and handed the Pitt football program one of the most embarrassing losses in its history, 31-17. The game marked the Penguins’ first-ever win over a Bowl Championship Series team, spoiling former head coach Paul Chryst’s...
Leave it to Lyke: Six months of progress
By Mackenzie Rodrigues | Assistant Sports Editor
August 31, 2017
Filed under Sports Columns
When Scott Barnes resigned as athletic director last December, the Pitt athletic department was left without a leader for the second time in two years. Over the next five months, three head coaches had either retired or been fired, and the basketball program was in shambles. Things were looking down...
Panthers pounce on Titans to remain unbeaten, 3-1
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
August 31, 2017
Filed under Sports / Other Varsity Sports
With its third win of the season, the Pitt women’s soccer team surpassed its previous season’s winnings while maintaining an unbeaten record. The Panthers (3-0-2) took on the Detroit Mercy Titans (2-1-1) Wednesday night at the Ambrose Urbanic Field. Pitt’s total shots nearly tripled those o...
Narduzzi’s disciplinary actions prove continuing commitment
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 29, 2017
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports Columns
With his disciplinary actions against four players at the start of training camp, Pitt football coach Pat Narduzzi proved something the past three head coaches weren’t able to. He’s committed to the program — for the long run. The Panthers have had four head coaches since 2010 who left th...
Perez on the pitch: Adjusting to studies, soccer
By Jordan Mondell / Contributing Editor
August 29, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Sports Features, Top Stories
For Pitt midfielder Javi Perez, the atmosphere at the Petersen Sports Complex is a lot different than what he is used to. The green of the turf beneath his feet is the same, as are the meshy nets of the goals, but in Spain, soccer — correction, futbol — is a bit different. At a top collegiate lev...
Predicting Pitt football’s 2017 campaign
By Dominic Campbell / Staff Writer
August 29, 2017
Coming off a season in which it beat both the national champion and the Big Ten champion, this year’s Pitt football team will have a hard time providing bigger fireworks than it did a year ago. But head coach Pat Narduzzi expects his team to pull it off, setting the bar just as high as previous seas...
Narduzzi keeps focus on Youngstown ahead of PSU rematch
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 28, 2017
With Pitt football’s highly anticipated matchup against Penn State only 11 days away, some might look at this week’s game against the Youngstown State Penguins and dismiss it as an easy win for the Panthers. Just don’t count head coach Pat Narduzzi among them. At his weekly press conference ...
More of the same: Men’s soccer falls to 0-2
By Wyatt Geller / For The Pitt News
August 28, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
After finishing 2-13-3 in head coach Jay Vidovich’s first season, the Pitt men’s soccer team hoped to make drastic improvements this year and notch their first-ever ACC win. After this weekend, though, the team looks similar to the 2016 squad, as it dropped a pair of games in Columbus, Ohio to s...
Volleyball drops two of three to open season
By David Leftwich / Staff Writer
August 27, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
After making it to their first NCAA Tournament since 2004 last fall, the Pitt women’s volleyball team began its 2017 season by traveling to Seattle to take part in the Husky Invitational. In their three games over the weekend, the Panthers (1-2) struggled to play error-free volleyball and squande...
Women’s soccer ties twice, remains unbeaten
By Mackenzie Rodrigues / Assistant Sports Editor
August 27, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Coming off back-to-back wins to start the season, the Pitt women’s soccer team played two similar games this weekend, one on Thursday against the Cincinnati Bearcats and another on Sunday against the Xavier Musketeers. Both were away, both went into double overtime and both ended in a tie. Thursd...
Column: ‘Sweet Caroline’ change not enough
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 27, 2017
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports Columns, Top Stories
The Pitt football program’s decision to alter the “Sweet Caroline” tradition was a step in the right direction for the team’s Heinz Field experience, but it could’ve — and should’ve — gone further. The unoriginal tradition of singing Neil Diamond’s 1969 tune has been a trademark o...
Pitt alters “Sweet Caroline” tradition
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 25, 2017
Ahead of its opening week game against the Youngstown State Penguins next Saturday, the Pitt football program announced Friday its nine-year tradition of singing “Sweet Caroline” at the end of the third quarter has come to an end. The tradition, which started during Pitt’s 2008 game against t...
Central Catholic DL David Green joins Panthers
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 24, 2017
The Pitt football program added its second recruit of the week Thursday, as local product David Green committed to head coach Pat Narduzzi. A 6-foot-1 defensive lineman from Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School, Green chose the Panthers over Virginia Tech, Minnesota and Rutgers, among others. ...
Florida CB Marquis Williams commits to Pitt
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 22, 2017
Head coach Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt football team added another piece to their 2018 recruiting class Monday, as Florida cornerback Marquis Williams verbally committed to the program. Williams chose the Panthers over 21 other schools including Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Central Florida. He is rated as...
ICYMI: Summer sports timeline
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 22, 2017
Filed under Sports
April 28 - Football head coach Pat Narduzzi dismisses senior defensive tackle Jeremiah Taleni for disciplinary reasons. April 28-29 - Five Panthers are selected in the 2017 NFL Draft, including James Conner, who the Steelers picked in round three. May 2 - Gymnastics head coach Debbie Yohman ret...
Kirk Christodoulou: The punter from Down Under
By Steve Rotstein / Senior Staff Writer
August 21, 2017
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports Features, Top Stories
Kirk Christodoulou didn’t grow up around the same game as everybody else on the Pitt football team — to him, it’s called “footy.” He doesn’t say he’s going to go practice some punting — he’s going to “have a kick.” He wears cleats just like his teammates — but to him, they’re his ...
Q&A: Akeo talks tournament, travel from Hawaii
By David Leftwich / Staff Writer
August 21, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
When junior setter Kamalani Akeo arrived at Pitt in the fall of 2015, she didn’t quite know what to expect — either on or off the court. After all, she was traveling over 4,500 miles from her hometown of Kapolei, Hawaii, where she played on one of the best high school teams in the state. In her j...
Stallings needs time to execute plan
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 21, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Columns
“No wonder the Bucs lost last night ... what a jackass.” “Tonight was probably the only setting in which [he] was not the most hated individual in the place.” “Maybe he will throw his back out and be done for the season.” This was the reaction on Twitter when Pitt men’s basketball ...
Pittsburgh pushes Panthers from spotlight
By Dominic Campbell / Staff Writer
August 21, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Walking around Pittsburgh, it’s hard to go too long without seeing someone wearing Steelers, Penguins or Pirates gear. The teams are some of the most decorated and storied franchises in American sports — especially in recent years, with the city taking home five championships since 2005 — and...
Q&A: Gavin prepares for first head coaching gig
By Steve Rotstein / Senior Staff Writer
August 21, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
The Pitt wrestling team’s 2016-17 season had a little bit of everything — off-the-mat incidents, suspicious absences, dismissals, a coaching change and even three individual ACC champions. While the program was far from being in dire straits, it was in desperate need of stability. Newly-appointed Athlet...
Women’s soccer survives Hofstra, Duquesne, starts season 2-0
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 20, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Considering they won just two games last year, it’s safe to say the Pitt women’s soccer team didn’t have high expectations coming into the 2017 season. But those expectations might’ve taken a bit of a jump this weekend, as the Panthers equaled their win total from last year after beating Hofstra...
Pitt to honor James Conner with bobblehead
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 17, 2017
The Pitt athletic department announced Thursday there will be a James Conner bobblehead night to honor the former running back at the team’s Oct. 14 homecoming game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack. The bobblehead — featuring Conner wearing Pitt’s throwback uniform — will be given ...
Men’s basketball lands 2017 forward Kenechukwu Chukwuka
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 8, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
Pitt head coach Kevin Stallings added the final piece of his 2017 recruiting class Tuesday, getting a commitment from junior college transfer Kenechukwu Chukwuka. Chukwuka, a native of Sweden, announced his decision on Twitter. “After a lot of thinking, I have decided that I’ll be furthering my academic and basketball career at The University of Pittsburgh,” Chukwuka sai...
Football lands Alabama WR Cameron O’Neil
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
August 1, 2017
The Pitt football team’s first day of fall camp ended on a positive note Monday as wide receiver Cameron O’Neil committed to the program’s 2018 class. O’Neil announced his decision on Twitter, also thanking the other schools that gave him the chance to further his career. “I also want ...
Narduzzi dismisses DE Blair, suspends three others
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
July 29, 2017
Pat Narduzzi announced Friday the dismissal of senior defensive end Rori Blair and suspensions of redshirt junior offensive lineman Alex Bookser, senior linebacker Quintin Wirginis and junior safety Jordan Whitehead Friday afternoon. With two of its first three games coming against some of the best...
Football adds graduate transfer OL Brandon Hodges
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
July 26, 2017
Head coach Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt football program are less than two months from the start of the season, but the team added another player Tuesday in graduate transfer Brandon Hodges. The 6-foot-4, 310-pound offensive lineman played last season with the Texas Longhorns, making an appearance in 1...
Lyke hires Cincinnati admin Brendan Fouracre
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
July 25, 2017
Filed under Sports
Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke hired a new administrator Monday as Brendan Fouracre has been named the Executive Associate Athletic Director for Capital Planning and Projects. In the position, Fouracre will be responsible for facility and event management and oversee all of the department’...
Playoff Push: A look at the Bucs’ schedule
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
July 18, 2017
Filed under Sports
Just five years ago, this season would have been considered a success for the Pirates. But now, after making the playoffs in three of the past four years, many see it as a disappointment. With just under 70 games left in the regular season, the team sits two games under .500 at 46-48 and five games bac...
Fall sports preview: Cross country
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
July 18, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
About a month and a half from the start of the season, the men’s and women’s cross country teams are well into their training for the upcoming season. Both squads are preparing to build off last year and rise up the rankings in the difficult Atlantic Coast Conference. Each fell toward the middl...
Top 5 ACC Kickoff takeaways
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
July 18, 2017
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports Columns
With less than two months until the start of the 2017 college football season, Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt football program are preparing for fall camp and the opening week game against the Youngstown State Penguins. This weekend, Narduzzi, senior cornerback Avonte Maddox and redshirt junior offensive...
Luther must manage unproven Panthers
By Wyatt Geller | For The Pitt News
July 11, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Columns
With the season just a few months away, the Pitt basketball team is in desperate need of a leader. But for second-year head coach Kevin Stallings, the options are scarce. The loss of seniors Michael Young, Jamel Artis, Sheldon Jeter and Chris Jones leaves the team with big shoes to fill. Ryan Lut...
Fall sports preview: Women’s volleyball
By David Leftwich | Staff Writer
July 11, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Uncategorized
Last season, the slow rebuild of Pitt women’s volleyball program came to a head when the team made its first NCAA Tournament since 2004. With many key players returning, it’s now time for this year’s team to step up and solidify their place among the ACC’s best. Heading into last season, a you...
Men’s basketball releases nonconference schedule
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
July 11, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
The Pitt basketball team announced its 13-game nonconference schedule for the 2017-18 season Monday as head coach Kevin Stallings has just under four months to get his young players ready to compete. A renewal of the Backyard Brawl rivalry against West Virginia University highlights the slate. The t...
Return to greatness: basketball alums compete in annual tournament
By Steve Rotstein | Senior Staff Writer
July 4, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Features, Top Stories
More than seven years after Pitt’s memorable run to the Elite Eight came up just short against Villanova, then-Panthers point guard Levance Fields got another chance to reach a different Final Four — this time with $2 million on the line. But just like that loss in the 2009 Regional Final, Fields and h...
Fall Sports Preview: Men’s and Women’s Soccer
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
July 3, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
With the start of the school year fast approaching, each of the fall sports teams are beginning to gear up for their 2017 seasons. In August, training camps will start before the Panthers take to the field toward the end of the month. So over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to take a look a...
Wolk wins USA junior 5k Championship
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 27, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Even though the Pitt track and field season ended two weeks ago, some of the team’s best runners continued to compete this past weekend at the United States Track and Field Outdoor Championships, including freshman Nick Wolk, who won the junior 5000m championship with a time of 14:26.54. Recent g...
Marc-Andre Fleury: great goalie, better person
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 27, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
It’s hard to believe Marc-Andre Fleury — the Penguins’ backup goalie — could mean so much to a team and its city. But when veteran goaltender Fleury was taken by the newly formed Vegas Golden Knights in last week’s NHL Expansion Draft, there was an outpouring of support and gratitude from...
Thomas Jefferson DT Devin Danielson chooses Pitt
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 27, 2017
Pitt football head coach Pat Narduzzi received another recruit Tuesday afternoon as defensive tackle Devin Danielson verbally committed to the program. The 6-foot-2, 290-pound product announced his decision on Twitter. “Proud and very excited to say I have fully committed to The University of Pittsburgh,” Danielson said. In high school, Danielson played for nearb...
6-foot-8 power forward Samson George commits to Pitt
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 26, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
Pitt basketball coach Kevin Stallings is nearing the end of the 2017 recruiting cycle and has only one spot remaining after 6-foot-8 power forward Samson George committed Monday. A Washington, Pennsylvania native, George is rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports. He is the first player in the class...
Football, baseball land New Jersey product Matt Alaimo
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 25, 2017
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
The Pitt football and baseball programs each landed a recruit Saturday as two-sport athlete Matt Alaimo announced he will come to the university this fall. Alaimo announced his commitment on Twitter, saying, “I am proud and excited to announce that I will be furthering my academic, football an...
Weak division gives battling Bucs opportunity
By David Leftwich | Staff Writer
June 20, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Don’t look now, but two months into the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates are still hanging around in the National League Central. Heading into May, the team was in last place in the division and looked like a longshot for the playoffs. Now, thanks to a modest turnaround and a lackluster division, the team...
Pitt basketball adds adds two recruits, Chris Jones to staff
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 20, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
After a tumultuous start to the offseason, second-year basketball head coach Kevin Stallings got a much-needed reprieve this weekend as two highly-touted recruits committed to the program. Even though Stallings and his staff are still putting together their 2017 class, the program got its first com...
EMU admin Kelly Brennan joins Panthers
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 16, 2017
Filed under Sports
Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke has hired another administrator from Eastern Michigan, announcing Kelly Brennan as Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives and Engagement Friday. Brennan is the third upper administrator to leave EMU for Pitt since Lyke’s arrival in March, joining Christi...
Four-star forward Bryce Golden commits to Pitt
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 16, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
The Pitt basketball program and head coach Kevin Stallings landed their first recruit in the class of 2018 Thursday, getting a verbal commitment from four-star Maryland forward Bryce Golden. Golden announced his decision on Twitter, saying, “I firmly believe in what Coach Stallings is building and I...
Hazelton hired as diving head coach
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 16, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Pitt Athletic Director Heather Lyke filled another head coaching position Thursday, hiring Katie Hazelton as diving head coach. Hazelton has spent the past four-and-a-half years with the Duke Diving Club and will take over for 38-year head coach Julian Krug, who retired in April. "We are thri...
Football lands three-star OL Blake Zubovic
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 16, 2017
The Pitt football program received its ninth recruit in the class of 2018 Wednesday as Blake Zubovic verbally committed to the program. Zubovic, a 310-pound offensive lineman from nearby Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, announced his decision on Twitter. “This is the hardest decision I have had...
GALLERY: Penguins Stanley Cup Victory Parade 2017
By Matt Hawley
June 14, 2017
An estimated crowd of 650,000 people gathered downtown on Wednesday morning to celebrate the Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup victory for the second year in a row. The Penguins secured the cup with a score of 2-0 against the Nashville Predators on Sunday night. ...
Column: Crosby and Malkin: from disappointment to dynasty
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 13, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns, Top Stories, Uncategorized
Early in the 2015-16 season, the Crosby-Malkin era was considered a disappointment. Now, it’s the best in Penguins history. When Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin came to Pittsburgh in 2005 and 2006, respectively, it marked a turnaround for an organization which had missed the playoffs every season since 2...
Lyke hires EMU admin Chris Hoppe
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 13, 2017
Filed under Sports
Pitt Athletic Director Heather Lyke hired another administrator from Eastern Michigan University Tuesday, naming Chris Hoppe to a new position — executive associate athletic director for sport administration and student-athlete support services. Hoppe is the second upper administrator Lyke has brought over fr...
Samantha Snider named gymnastics head coach
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 13, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Pitt gymnastics hired University of Arkansas Associate Head Coach Samantha Snider to be the third head coach in the history of the program Monday. Snider takes over for longtime coach Debbie Yohman, who retired in early May after 31 years with the Panthers. “We are thrilled to welcome Samantha Snider as the next head women’s gymnastics coach of the University of Pitts...
Palmer leads Panthers at NCAA Outdoor Championships
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
June 12, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Last week at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, Pitt senior Desmond Palmer asserted himself as one of the greatest hurdlers in program history. The stage was the NCAA Outdoor Championships, a place not unfamiliar to Palmer. He has now been to the Championships four times in his career, qualify...
6-foot-5 OL Chase Brown commits to Pitt
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 12, 2017
Head Coach Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt football program received their eighth recruit in the 2018 recruiting class with Ashburn, Virginia, offensive lineman Chase Brown verbally committing Monday. The 6-foot-5 Lackawanna Community College product announced his decision on Twitter. ...
Football lands three-star trio
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 6, 2017
After a relatively slow start to the 2018 recruiting class, the Pitt football program is beginning to gain momentum as three players verbally committed this weekend. Cornerback Judson Tallandier, defensive end John Morgan and linebacker Wendell Davis — all rated three-star recruits by 247Sport...
Panthers prepare for NCAA Championships
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 6, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Sports Features
Pitt junior thrower Andin Fosam nervously watched the conclusion of the hammer throw last week at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds in Lexington, Kentucky, as she clung to one of the last NCAA Championship spots. Her performance earlier in the day wasn’t her best, as she fouled on two of three th...
Pitt football adds 3-star recruits Judson Tallandier and Wendell Davis
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
June 4, 2017
The 2018 Pitt football recruiting class is gaining momentum as head coach Pat Narduzzi received verbal commitments from a pair of 3-star prospects Friday. Cornerback Judson Tallandier and linebacker Wendell Davis both pledging to the Panthers, announcing their commitments on Twitter. “Af...
Basketball overhaul: Pitt’s 2017 class
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 31, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Columns
Coming off the program’s worst season since 2000, this offseason has signaled next year could be worse. The past few months have been some of the most tumultuous in the team’s history, with four seniors graduating and five others transferring elsewhere. As of now, the team only has two return...
Pitt adds OL Jake Kradel to 2018 class
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 31, 2017
Pitt football head coach Pat Narduzzi landed his fourth recruit in the class of 2018 Tuesday afternoon as 6-foot-4 offensive lineman Jake Kradel committed to the program. Kradel announced his decision on Twitter, saying, “... I am extremely proud and excited to commit to The University of Pittsb...
Lyke a pro: Pitt’s newest AD brings experience and enthusiasm
By Mackenzie Rodrigues | Assistant Sports Editor
May 30, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Sports Features
Athletics are in Heather Lyke’s DNA. She never turned down the chance to play any sport while she was growing up. But it took two degrees — one in education, the other in law — for her to decide it was the athletic world she should remain in. Lyke is Pitt’s newest athletic director — the...
Rising sophomores reflect: Adjusting as a student-athlete
By Kevin Bertha | Staff Writer
May 30, 2017
Filed under Sports Features
Jovana Knezevic’s day starts with an early morning weight session, followed by a full schedule of classes. But instead of returning to her dorm after class to study or relax, Knezevic heads over to the tennis courts for a three hour practice. Learning where to go for the best pizza on campus, keeping...
Gray’s got it in the glove
By Rebecca Sauers | Staff Writer
May 30, 2017
Filed under Sports Features
When 5-year-old Olivia Gray was offered a spot on a youth softball team, she didn’t want to play because she was afraid of failing. But her father, Shawn, encouraged her to give the sport another chance because of his daughter’s competitive attitude. He wanted to see her play a sport where there...
Pitt’s ACC move fosters football, hurts basketball
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
May 29, 2017
Filed under Football, Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports Columns
In the four years since Pitt moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference, the decision to leave the Big East has both haunted and helped the school’s biggest sports — football and men’s basketball. For the majority of the 2000s, the University of Pittsburgh was a basketball school. Coaches Ben Howl...
Vidovich has Pitt primed for turnaround
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 29, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Sports Columns
The Pitt men’s soccer team has been one of the school’s least competitive programs in recent years, but their fortunes could soon change as the group seems poised to move forward this fall. In its history, the squad — which started up in 1954 — has compiled a record of 398-449-100. It hasn...
Rotstein: Despite losses, football will improve
By Steve Rotstein | Senior Staff Writer
May 29, 2017
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports Columns
As the Pitt men’s basketball team tries to recover from a mass exodus of graduating players, transfers and dismissals, the Pitt football team will be dealing with its own loss of talent next season. Just don’t confuse the two. While the Panthers’ hoops roster for next season looks like a barren...
Q&A: Stallings discusses transfers, recruits and “hard decisions”
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
May 29, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Men's Basketball, Sports
Coming off its worst season since 2000, the Pitt men’s basketball program will attempt to rebound this year as head coach Kevin Stallings enters year two of his tenure. This season’s team will be made up of almost entirely new faces, with only three players returning from last year’s squad....
Seven Panthers qualify for NCAA Championships
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
May 29, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
The Pitt Track and Field team had a successful weekend at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds in Lexington, Kentucky and qualified seven runners for the NCAA Outdoor Championships held in Eugene, Oregon. On Thursday, sophomore distance runner Gillian Schriever and junior thrower Andin Fosam became the fir...
COLUMN: Pens’ goalie selection backed by Fleury’s inconsistency
By David Leftwich | Staff Writer
May 23, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
After losing two of the first three games of the Eastern Conference Final, the Pittsburgh Penguins are back in the series thanks to a controversial decision by head coach Mike Sullivan. Through the first two rounds of the NHL playoffs, 32-year-old goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury seemingly solidified his star...
COLUMN: Two-team league makes NBA unwatchable
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 23, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
Over the last few years, the NBA has developed a clear hierarchy — and it’s badly hurting the league’s appeal. Heading into the 2016-17 regular season, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors were the two teams everybody expected in the NBA Finals. The Cavaliers were the reigning ...
Pitt baseball drops series against Wake Forest
By Kevin Bertha | Staff Writer
May 21, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Heading into its weekend series against the No. 20 Wake Forest Demon Deacons, the Pitt baseball team was right on the bubble of the ACC Tournament. But the Panthers were only able to come away with one win, failing to make the cut for the fourth consecutive year. Pitt (23-30, 9-21 ACC) got off to a strong s...
Thomas Jefferson DE Noah Palmer chooses Pitt
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 19, 2017
Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt football staff added to the program’s 2018 recruiting class Thursday, earning a commit from 6-foot-4 defensive end Noah Palmer. Palmer announced his commitment on Twitter. “Proud and very excited to announce that I have fully committed to the University of Pittsburgh,” Palmer said. Growing up in nearby Jefferson Hills, ...
Pitt OL Alex Bookser charged with DUI
By Mackenzie Rodrigues | Assistant Sports Editor
May 17, 2017
Pitt redshirt junior offensive lineman Alex Bookser was arrested Sunday morning on numerous charges, including driving while under the influence of alcohol. Pitt Police arrested Bookser at 12:51 a.m. on Meyran Avenue after a chase ended when he crashed into the Loeffler Building. He has a preliminary...
Mountaineers outlast Panthers, earn season sweep
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
May 17, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Top Stories
The last time Pitt and West Virginia met on the diamond, it was an offensive battle as the Mountaineers got an 8-4 win on the road in March. West Virginia took the season sweep Tuesday in a much more defensive night, but the result was the same with a 2-0 Mountaineer victory in Morgantown. Both pitching...
Slow starts a troubling trend for Pirates
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 17, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports Columns
The Pittsburgh Pirates — one of the most unsuccessful teams in sports until recent years — are officially stuck in mediocrity. From 1993-2012, the Pirates suffered an unprecedented 20 consecutive losing seasons. The streak marked the longest of any professional team in the United States’ fo...
Pitt baseball suffers sweep against North Carolina State
By Kevin Bertha | Staff Writer
May 15, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
The Pitt baseball team had a chance to move off the bubble of making the ACC Tournament at home this weekend series against North Carolina State but were convincingly swept due to the high-powered Wolfpack offense. Starting pitching woes led to Pitt (22-27, 8-19 ACC) having early deficits in each game,...
Pittsburgh Steelers sign Pitt LB Matt Galambos
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 15, 2017
Pitt linebacker Matt Galambos became the 13th Panther signed by a NFL team after the Pittsburgh Steelers gave him a contract Sunday following the team’s rookie minicamp. Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi confirmed the signing on Twitter. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound linebacker first came to Pitt in 2013, playing in all 13 games as a freshman and recording 38 tackles and a fumble recovery. He worked ...
Pitt basketball lands Lafayette transfer Monty Boykins
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 15, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
The 2017-18 Pitt basketball roster is taking its final shape with head coach Kevin Stallings adding another player Monday in Lafayette transfer Monty Boykins. The 6-foot-5 guard played just one game this past year, missing nearly the entire season due to a shoulder injury he suffered against Villano...
Pitt hires Christian Spears as deputy director of athletics
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 12, 2017
Filed under Sports
Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke named Christian Spears as the deputy director of athletics for external affairs Wednesday. Spears previously worked under Lyke for three years at Eastern Michigan University as deputy director. He has served as the interim athletic director at the school since Lyk...
Pitt football lands 6-foot-3 quarterback Nick Patti
By Mackenzie Rodrigues | Assistant Sports Editor
May 11, 2017
The Pitt Panthers football team received its second commitment of the 2018 recruiting class with New Jersey native Nick Patti announcing his decision Wednesday afternoon via Twitter. "I am pleased to say that I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at the University of Pittsburgh," ...
Pitt baseball triumphs over Penguins, 3-2
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 11, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
After dropping all three games in a road series against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets last weekend, Pitt baseball returned home Wednesday to play Youngstown State, winning 3-2 on a walk-off wild pitch in the 10th inning. Pitt head coach Joe Jordano used six pitchers in the game and the strategy ...
Georgia Tech sweeps Pitt baseball, ending win streak
By Ryan Zimba / Sports Editor
May 10, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Riding a four-game win streak into its weekend series against Georgia Tech, the Pitt baseball team looked to get above .500 for the first time since April 7. Instead, the Yellow Jackets (23-21, 8-15 ACC) swept the Panthers (21-24, 8-16 ACC), winning a pair of one-run games before finishing the series...
The next chapter: Conner’s story continues in Pittsburgh
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 9, 2017
Filed under Football, Sports, Sports Features
Sitting with friends and family in his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania, James Conner watched as the NFL Draft progressed through the first three rounds. Conner — a projected fifth or sixth round pick — probably wasn’t surprised he was still on the board. But as the night came to a close, the Pitt ...
Recapping an exciting two weeks in Pitt sports
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 9, 2017
Filed under Football, Men's Basketball, Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Women's Basketball
It was a busy couple of weeks for Pitt athletics, as the spring teams’ seasons come to a close and the football team had players up for the NFL draft. Here’s a rundown of everything that you might have missed since the spring semester ended. Football The Pitt football program had five players selected...
Pitt center Rozelle Nix announces transfer
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 8, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
The Pitt basketball program suffered another defection Monday afternoon with the transfer of 6-foot-11 center Rozelle Nix. “I would like to take my time and say thank you to all of [the] University of Pittsburgh and basketball staff for helping me to get better everyday not only as a player but a...
Pitt softball stumbles against Georgia Tech
By Rebecca Sauers | Staff Writer
May 8, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
The Pitt softball team concluded its season this weekend in Atlanta by dropping two of three against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Pitt’s (24-23, 7-16 ACC) defense was mixed this weekend, giving up only two runs in game one before giving up a combined 19 runs in two and three. The inconsistent...
Men’s basketball adds two recruits to 2017 class
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 5, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports, Top Stories
Pitt basketball landed two commits this week as coach Kevin Stallings begins to fill in his roster for next season. St. John’s transfer Malik Ellison pledged to Pitt Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman. 6-foot-4 guard Khameron Davis followed suit Wednesday, becoming the seventh member of...
Pitt baseball gets to .500 with sweep of Maryland Eastern Shore
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
May 4, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
Coming off a series win against SIU Edwardsville, the Pitt baseball team climbed back to .500 this week, taking both games against Maryland Eastern Shore at Charles L. Cost Field. Pitt (21-21, 8-13 ACC) pounded the Hawks (10-35, 6-13 MEAC) in both games, sweeping the series by a combined score of 2...
Pitt gymnastics coach Debbie Yohman retires after 31 years
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
May 3, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports, Top Stories
Pitt gymnastics coach Debbie Yohman retired Tuesday morning after leading the team for more than three decades. Yohman was only the second coach in the history of Pitt gymnastics — which started in 1975. The program was very successful in her tenure, qualifying for 20 NCAA Regionals since she t...
Pitt men’s basketball names Matt Woodley special assistant coach
By Mackenzie Rodrigues | Assistant Sports Editor
May 1, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball
The Pitt men’s basketball team continues to increase its ranks, but this time it’s with a new coach instead of a new player. Head coach Kevin Stallings announced Monday the addition of Matt Woodley as a special assistant coach. Woodley’s position requires him to assist with game preparation,...
Track and Field competes at Penn Relays, Ashland Open
By Dominic Campbell | Staff Writer
May 1, 2017
Filed under Sports, Sports / Other Varsity Sports
The Pitt Track and Field team concluded their regular season this weekend, traveling to both the Penn Relays and Ashland Open. The men’s distance team and women’s throwers both had success over the weekend, adding to an impressive body of work in 2017. Penn Relays At the world-famous Penn Relay...
Pitt baseball secures series win over Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 2-1
By Ted Zhang | Staff Writer
April 30, 2017
Filed under Sports / Other Varsity Sports
The Pitt baseball team started the weekend’s home series with a loss and a narrow win. But in the series finale, the Panthers trounced the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougars. Rain delayed the original Saturday 1 p.m. start time of the series-opening games between SIUE (18-24, 6-15...
Seven Panthers signed in post-draft free agency
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
April 30, 2017
Filed under Football, Sports, Top Stories
Five Panthers were selected in this year’s draft — the most since 2011. Seven additional Panthers who didn’t hear their name called had to find a team through post-draft free agency. In total, 12 Panthers were picked up by an NFL team for the upcoming season — with three headed to the Steele...
Men’s basketball signs small forward Shamiel Stevenson
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
April 30, 2017
Filed under Men's Basketball, Sports
Pitt men’s basketball added another player to its 2017 recruiting class after forward Shamiel Stevenson signed his Letter of Intent Sunday morning. Stevenson played at Hillcrest Prep in Arizona this past year, averaging 14.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He shot 43 percent from the field an...
Los Angeles Rams select Pitt defensive end Ejuan Price
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
April 29, 2017
The Los Angeles Rams selected Pitt defensive end Ejuan Price with the 16th pick in the seventh round of the NFL draft. Price is the fifth Pitt player to be picked, making this the most successful draft for the program since 2011, when six Panthers were selected. The 6-foot, 255-pound lineman first...
Pitt offensive lineman Adam Bisnowaty drafted by Giants
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
April 29, 2017
The New York Giants selected Pitt offensive lineman Adam Bisnowaty with the 16th pick in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL draft. The 6-foot-6, 305-pound offensive lineman grew up in nearby Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania. He was a four-time letterman in high school and enrolled in Pitt prior to the 2012 season...
Pitt quarterback Nathan Peterman drafted by Buffalo Bills
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
April 29, 2017
Filed under Football, Sports, Top Stories
The Buffalo Bills selected Pitt quarterback Nathan Peterman with the 28th pick in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft. Peterman waited longer than expected — NFL.com projected that he would be picked in the third or fourth round. This past year, the Panther offense became the highest-scori...
Arizona Cardinals draft Pitt OL Dorian Johnson
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
April 29, 2017
The Arizona Cardinals selected Pitt offensive lineman Dorian Johnson in the fourth round of the NFL draft Saturday. Johnson was expected to go in the second or third rounds of the draft, but dropped into the fourth after a recently discovered liver condition. “[Friday] night, I had GM’s tell me th...
Storify: Twitter reacts to Steelers’ selection of James Conner
By Steve Rotstein | Senior Staff Writer
April 29, 2017
James Conner joins the Pittsburgh Steelers
By Ryan Zimba | Sports Editor
April 29, 2017
Filed under 2. Featured, Football, Sports, Top Stories
Pitt running back James Conner is staying in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Conner in the third round as the 105th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He is the first Panther to be drafted by the Steelers since defensive back Hank Poteat in 2000. He was also the first Pitt player t...