The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News
Pitt planning Heinz Field return as governor announces looser gathering restrictions

Pitt planning Heinz Field return as governor announces looser gathering restrictions

By Stephen Thompson, Assistant Sports Editor • October 6, 2020
Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf announced looser restrictions for large gatherings this afternoon, paving the way for Pitt fans to return to Heinz Field. The Panthers say they are working on attendance plans, and will announce them “very soon.”
Football head coach Pat Narduzzi discussed Saturday’s game against Louisville and hinted at the potential to have some fans at Saturday’s NC State game in his weekly press conference on Monday.

Narduzzi, Pitt thriving in new normal, but ‘not out of the woods yet’

By Stephen Thompson, Assistant Sports Editor • September 29, 2020
Pat Narduzzi’s Panthers are 3-0, fresh off of a win over a top-25 team and are thriving in the new normal of pandemic play. But they’re “not out of the woods yet,” he said.
The Pitt football program has paused all team-related activities “due to COVID-related protocols,” the team announced Thursday evening. 

ACC navigates pandemic-induced schedule changes

By Stephen Thompson, Assistant Sports Editor • September 20, 2020
Both 2020 Panthers gamedays have gone relatively smoothly. Seven Panthers sat out the Austin Peay game due to COVID-19 protocols, and three sat out against Syracuse. But Pitt has avoided the dreaded postponed or cancelled games that follow large-scale outbreaks.
Students and fans will not be allowed to attend football games, at least for the month of September.

Panther Pitt left in limbo during pandemic play

By Stephen Thompson, Assistant Sports Editor • September 11, 2020
After the COVID-19 pandemic drove fans from the stands of football stadiums, it left fans in limbo. But Pitt’s student section is trying to recreate some of the community sports creates.
Kain Colter, a quarterback and receiver who completed his college football career in 2013, announced that several Northwestern football players wished to join a labor union during a press conference at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago on Jan. 28, 2014.

Column | College athletes should take ownership of the business they sustain

By Stephen Thompson, Assistant Sports Editor • August 30, 2020
The risks the COVID-19 pandemic poses have exacerbated the unfair power disparity that exists in college sports. From waivers meant to free individual schools of liability should a player die or suffer long-term health defects after contracting COVID-19 on campus to allegedly lying about safety precautions, college football is doing all it can to push through to a 2020 season.
Alex Lehmbeck and Stephen Thompson are the sports editors at The Pitt News.

Meet the Editors: Sports

By Stephen Thompson and Alex Lehmbeck • August 18, 2020
As hard as COVID-19 might try to cancel them, sports have persisted. Baseball, basketball and hockey are already midseason, and college athletics are set for a relatively normal fall return.
Even if a college football season survives until its scheduled start, it seems unlikely that fans will be welcome, especially in Pennsylvania.

Status of fall sports becomes progressively shaky

By Stephen Thompson, Assistant Sports Editor • August 17, 2020
Now — even as cases and deaths continue up a steady incline — sports leagues are beginning to plan their comebacks. But in college athletics, return to play procedures have led to more questions than answers.
Head football coach Pat Narduzzi opened his sixth training camp as head coach last week.

Narduzzi opens 2020 training camp with mixed optimism, uncertainty

By Stephen Thompson, Sports Editor • August 10, 2020
Pitt head football coach Pat Narduzzi is a self-proclaimed optimist, and he said Friday even the stress of opening a football season in a pandemic hasn’t put a strain on his sunny outlook. 
Pitt Chancellor Pat Gallagher and Athletic Director Heather Lyke stand on the field before the game. (Photo by Wenhao Wu / Assistant Visual Editor)

Lyke talks football scheduling, gambling and campus returns

By Stephen Thompson, Sports Editor • July 24, 2020
Athletic Director Heather Lyke said she is not encouraged by the way the COVID-19 pandemic mitigation is progressing. As cases continue to rise across the country — particularly in Pitt’s home of Allegheny County — she offered a pessimistic, yet not definitive answer to what she called “the million dollar question” — will college football be played in 2020?
Kimura begins work as associate athletic director

Kimura begins work as associate athletic director

By Stephen Thompson, Sports Editor • July 22, 2020
Pitt’s newly minted associate athletic director for culture, diversity and engagement offered some insight into what her job will entail.
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