Former Pitt wrestler Mikey Racciato dies at 26
The Pitt wrestling program is in mourning after former wrestler Mikey Racciato died Friday at age 26. Racciato, a native of Pen Argyl, competed for the Panthers from 2013-17, going 64-38, and winning an ACC championship at 149 pounds as a sophomore in 2015. He was a two-time NCAA Championships...
Pitt secures commitment from 6th defensive back in class of 2021
With his 2021 recruiting class, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi hopes he will have plenty of options in pass defense. oh yeah it’s up? #H2P @DB_BucksFB @Pitt_FB pic.twitter.com/wxkGLXU2p1— Phillip O’Brien Jr (@PhillipOjr) December 25, 2020 Phillip O’Brien Jr. became the sixth defensive back in Pitt’s 23-man class Christmas morning when he...
Pitt dips into transfer market for former Maryland offensive lineman Marcus Minor
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi didn’t wait long to start reconstructing his roster, landing offensive lineman Marcus Minor on Thursday as a graduate transfer from Maryland. Blessed with an opportunity. #H2P #PITT2L1TT #Pittfootball pic.twitter.com/RsQLEaw3eF— Marcus Minor (@AyeeMarcus_) December 24, 2020 Minor, who has two years of eligibility, reported his verbal commitment...
Pitt linebackers coach Rob Harley leaving for Arkansas State
After six seasons as an original member of Pat Narduzzi’s staff, Pitt linebackers coach Rob Harley accepted an offer to become defensive coordinator at Arkansas State of the Sun Belt Conference. Thank you Pitt? ? #H2P pic.twitter.com/EgiJIzVt2D— Coach Harley (@robharley34) December 24, 2020 Harley also has been Pitt’s recruiting coordinator...
Pitt players head home for short Christmas break
In the year 2020, the NCAA Tournament was canceled, the subsequent season has been pockmarked with more cancellations and postponements and Pitt even lost men’s basketball coach Jeff Capel for one game after he tested positive for covid-19. But a former adjunct professor at Fordham’s Graduate School of Business was...
Short-handed Pitt loses to Louisville, but approach doesn’t change
You might think that injuries to Justin Champagnie and Au’Diese Toney would change how Pitt’s basketball team will approach the rest of the season. In a way, not really. Although it hurts to lose your two leading scorers and rebounders – and the 64-54 loss to Louisville on Tuesday night...
Pitt’s Justin Champagnie out 6-8 weeks with knee injury; Au’Diese Toney also sidelined
Pitt’s hot start to the season hit a major roadblock when the Panthers’ two leading scorers and rebounders – Justin Champagnie and Au’Diese Toney — were ruled out of Tuesday’s game against Louisville at Petersen Events Center with leg injuries, coach Jeff Capel announced an hour before tipoff. Toney (ankle)...
7 Pitt players named to All-ACC teams
The votes are in and Pitt landed six players from its senior class and one sophomore on the All-ACC team, announced Tuesday morning on the ACC Network. Only Clemson and Notre Dame had more players named (12) while Boston College, Miami and North Carolina also checked in with seven. Pitt...
No. 2 Clemson, No. 4 Notre Dame headline AP all-ACC honors; 5 Pitt players selectedVideo
Second-ranked Clemson and fourth-ranked Notre Dame headline the Associated Press All-ACC teams and individual awards for the 2020 season. The Tigers, who beat the Fighting Irish in Saturday’s league championship game for a sixth straight title, had a league-high 10 selections in results released Monday after voting by 14 sports...
After Jeff Capel’s positive covid-19 test, Pitt associate head coach Tim O’Toole will run team
Pitt associate head coach Tim O’Toole previously has sat in the No. 1 chair. In his long and well-traveled coaching career that began as a graduate assistant at Fordham in 1987, he was head coach at Fairfield, his alma mater, from 1998-2006. He also served under legendary coaches Mike Krzyzewski...
Pitt, Penn State, WVU players honored as Pro Football Focus All-Americans
Pitt defensive end Rashad Weaver, Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker and West Virginia slot defender Tykee Smith were named first-team selections Monday to the Pro Football Focus All-America Team. “Weaver finished his season with a 90.0 pass-rush grade and produced multiple pressures in every single game played,” PFF wrote. “And...
Tim Benz: Wanna blame Notre Dame for College Football Playoff mess? Me too, but we can’t
The easiest thing in the sports world to do is to hate Notre Dame. The arrogance. The individualism. The hype. The specially catered ACC membership rules. The money. The independent television network deal. So when the Fighting Irish were drubbed 34-10 by Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, that resulted...
Pitt coach Jeff Capel tests positive for covid-19
Pitt men’s basketball coach Jeff Capel has tested positive for covid-19 and will miss the Panthers’ scheduled game against Louisville on Tuesday. According to a news release from the Pitt athletics department, subsequent testing within the program resulted in no additional positive tests. The Panthers (5-1, 1-0 ACC), who defeated...
Tim Benz: Adopt the 2020 chaos! Include Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina in College Football Playoff.
The most overused phrase of 2020 is, “Hey, it’s 2020!” Well, allow me to employ it one more time while discussing college football. Hey, it’s 2020! So what better year to bust the College Football Playoff norms than this year? The selection committee should embrace the chaos and admit either...
Ithiel Horton scores 18, leads Pitt to win at Miami in ACC opener
Ithiel Horton knew there were eyes on him at the start of the season. He came in as a transfer from Delaware with the reputation as a scorer. Of course, it was frustrating when he missed 23 of his 33 shots in Pitt’s first five games. But he spent some...
Pitt nets 21 prospects in Class of 2021 at the end of unique year for recruiting
The process that brought 21 letters of intent onto Pat Narduzzi’s computer via DocuSign on Wednesday morning — “I think the fax machine is officially dead,” he said — gained intensity in the spring while Pitt’s coaches were quarantined by covid-19. “We were obsessed with recruiting,” Narduzzi said, noting his...
Pat Narduzzi: Kenny Pickett thought ‘long and hard’ about coming back
Pat Narduzzi said the Duratz Athletic Complex where the Pitt football team lives and works was rocking Tuesday night. And he wasn’t talking about the trains that rumble through the South Side. On the eve of national letter of intent day, the biggest news came from a player who signed...
Pitt, West Virginia announce changes to wrestling schedule
Pitt announced its updated wrestling schedule Wednesday with the season opener set for Jan. 3 at the U.S. Naval Academy. The Panthers’ first home match is Jan. 9 against Lehigh. The Atlantic Coast Conference opener is Jan. 16 at home against Duke. The Panthers will wrestle four other ACC opponents...
Baldwin’s Dorien Ford becomes first of 20 recruits to sign letters of intent with Pitt
Baldwin defensive tackle Dorien Ford became the first of 20 Pitt prospects to sign and deliver letters of intent on national signing day Wednesday morning. #1 is in! The Hometown Hero @DorienFord_21 is ready to roll!! #H2P #PITT2L1TT pic.twitter.com/ZbG7NNbxzl— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) December 16, 2020 Coach Pat Narduzzi tweeted the...
Pitt’s Kenny Pickett goes on Twitter to announce he will return for the 2021 season
With three words on Twitter five days after the last game of the season, Kenny Pickett changed the entire course of the Pitt football program. For, at least, as he stated: “One more year.” Pickett, who has been Pitt’s starting quarterback since the last game of the 2017 season, indicated...
Pitt opens ACC season against short-handed Miami
While Jeff Capel juggles a long bench that could get longer before the end of Wednesday, he should feel fortunate he doesn’t have Jim Larranaga’s problem. When Pitt opens the ACC portion of its schedule at Miami on Wednesday, the Panthers will meet a depleted Hurricanes team that might dress...
Pitt hopes to follow winning season with top-25 recruiting class
For serious Pitt fans and, of course, the coaching staff, National Letter of Intent Day, set to kick off at 7 a.m. Wednesday, is just as important as most game days. Pitt lost to N.C. State and Boston College in October but still had time to salvage a winning season...
Burrell grad Scherer honored with education scholarship
Burrell graduate Nikki Scherer, a senior member of the Pitt women’s track and field team, is a recipient of $2,500 in tuition from the Go Teach Dr. Pepper Tuition Giveaway, a partnership of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the College Football Playoff Foundation, the conference announced Tuesday. She is one...
Pitt’s Jeff Capel eager to add Miami (Ohio) transfer Nike Sibande to lineup
If the NCAA acts as expected Wednesday and grants transfer athletes immediate eligibility, coach Jeff Capel said guard Nike Sibande will play in Pitt’s ACC opener that night at Miami. “If he’s cleared, he’ll play right away,” Capel said. Sibande transferred to Pitt from Miami (Ohio) and has been practicing...
Pitt’s Jeff Capel defends Mike Krzyzewski’s covid comments
With Pitt’s nonconference schedule finished and the first of 20 ACC games scheduled for Wednesday in Miami, Jeff Capel’s thoughts are focused on basketball. Most of them, anyway. On the court, in his locker room, while speaking to reporters, Pitt’s socially conscious basketball coach has become a strong advocate for...
