Pitt category, Page 130

Even on the day Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner’s program withdrew its appeal of NCAA penalties that assured it won’t be playing beyond this week, he was in a gregarious mood Monday. During the final weekly ACC coaches conference call of the season, Pastner cracked jokes, complimented inquiring reporters and...

Pitt wrestlers Micky Phillippi (133 pounds), Gregg Harvey (174) and Demetrius Thomas (285) are seeded No. 1 in their weight classes for the ACC Wrestling Championships that begin at 11 a.m. Sunday at Petersen Events Center. This season marks the first time since 2015 that three Pitt wrestlers earned top...

Via the RPI or the NET, the ACC’s ranking among conferences is sixth. Only four of its teams are projected to earn NCAA Tournament berths. By most measures, it is a down year for the ACC, but several conference coaches are coming to the league’s defense in emphatic fashion. “It’s...

Pitt bolstered its numbers on the offensive line on the first day of spring drills Monday when two growing men, Grant Carrigan and Jason Collier, shifted from tight end. “Grant came to me (about making the shift),” coach Pat Narduzzi said. “It was like, `Hey, I’m a blocking tight end....

His eyes never dropped. His chin remained elevated. His words were direct and confident. If Kenny Pickett is feeling pressure as he approaches the last of his three seasons as Pitt’s starting quarterback, he wasn’t showing it Monday after the first day of spring drills. With seven starters returning on...

Before he fielded a question Monday during the final weekly ACC men’s basketball coaches teleconference of the season, Georgia Tech coach Josh Pastner praised Pitt’s effort and energy level. “I’m a big fan of Pitt’s team,” said Pastner, whose Yellow Jackets host the Panthers on Wednesday for Pitt’s regular-season finale....

RALEIGH, N.C. — Facing the prospect of a loss that would severely damage its NCAA Tournament hopes, N.C. State tightened up its defense late and got a big scoring boost from reserve forward Jericole Hellems to bounce back for a 77-73 win over Pitt on Saturday. Coach Kevin Keatts admitted...

Pitt’s current stretch of two victories in its past 10 games is all too familiar to players, fans, even coach Jeff Capel. The Panthers have had 2-8 stretches in four consecutive seasons — every year since former coach Jamie Dixon left for TCU in 2016. In the 2016-2017 season, Pitt...

Micky Phillippi and Nino Bonaccorsi have followed a strict regimen while helping Pitt ascend to No. 8 in the national wrestling rankings: • Focus at practice for the entire two hours; • Get to bed by 9 p.m., asleep by 10. • And don’t forget Phillippi’s blueberry pancakes for breakfast....

Can you blame him for being frustrated? Five straight losses. By blowouts. By nail biters. Down to 6-12 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Pitt basketball coach Jeff Capel was decidedly frustrated after his team’s 72-49 loss to Syracuse at home Wednesday night. “We have guys who are taking playing here...

This week’s “U mad, bro?” is really rough on Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford. It’s also unkind to former Steeler Antonio Brown. And I didn’t come off very well either. John emailed me about the Penguins trades in recent weeks. He’s not thrilled with general manager Jim Rutherford dealing Dominik...

Anthony Starzynski won four letters at Baldwin, scoring an average of 10, 15 and 21 points during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. But in three seasons as a walk-on at Pitt, he’s played 41 minutes in bits of 17 games, scoring five baskets (all 3-pointers). And he’s OK with...

Jeff Capel didn’t get where he is today by wasting a rare opportunity. Perhaps that valuable character trait will help Pitt’s coach and his players Wednesday night when he matches wits with Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim at Petersen Events Center. Capel has had a long relationship with Boeheim, who’s won 961...

Jeff Capel said allowing student-athletes to transfer without having to sit out a season is the right thing to do, but he cautioned Monday that the proposal is “something that we (college coaches) are going to have to figure out how to navigate.” The NCAA said recently that a rule...

The Pitt volleyball team will take its game international in May when the women embark on an 11-day tour of Europe, with trips to Spain, France and Italy. Starting May 2, the three-time defending ACC champions will spend three nights in Barcelona, Spain, two each in Toulouse, France, and Nice,...

Last Monday, it was tough to come up with a negative thing to say about the Pittsburgh Penguins. This Monday, it’s tough to find something good. The Pens have lost three games in a row. They’ve given up 14 goals in the defeats, and the Philadelphia Flyers are closing in...

Give Pitt this much credit as it sinks toward the bottom of the ACC standings: The Panthers do the tough stuff as well as any team in the conference. Yes, Pitt has lost seven of nine and no longer is a middle-of-the-pack ACC team, but in the areas of defense,...