Win and get in: Making ACC Tournament hinges on Pitt beating Syracuse in finale
The math is now simple for Pitt with regards to securing a spot in the ACC Tournament. With a win Saturday at Syracuse in the regular-season finale, the Panthers are in. A loss would disqualify Pitt by virtue of Boston College and Notre Dame facing each other to complete the...
Penn State fires women’s basketball coach Carolyn Kieger after 7 seasons
STATE COLLEGE — Penn State fired women’s basketball coach Carolyn Kieger on Thursday after seven seasons. Kieger finishes with an 84-123 record. The Lady Lions went 11-18 this season and 4-14 in Big Ten play and did not make the 14-team field for the conference tournament. “We appreciate coach Kieger’s...
Pitt’s Ryan Baer looks to be catalyst for improved offensive line play
As a redshirt senior preparing for his fifth and final season at Pitt, Ryan Baer can attest to the overall performance of the offensive line over the years. Baer first started for Pitt in 2023 and, next fall, is the bettor’s choice to be Pitt’s primary right tackle, a position...
Converted DE Zane Durant from Penn State still plays with explosiveness as NFL draft prospect
It was one of those oddball inquires typically associated with Super Bowl media day. But when at the NFL Combine last week Zane Durant was presented with a question regarding what emoji he would say best describes his game, the Penn State product was quick with an answer. “I probably...
Pitt rally comes up just short on senior night as Florida State escapes
It’s anyone’s guess as to the nature of coach Jeff Capel’s postgame message to players following Pitt’s wild 75-74 loss to Florida State on Wednesday night. On senior night at Petersen Events Center, Pitt trailed by 16 at halftime and 24 early into the second half before a furious comeback...
Fight at Coastal Carolina, South Alabama women’s Sun Belt game injures ref, results in 8 ejectionsVideo
PENSACOLA, Fla. — A brawl between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina in the women’s Sun Belt Tournament on Wednesday left eight players ejected and knocked a referee to the floor where she required medical attention. One player, Coastal Carolina’s Tracey Hueston, was suspended for the rest of the 2026 postseason....
Penn State men put up little fight in loss to Ohio State
UNIVERSITY PARK — John Mobley Jr. scored 28 points, and Bruce Thornton added 18 in Ohio State’s 94-62 win over Penn State on Wednesday night. Penn State (12-18, 3-16 Big Ten) was led in scoring by Freddie Dilione V and Ivan Juric with 15 each. Dominick Stewart added 11. Ohio...
Losing streak hits 4 games as Duquesne falls at Rhode Island
With the start of the Atlantic 10 Tournament a week away, Duquesne has hit a late-season slide. Tyler Cochran scored 21 points, including a three-point play during a key second-half run, as Rhode Island handed the Dukes their fourth consecutive loss, 64-52, Wednesday night at Ryan Center in Kingston, R.I....
Lou Holtz, college football staple who coached Notre Dame to 1988 national title, dies at 89Video
Lou Holtz, the pint-sized motivator who restored greatness at Notre Dame and demanded it everywhere else he went, died in Orlando, Fla., Notre Dame announced Wednesday. He was 89. Spokeswoman Katy Lonergan said the family did not provide a cause of death. “Notre Dame mourns the loss of Lou Holtz,...
Pat Narduzzi, dismissing low transfer class rankings, trusts Pitt’s evaluation of players
Pat Narduzzi is aware of the discourse surrounding Pitt’s latest class of transfers. After losing key players such as linebacker Rasheem Biles, receiver Kenny Johnson, defensive lineman Francis Brewu, kicker Trey Butkowski and others, the Panthers brought in 16 new players from the portal. But once the dust settled, assessments...
Pitt rides one of its best performances of season into home finale vs. Florida State
There’s a short list for the top moment of the season for Pitt men’s basketball. It would be hard to top Damarco Minor’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lift Pitt over Ohio State at home Nov. 28. Similarly, the Panthers’ 34-point thrashing of Penn State on Dec. 21 in Hershey was impressive....
Pitt QB Mason Heintschel, LB Braylan Lovelace seek out larger leadership roles
Mason Heintschel’s rise last season from third-string quarterback to starter to becoming arguably the most important player on Pitt’s roster was nothing short of meteoric. Heintschel, a true freshman who took over under center in Week 5 of the 2025 campaign, handled things well, going 6-3 as starter. But as...
Matt Campbell shifting culture of Penn State football
The cracks started show in Penn State’s 2025 foundation as soon as Terry Smith turned the team around in his time as interim head coach. He had a talented group finally playing more freely. It was no coincidence that a team once expected to compete for a national title, despite...
Pitt fires women’s basketball coach Tory Verdi
In the immediate aftermath of a third straight disappointing season, Pitt fired women’s basketball coach Tory Verdi on Tuesday morning, athletic director Allen Greene announced. The Panthers went 8-23 (1-17 ACC) this season, finishing second-last in the league while tying for the second-fewest conference wins in program history. “After a...
First Call: Steelers alumni pile on reports of bad NFLPA grades; Maxx Crosby to Baltimore?
Tuesday’s “First Call” has some validation for those bad NFLPA grades for the Steelers, and it’s coming from some alumni of the team. Also, a fierce AFC pass rusher may wind up in the Steelers’ division. Pitt’s former athletic director, Heather Lyke, is wrapped up in a negative story at...
Chad Baker-Mazara’s dismissal from USC stemmed from more than 1 incident
LOS ANGELES — USC’s decision to dismiss top scorer and 3-point shooter Chad Baker-Mazara on the doorstep of the postseason left many wondering Sunday why coach Eric Musselman would seemingly sabotage his team’s already-tenuous hopes of making the NCAA tournament. To Gilbert Arenas, the former NBA star and podcast host...
NEC football schedules announced for Duquesne, Robert Morris
The Northeast Conference announced its 2026 conference football schedule Monday, with opponents and dates set for both Duquesne and Robert Morris. The Dukes host four NEC games at Rooney Field this upcoming fall, beginning with LIU on Oct. 10, followed by Wagner on Oct. 24, Robert Morris on Nov. 7...
Penn State’s Drew Allar has no regrets about final year, believes he owns strongest arm in draftVideo
About 15 months ago, quarterback Drew Allar chose to return to Penn State for his senior season, hoping to chase a national championship and solidify his NFL Draft stock as a top pick. Nothing went quite as he imagined. The Nittany Lions had a disastrous season, leading to coach James...
UConn remains unanimous No. 1 in AP Top 25
UConn heads into the postseason undefeated and still the unanimous No. 1 choice in the Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25. The Huskies, who have won 47 consecutive games, are 31-0 this season after routing St. John’s at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night. It’s the 11th time they’ve headed...
Duke extends No. 1 record in AP Top 25
Duke is No. 1 in the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the second straight week, extending its all-time record with the program’s 149th appearance in the top spot. The Blue Devils received 55 of 59 first-place votes in Monday’s poll following lopsided wins over Notre Dame and then-No....
Pat Narduzzi takes stock of new group, coaches as Pitt opens spring practiceVideo
With the first of 15 spring practices complete, Pitt took the opening step toward coalescing as a team months ahead the 2026 football season. After Monday’s session, the Panthers will continue practicing over the next month-plus, culminating in the annual Blue-Gold Spring Game on April 15. For coach Pat Narduzzi,...
Colorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder dies in single-car crash at age 23, police say
BOULDER, Colo. — Colorado quarterback Dominiq Ponder died early Sunday morning in a single-car crash, police said. He was 23. Ponder was driving a 2023 Tesla when he lost control on a curve and hit a guardrail, according to the Colorado State Patrol. The car struck an electrical line pole...
USC 2nd-leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara abruptly out of the program with no explanation
LOS ANGELES — Nearly a year after helping Auburn reach the Final Four, Chad Baker-Mazara is no longer a member of Southern California’s basketball program, the team said Sunday. He was the second-leading scorer while starting 22 of 26 games for the struggling Trojans this season, including a 14-point effort...
Penn State TE, North Allegheny grad Khalil Dinkins hopes NFL teams look beyond his stats
Khalil Dinkins wants to be the latest Penn State tight end to find a spot in the NFL, joining former teammates Tyler Warren, Theo Johnson and Brenton Strange. His pass-catching numbers don’t rival those recent Nittany Lions stars, but an invite to the NFL combine gave the 6-foot-4, 251-pound Dinkins...
Notre Dame, Penn St. RB tandems share stage once again at NFL’s scouting combine
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Notre Dame running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price rekindled some fond memories at this week’s NFL’s scouting combine. They shared a room — just as they used to when they were college teammates. Only here, one of college football’s best backfield duos is no longer working...
