Jerry DiPaola stories, Page 45
Pirates’ Vince Velasquez, 3 relievers blank Cardinals, Ji Hwan Bae shines in center field
The Pittsburgh Pirates launched a seven-game road trip through St. Louis and Denver with a 5-0 victory Thursday night against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. It was only one good game in a current seven-day stretch in which the team has alternated victories and defeats (4-3), but it was pleasing...
Pitt’s Dayon Hayes living up to high standards set by defensive line coach Charlie Partridge
Charlie Partridge has been a guiding light for football players at Pitt, Wisconsin and five other schools since four years before the turn of the century. In that time, he has coached All-American defensive linemen who became pros such as J.J. Watt, Patrick Jones, Rashad Weaver, Jalen Twyman and (soon...
Butler grad Devin Carney decides to transfer from Duquesne
Devin Carney, one of the most prolific scorers in WPIAL history, will transfer from Duquesne, he announced Tuesday on his Twitter account. Next chapter???????? pic.twitter.com/HxrH1qseVc— Devin Carney (@devin24carney_) April 11, 2023 Carney was a four-year starter at Butler, averaging 13, 21, 29.6 and 26 points per game. He scored 2,082...
Cornerback Marquis Williams accepts challenge of maintaining Pitt defense’s high standards
Marquis Williams’ job as a Pitt cornerback is to watch the guy in the different color jersey who is trying to catch the football. Shadow him, follow him from sideline to sideline, all but crawl inside his jersey. That’s a big part of his job, but since 2020, Williams has...
Pitt dips into transfer portal, gets verbal commitment from ex-High Point forward Zack AustinVideo
Jeff Capel reaped the first reward of his offseason roster construction when Zack Austin, a 6-foot-7 rising junior forward who played at High Point (N.C.) University the past two seasons, announced his plans to transfer to Pitt. It’s time???????? #h2p???????? #ripmom???????? pic.twitter.com/aQwrzsdVwX— Zack???????? (@ZackAust11) April 11, 2023 Austin is the...
Pitt’s spring player draft canceled as Pat Narduzzi seeks better matchups for Blue-Gold game
Pat Narduzzi likes the camaraderie and bonding created when his seniors draft players onto teams for Pitt’s annual Blue-Gold Spring Game. But for the first time in nine seasons, Narduzzi has canceled the draft in the name of better matchups. “I love the draft. It’s fun to get them in...
Gov. Josh Shapiro sets tone for Pirates victory with 1st strike of the day
The first pitch of the day was right down the middle. The catcher never moved his glove. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was so proud of it that he was eager to offer proof when approached for comment. “Did you throw a strike, Governor?” a reporter asked. “You bet I did,”...
Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen finds right mix of nostalgia and having a job to do
Andrew McCutchen understands he has a job to do as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ designated hitter and No. 3 hitter in the batting order. But he’s also embracing the nostalgia of his first game back at PNC Park in six years. “You don’t separate it. You embrace it,” he said before...
Andrew McCutchen says goodbye to visitors’ clubhouse at PNC Park, hello to new career chapter
Perhaps the most difficult part of Andrew McCutchen’s day was meeting with a room full of reporters Friday morning — before his first cup of coffee. But that was OK. Because the best part of his day already had happened. All he had to do was walk inside PNC Park...
UMass’ Tory Verdi will be Pitt’s new women’s basketball coach
The University of Pittsburgh will hire UMass’ Tory Verdi as its next women’s basketball coach. The school made the announcement Friday morning. Verdi will bring to Pitt a wealth of experience as a head coach and assistant on the high school, collegiate and WNBA levels. The Minutewomen improved steadily under...
Pat Narduzzi’s day packed tight, even in the spring
Clocks on the South Side barely crossed midday Thursday when Pat Narduzzi walked off the practice field, muttering, “Long day.” Pitt had just completed its 12th of 15 spring practice sessions, and now it was time for Pitt’s ninth-year head coach to speak to several inquiring media members. (No injury...
Report: Duquesne gets commitments from La Salle twin forwards Hassan, Fousseyni Drame
Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot has returned to the NCAA transfer portal to restock his team for the 2023-2024 season. The Dukes have received verbal commitments from twin 6-foot-7 forwards Hassan and Fousseyni Drame, The Athletic reported. The twins helped lead Saint Peter’s to the 2022 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight before...
With Pat Narduzzi pushing him, Pitt LB Bangally Kamara seeks perfection
If Bangally Kamara has discovered anything about spring football — and playing for Pat Narduzzi — it’s that he can always do better than what he shows in practice. With time and patience, Kamara might finally reach a point by the start of the 2023 season that satisfies him and...
Pitt forward Nate Santos enters transfer portal
Pitt sophomore forward Nate Santos, whose playing time diminished toward the end of the basketball season, has entered the NCAA transfer portal. He is the second member of the 2022-23 team to announce plans to transfer. Center John Hugley, who missed all but eight games with a knee injury and...
Pitt’s Phil Jurkovec ascends to top of QB depth chart — but no guarantees
Pat Narduzzi likes to talk about competition at every position. No one is safe. No one should feel comfortable, especially in April. When Pitt’s coach was asked Tuesday how his quarterbacks are progressing this spring, he curiously turned his attention to the position battle at backup quarterback. By doing so,...
Bryan Reynolds overcomes muffed fly ball, homers twice to help Pirates defeat Red Sox
Teammates at Vanderbilt and best friends off the field, Bryan Reynolds and Jason Delay were drafted in 2016 by the San Francisco Giants. Nearly seven years later on Monday night, circumstances placed them in Boston’s Fenway Park, teammates again. This time, members of the Pittsburgh Pirates. And as the first...
Pitt fires gymnastics coach Samantha Snider after 6 seasons
Pitt gymnastics coach Samantha Snider has been relieved of her duties after six seasons, athletic director Heather Lyke announced Monday. Snider’s teams compiled an overall record of 50-83-1, including 10-15 during the 2023 season that ended Friday when Pitt gymnasts Hallie Copperwheat, Natalia Pawlak and Reyna Garvey competed in the...
Kevin Newman hits 1 of Reds’ 3 home runs to defeat Pirates
Rich Hill has stepped on and off too many pitching rubbers throughout his 19-season career to think about anything other than winning and losing. Sure, he recorded his 1,300th career strikeout Saturday (1,301 by the time he left Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati). Good for him, he retired 13...
Pitt Take 5: With 2 weeks of spring drills remaining, competition continues at several positions
Among Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi’s main goals for spring drills, the two that stand out are keeping players physically sound through 15 practice sessions and getting the opportunity to conduct at least one scrimmage at Acrisure Stadium. Narduzzi hopes to scrimmage at Acrisure on Saturday, but there’s a lot of...
Pitt’s Blake Hinson named nation’s top college basketball transfer
While Pitt coach Jeff Capel seeks to replace four departing seniors who arrived through the transfer portal, Panthers junior forward Blake Hinson has been named winner of the Riley Wallace Award, presented annually by CollegeInsider.com to the top transfer in Division I college basketball. Hinson helped lead Pitt to a...
Assistant Andre Powell teaches Pitt’s backs that running is only part of their job
In his role as Pitt’s running backs coach, Andre Powell likes to create real-life situations to illustrate what it takes to succeed in college football. Not long ago, he gathered his backs in their meeting room and asked freshman T.J. Harvison to get on the board and draw everyone’s assignment...
2021 ACC champion John Petrishen returned for his 2nd Pitt Pro Day, chasing a dream
At first, Pat Narduzzi wasn’t sure about allowing John Petrishen to work out on Pitt’s Pro Day. That day usually is intended for draft-eligible players from the previous season. Petrishen played outside linebacker to considerable acclaim while helping Pitt win an ACC championship two years ago. But it’s hard to...
Calijah Kancey, Izzy Abanikanda open NFL eyes at Pitt’s Pro Day
Perhaps the two most significant takeaways from Pitt’s Pro Day belong to defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and running back Izzy Abanikanda. First, Kancey: • It’s interesting to listen to what Kancey said to reporters after the NFL came into Pitt’s practice facility Wednesday and measured him. “They thought I was...
Pitt notebook: 14 former Panthers poised to work out Wednesday for NFL scouts
Pitt will welcome scouts, coaches and executives from most, if not all, NFL teams Wednesday for Pro Day at the indoor practice facility it shares with the Pittsburgh Steelers. A total of 13 players from the 2022 team, plus linebacker John Petrishen, whose last season was 2021, will participate in...
Bub Means excited by potential for greater opportunity in Pitt’s aerial game
In football and life, spring is a time for optimism and rebirth. Such was the case Tuesday when wide receiver Bub Means bounced off Pitt’s practice field — outdoors for the first time this year — and displayed large doses of confidence and enthusiasm for the upcoming season. Some examples...
