Pitt wide receiver Jaylon Barden reveals plans to transfer
Pitt’s Jaylon Barden, who displayed promise in his first two seasons before disappearing from the wide receiver rotation in 2022, announced Monday his plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal. He joins safety Judson Tallandier II, a senior from Largo, Md., who also said Monday that he plans to transfer....
Pitt volleyball earns No. 2 seed, home match Friday to open NCAA Tournament
Pitt women’s volleyball earned a No. 2 seed as an at-large selection in the NCAA Tournament — its highest in program history — and will be the host for first- and second-round matches Friday and Saturday at Petersen Events Center. Pitt (27-3) will meet Patriot League champion Colgate (24-5) at...
Pitt men’s soccer team defeats No. 1 Kentucky to reach 3rd consecutive NCAA Elite 8
Pitt men’s soccer traveled a difficult road to its third consecutive NCAA Elite Eight berth, but the Panthers rallied from an early deficit and defeated previously undefeated and No. 1 Kentucky on Sunday night, 2-1. Pitt will be the host for an NCAA Tournament quarterfinal match against Portland on campus...
How Pitt’s players, coaches kept season from unraveling
For a good portion of Pat Narduzzi’s eighth season, most of the criticism thrown Pitt’s way was fair. As we later discovered through the current four-game winning streak and a 42-16 dismantling of old nemesis Miami on Saturday night, this was a team that had better talent than its 4-4...
Pitt defensive lineman Devin Danielson slams head with helmetVideo
In a clip posted online, Pitt defensive lineman Devin Danielson can be seen slamming his helmet against his head several times as teammates look on in astonishment and horror. But the incident wasn’t a first for Danielson, according to teammate SirVocea Dennis. “Everybody is passionate for the game. Things happen.”...
Pitt maintains late-season surge, beats Miami, 42-16, for 4th consecutive victory
With little at stake but personal pride and an eighth victory, Pitt rolled over Miami, 42-16, on Saturday night to end the regular season on a four-game winning streak. There will be no conference championship this season for the Panthers (8-4, 5-3 ACC), but their 19 victories in back-to-back seasons...
Pitt rallies in second half to defeat William & Mary, 80-64
Pitt hasn’t played enough games against premium competition to allow coach Jeff Capel to get an accurate read on his team. On Friday night, however, there was reason to be encouraged — at least for half a game. The Panthers rallied in the second half to defeat William & Mary,...
Pitt Take 5: Fortunes change for Panthers, Hurricanes
The wise guys, including one writing for this space, thought we were so smart in the preseason when we predicted the Pitt/Miami game at the end of the regular season was destined to decide the ACC Coastal championship. Check the standings. Pitt and Miami have combined for 10 losses, the...
Pitt’s Frank Cignetti Jr. always in search of the right call
Trailing Duke by a point with the first half clock winding down last Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, quarterback Kedon Slovis led the Pitt offense out of its huddle. The heat was on because it was third down, and Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi didn’t want to settle for a field goal....
Practice as usual for Pitt players on Thanksgiving, but players, coaches have dinner plans, too
Thanksgiving is a normal practice day for Pitt and all other college football teams around the nation without scheduled games. Thursdays are typically the last day for serious on-field drills, and Pitt players will report in the morning, go over the game plan for the Miami game Saturday and adjourn...
Pitt rolls over Fairleigh Dickinson on good shooting night
For 20 minutes of clock time, Pitt didn’t miss a 2-point shot in the second half of its 83-61 victory against Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday night at Petersen Events Center. The Panthers took 17 shots inside the 3-point arc. All 17 were good. OK, their shooting accuracy wasn’t actually perfect....
Farewell, Coastal, the ACC’s always unpredictable divisionVideo
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Farewell, ACC Coastal. And for prognosticators, good riddance. Every summer, every league in the country has some sort of preseason media gathering, the ACC included. Those events always go the same way: Coaches downplay expectations, quarterbacks praise their offensive line and receivers, and savvy reporters leave...
Pitt defense steps up during 3-game winning streak
Much of the discussion surrounding Pitt football this season has centered on the offense. Fans need to blame someone. Still, while there has been angst directed at the offense, the defense quietly has maintained its reputation and official standing among the top 20 units in the nation. Opponents are averaging...
Pitt football player pleads to reduced charge of harassment
Pitt junior defensive end Dayon Hayes pleaded guilty Tuesday to a summary harassment charge stemming from allegations that he assaulted the mother of his child. Hayes, a Westinghouse graduate, was sentenced to time served — a day at Allegheny County Jail — by Magisterial District Judge Nicholas Martini. “Dayon enjoys...
Pitt notebook: Narduzzi says Miami matters in final game of regular season
Pat Narduzzi sounded almost offended when it was suggested a team’s focus could be disrupted by such things as: • Last regular-season game. • No championship at stake. • Bowl eligibility secured. • Thanksgiving. All those things surround Pitt’s players and coaches this week while they prepare for a Saturday...
Pitt men’s soccer reaches NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for 3rd consecutive season
The Pitt men’s soccer team is starting to make a habit of Sweet 16 appearances in the NCAA Tournament. For the third year in a row, Pitt (10-4-5, 3-2-3 ACC) earned its berth Sunday with a 3-0 victory at No. 16 Akron’s FirstEnergy Stadium. The victory was historic for another...
First Call: Joe Burrow on T.J. Watt’s interception; Steelers-Colts game has different tone; Darrelle Revis’ honor
Monday’s “First Call” has Joe Burrow’s assessment of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt after yet another eye-popping interception. Next week’s game for the Steelers no longer appears to be the joke people were making it out to be two weeks ago. A former Pitt Panthers star is getting a well-deserved...
Pitt men recover from slow start, pound Alabama State
Not unlike most teams playing power conference basketball, Pitt’s roster has plenty of players who can run, jump, pass and shoot at a high level. The trick that good teams master is combining the mental with the physical. That’s what Pitt coach Jeff Capel and his players confronted Sunday afternoon,...
Pitt Take 5: Solid run defense carries Pitt to winning season
Several storylines surfaced after Pitt stretched its streak of victories to three games and assured itself of the sixth winning season in coach Pat Narduzzi’s eight seasons. None more definitively defined Narduzzi’s tenure more than his run defense. It played out just like he planned in the 28-26 victory Saturday...
Despite sloppy finish vs. Duke, Pitt carries momentum into regular-season finale
Saturday afternoon’s game at Acrisure Stadium brought together two ACC teams heating up late in the year, with Pitt and Duke jockeying for positioning in the Coastal Division standings with bowl season approaching. And the Panthers’ 28-26 victory gave them more momentum heading into next weekend’s finale at Miami. Pitt...
Pitt survives scare from Duke to record 3rd straight victory
Rightfully and without any apologies, Pitt’s 28-26 victory against Duke on Saturday goes under the “W” column in the ACC standings. It was Pitt’s seventh against four losses, an encouraging third in a row during a troubling season where the offense has struggled to find solid ground. There also was...
Pitt Take 5: Historic 9-victory season still possible
SirVocea Dennis doesn’t like some of what’s happened to Pitt this season, but he believes there’s still time to do something about it. A nine-victory season remains in Pitt’s grasp with Duke coming to Acrisure Stadium on Saturday. After that, the regular-season finale is Nov. 26 at Miami (a fourth...
Without John Hugley, Pitt loses consolation game of Legends Classic, 71-67
When dissecting what went wrong Thursday night in VCU’s 71-67 victory against Pitt at Barclays Center, it’s important to note that both teams played without their best players. While playing 22 minutes upon his return from a six-week absence due to a preseason knee injury, John Hugley hurt the other...
In the final 2 weeks of Pitt’s regular season, Pat Narduzzi won’t allow players to relax
While looking out his office window that overlooks the South Side practice fields, Pat Narduzzi was getting anxious Thursday morning, almost to the cusp of anger. Was his mood based on an unsatisfactory week of practice as his team prepared to confront Duke on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium? Was he...
Pitt grad Kathryn Nesbitt among group of 1st women referees for World Cup
Of the 129 officials set to work the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, Kathryn Nesbitt has among the most intriguing backgrounds. Soccer and chemistry form the dichotomy of Nesbitt’s resume, and in both sport and science, she is equally accomplished. Nesbitt’s first taste as a soccer referee came in a...