Jerry DiPaola stories, Page 94
Quick reversal of fortune puts Pitt soccer on the cusp of the NCAA Tournament
Less than four years ago, Pitt men’s soccer coach Jay Vidovich was painfully honest while describing what playing in the powerful ACC was like in the school’s first years in the conference. “That’s being put out in the ocean without a life raft and then putting bricks on your shoulder,”...
Inspired by memory of his grandfather, Pitt’s Taysir Mack aiming for bounce-back season
Taysir Mack’s life as a Pitt wide receiver revolves around watching video. Sometimes, he is checking out an opposing cornerback’s susceptibility to a receiver’s unique body twitch. Perhaps Mack is especially proud of a block he leveled on a linebacker that opened a lane for his running back. Or maybe,...
Nate Santos makes commitment official, gives Pitt’s Jeff Capel first signed letter of intent
Nate Santos, the first prospect in the class of 2021 to say yes to Jeff Capel, signed his national letter of intent and officially joined the Pitt basketball team Thursday. Santos gave Capel a verbal commitment April 6. All Glory To God, COMMITTED @Pitt_MBB #h2p ?? pic.twitter.com/O1uuJfQGBT— Nate Santos (@n_santos33)...
Eager to erase history, Pitt volleyball advances to NCAA second round
Give Kayla Lund credit. She revels in the Pitt women’s volleyball team’s many victories, but she also doesn’t run from one unfortunate truth: The second round of the NCAA Tournament has been a problem for Pitt. The Panthers reached the second round for the fifth consecutive season with a 3-0...
Trinity High School, Youngstown State graduate Mary Dunn transfers to Pitt
Pitt women’s basketball coach Lance White expects to get a boost next season from 6-foot-3 Youngstown State graduate transfer Mary Dunn, who signed her letter of intent with the Panthers on Wednesday. Dunn, a graduate of Trinity High School, appeared in 114 games (65 starts) for YSU over the past...
Duquesne adds point guard Jackie Johnson to 2021 recruiting class
Check out the shooting percentages compiled this season by Duquesne recruit Jackie Johnson, a point guard at Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy. The Marathon Continues, 100% Committed ⚪️? pic.twitter.com/BzSBE49SvH— Jackiejohnson (@_jackiejohnson1) April 14, 2021 Playing up in class against largely post-graduate players, Johnson shot 59.3% from the field, 91.9% from the...
Position battles heating up as Pitt spring game approaches
Only once during his 20-minute video conference call with reporters Tuesday did Pat Narduzzi respond to a question with the dreaded words, “I don’t want to tell you.” For the most part, Pitt’s coach was willing to offer his take on what developed at the Panthers’ scrimmage Saturday at Heinz...
Pitt basketball remains in race to add 5-star center Efton Reid to roster
No one is saying 7-foot-1, 235-pound Efton Reid would be a first-round draft choice if he decided to skip college and go directly to collecting paychecks from the NBA. But he is good — make no mistake about it — and if the five-star center gives Jeff Capel the thumbs-up...
Pitt volleyball savors chance to sneak up on opponents in NCAA Tournament
Dan Fisher doesn’t crave attention. In fact, he is happy just laying low this week in Omaha, Neb., preparing Pitt, the 19th-ranked women’s volleyball team in the nation, for another opportunity in the NCAA Tournament. Pitt has qualified for its 16th tournament appearance — fifth in a row — but...
Big South postpones final Robert Morris football game, ends Colonials’ spring season
Robert Morris’ spring football season ended when the Big South Conference canceled the Colonials’ home game Saturday against Monmouth. The conference made the announcement Monday, citing “limited student-athlete availability within the RMU program.” Robert Morris’ game with Monmouth originally was postponed March 13. The Colonials played three games this year...
No. 17 Pitt completes 3-game sweep of No. 15 Miami
Pitt hit several milestones while scoring 30 runs in its three-game sweep of No. 15 Miami at Charles L. Cost Field. The series concluded Sunday with No. 17 Pitt’s 12-5 victory. The Panthers also won, 12-6 and 6-4, Friday and Saturday. Pitt (17-10, 12-9) set a school record for ACC...
Pitt gets commitment from Sean Fitzsimmons, Central Valley’s ‘face of the program’
After Central Valley defensive tackle Sean Fitzsimmons verbally committed to Pitt on Friday, the last topic coach Mark Lyons wanted to discuss five months before football season was the possibility of repeating as PIAA Class 3A champion. But he did allow himself one tiny glimpse into the future. “With Sean...
Mom, dad, Pirates fans have Gregory Polanco’s back in tough times, but he also prays ‘a lot’
Gregory Polanco smiles easily, and appears to enjoy engaging in conversations about hitting, his teammates and the good fortune he sees ahead for everyone. That’s the case even now, when the Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder’s batting average sits at .150 after seven games, with no home runs or RBIs. Yet,...
3 surgeries and a vegan diet later, ex-PSU safety John Petrishen transforms into Pitt linebacker
Some people run from change. John Petrishen embraces it like he’s making a new friend, constantly seeking ways to redefine himself as a student and athlete. The oldest player on the Pitt football team (42 days older than wide receiver Tre Tipton with whom he played AAU basketball in the...
Mars graduate David Bednar’s 1-pitch outing promises to be long on memories
After several minutes of postgame handshakes, hugs and enough posing for pictures to fill several photo albums, it was time. David Bednar had to walk away from the crowd gathered along the left-field foul line at PNC Park. It wasn’t easy for Bednar, a Mars graduate, to leave his parents,...
Pitt plans to welcome 5,000 football fans into Heinz Field for spring game
They will be socially distanced and wearing masks, but football fans will be permitted inside Heinz Field when Pitt holds its Blue-Gold Spring Game at 1 p.m. April 24. Pitt officials announced Thursday that, with expanded gathering limits in Pennsylvania, a maximum of 5,000 people will be seated in pods...
Duquesne gets verbal commitment from Mercer (Ga.) transfer Leon Ayers III
Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot continued to use the NCAA transfer portal in an attempt to restock his roster, getting a verbal commitment Wednesday from former Mercer (Ga.) University player Leon Ayers III Blessed to have been given the opportunity to play college basketball at the highest level this has no...
Penn State’s James Franklin: ‘I’ll take any vaccine they can give me’
James Franklin won’t insist his Penn State football players get vaccinated against the coronavirus. “I don’t think you can ever mandate,” he said Wednesday on a conference call with reporters. “We’ve learned that in our country. You’re going to have a difficult time doing that.” But he will encourage, and...
Former Pitt guard Xavier Johnson chooses Indiana as transfer destination
Xavier Johnson, who started 81 games in nearly three seasons at Pitt before leaving this year with two weeks left in the regular season, announced Wednesday on Instagram that he will transfer to Indiana and play for new Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson. He chose Indiana over national champion Baylor, Final...
Nate Santos’ prep school coach believes Pitt recruit can handle himself on and off the court
Russell Battistoni likes everything about Nate Santos’ ability on the basketball court. “He’s always been able to shoot the ball. He’s always been able to handle the ball and be really skilled and defend and has a lot of toughness,” said Battistoni, the coach at Loomis Chaffee School, a boarding...
Pitt beats West Virginia in the baseball version of the Backyard Brawl
Pitt’s Chris Gomez and two relief pitchers kept West Virginia bats in check, and No. 17 Pitt unleashed a 12-hit attack Tuesday in a 5-1 victory in the baseball version of the Backyard Brawl at Charles L. Cost Field. West Virginia (11-12) managed only seven hits while Gomez and Pitt...
In lieu of intrasquad spring game, Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi would support playing nearby school
Pitt vs. Temple? Pitt vs. Duquesne? Do we dare? Pitt vs. Penn State? Those are matchups you’re not soon to see in the fall, but Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi would have no problem with practice games against nearby schools in lieu of instrasquad games in the spring. It’s a notion...
Competition arises midway through Pitt’s spring drills
The seemingly basic procedure of conducting spring football drills has turned out to be more difficult than usual this year. Not that Pat Narduzzi is surprised. “It’s still around,” Pitt’s coach said of the coronavirus that forced him to postpone a week’s worth of drills last month. But everyone is...
Pitt reschedules Blue-Gold Spring Game to April 24
After postponing a week of practice sessions last month for covid-related protocols, Pitt officials decided to move the date of the Blue-Gold Spring Game to April 24. The game had been scheduled for April 17. Start time (1 p.m.) and admission cost (free) at Heinz Field remain the same. Coach...
After 2 1st-inning home runs, Pirates bats mainly silent in loss to Reds
The three home runs the Pittsburgh Pirates hit Monday night at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati were encouraging. Until you understand reality: There was nobody on base for all three, and that was the situation for most of night. The Pirates had two hits in the first inning, two in...
