After five years at the helm of the Pitt athletic department, Heather Lyke’s one blemish on an otherwise stellar tenure is the women’s basketball program. With a rich history in Pittsburgh, staff writer Sara Meyer argues that the team deserves better.

Pitt athletics’ strong fall performances moved them into sixth place in the 2022-23 LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup Division I standings. Pitt earned 309.00 points across all of its fall sports, putting the Panthers level with Penn State athletics.

For the first day of classes, what better way to acclimate new fans with their athletes than a quick introduction of Pitt Athletics’ biggest names and faces prior to the first day of classes?

Since its inception, the NCAA has held that college athletes cannot and will not be paid for their name, image or likeness. Athletes were ineligible to accept endorsements or receive payment for their performance — all to maintain the amateurism surrounding college athletics. But new rules and regulations regarding name, image and likeness benefits for college athletes will change this long-standing rule.

Pitt athletics is hoping to take a big step back towards pre-pandemic operations this fall. According to a report from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Wednesday afternoon, Pitt plans on open on-campus venues to full capacity for fall sports this year, with some regulations for spectators still in place.

It will be the first time Pitt’s hosted the event since 2016, and the first time at the Pete since 2004.

Heather Lyke and Chancellor Patrick Gallagher will discuss the new project at a news conference in the Petersen Event Center, scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Pitt Athletic Director Heather Lyke acknowledged the low rankings and said the Panthers hoped to improve in the future.

Former NBA all-star and Panther Billy Knight will be the Hall of Fame’s first chairperson.

Former Steelers wideout Antonio Brown drew the ire of Pittsburgh fans, fellow NFL players and the general public at large this past week with a controversial tweet at ex-teammate Juju Smith-Schuster.