Pitt lands outside linebacker Kamara of Akron, N.J. athlete DeShields, Florida DE Belgrave
Pitt landed a versatile safety/outside linebacker for its Class of 2020 on Sunday when Bangally Kamara of Akron East High School tweeted his intentions to enroll next year. He is one of five prospects to verbally commit to Pat Narduzzi this weekend, according to the coach’s Pat Signal tweets. Only...
Pitt gets 6 on list of top 100 football players in the ACC
Inching closer to the start of the college football season, I came across some interesting reading that sheds what appears to be a clear light on the best players on Pitt’s team. Jim Johnson (not that one, but the editor of southernpigskin.com) ranked the top 100 players in the ACC,...
Detroit Tigers select Pitt product, Norwin grad Connor Perry in 28th round
A couple of major league teams called during Day 2 of the MLB Draft, but they decided to pass on Connor Perry. More calls came during Day 3. Still, nothing. Perry’s nerves were tested, but during the 28th round, he got a call from the Detroit Tigers. The conversation went...
Pitt names star-studded 12-member Hall of Fame class
Pitt announced a dozen athletes ranging from All-Americans to All-Pros will be welcomed to its Hall of Fame in 2019. The 12-member class will be inducted Sept. 20 at Petersen Events Center and introduced at Heinz Field when the Panthers play UCF on Sept. 21. Sam Clancy, men’s basketball: A...
Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi improves to No. 42 in Sporting News’ ranking of college football coaches
The college football off-season has only about a month left, which makes it time for Sporting News’ annual ranking of the coaches, 1-130. Not surprisingly, the top 25 is the exclusive domain of the Power 5, led by the Big Ten with seven coaches, followed by the SEC with six,...
Pitt’s Qadree Ollison could be ‘dangerous’ with Falcons’ offense, NFL analyst says
It wasn’t the strongest NFL draft class for running backs. But Pitt’s Qadree Ollison may be one of the most impactful of the bunch. That’s according to NFL.com’s Gil Brandt. Here’s what he said about the Falcons’ fifth-round pick. “In a perfect world for the Falcons, Devonta Freeman and Ito...
List of top NFL rookie running backs includes Pitt’s Qadree Ollison
An NFL.com ranking of the top five projected rookie running backs this season includes someone who has spent time working out on the fields at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Hint: It is not Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie Benny Snell Jr. Rather, former Pitt running back Qadree Ollison made the list compiled...
Pitt adds 5th basketball recruit in graduate transfer Eric Hamilton
Pitt added to its frontcourt depth by signing the fifth member of its 2019 recruiting class in graduate transfer Eric Hamilton, a power forward who has played at Wichita State and UNC Greensboro. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound Hamilton averaged 6.1 points and 4.4 rebounds in 16.3 minutes a game last season...
Pitt adds 6-9 grad transfer Eric Hamilton
Jeff Capel added an important piece to his front line Thursday when grad transfer Eric Hamilton, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound power forward, announced on his Twitter account his plans to enroll this season. #ShockerNation ??#UNCG ??#ZooEra it’s our time NOW ???? #BetOnYourself pic.twitter.com/OMzEUYKD6t— Eric Hamilton (@iAM_EH25) June 6, 2019 Hamilton, who...
Pitt to host Rutgers basketball in Big Ten/ACC Challenge
The Pitt men’s basketball team will host Rutgers in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Dec. 3 at Petersen Events Center, the university announced Thursday. Pitt is 2-3 all-time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, going 1-1 at home. The Panthers lost at No. 14 Iowa, 69-68, last year. “The Big Ten/ACC...
Podcast part 4: Going one-on-one with Mike Ditka
What is Mike Ditka’s favorite thing to do when he returns to the Pittsburgh area? What is his favorite type of cigar? Gus Frerotte and Dave Hager go one-on-one with the former Pitt All-American and Pro Football Hall of Famer in the final segment of this week’s “Huddle Up with...
Pitt AD Heather Lyke hopes tailgaters someday can set up tents outside Heinz Field
Heather Lyke has a vision, and in her mind, it’s more than a dream. One of these days, Pitt’s athletic director hopes to be driving to her team’s football game, and as she turns toward Heinz Field, she can’t see the parking lots. But that’s a good thing because all...
ACC Network expected to increase exposure, revenue for its members including Pitt
Heather Lyke likes the exposure the ACC Network will give Pitt athletics when it launches Aug. 22. “It’s a national network,” Pitt’s athletic director said Wednesday while meeting with a small group of reporters. “So your brand goes across the country. It gives us the chance to tell the stories...
Norwin grad Connor Perry among 3 Pitt players drafted
The Pitt baseball program was well-represented on the third and final day of the MLB First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday. Center fielder Connor Perry, a Norwin graduate, was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 28th round (No. 832). Perry led the Panthers with 15 home runs this season while...
Podcast part 3: Mike Ditka talks coaching 1980s Chicago Bears
The 1985 Chicago Bears offense couldn’t help but be good, having practiced daily against one of the NFL’s all-time great defenses, Mike Ditka said. “If we didn’t defense ourselves, we were going to get killed,” Ditka told Gus Frerotte in the third part of this week’s “Huddle Up with Gus”...
Podcast: Mike Ditka recalls days at Pitt, getting drafted into NFL
Future Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka’s first professional football contract was for … $12,000. “I was the (fifth) player picked in the draft — $12,000 with a $6,000 signing bonus,” Ditka told Gus Frerotte during the second part of this week’s “Huddle Up with Gus” podcast. Ditka recalls...
Basketball will be secondary during Pitt’s trip to Italy in August
Basketball will be a part of the Pitt team’s upcoming trip to Italy, but players and coaches will see so much more outside of the Italian gymnasiums. School officials announced the team will leave Aug. 5 for a 10-day, eight-night trip with stops in Rome, Florence, Pisa, Bologna, Vicenza, and...
Podcast: Mike Ditka recalls growing up in Aliquippa, his drive to succeed
Mike Ditka, the former Pitt All-American and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, grew up wanting to be a dentist. “That didn’t work out, you can tell,” he told Gus Frerotte in the first part of this week’s “Huddle Up with Gus” podcast. Ditka tells the story of...
Pitt’s Micky Philllippi takes 2nd at world trials
Pitt red-shirt sophomore Micky Phillippi placed second at 61kg at the U23 World Team Trials on Saturday in Akron, Ohio. Phillippi (Derry), and Pitt teammates Cole Matthews (Reynolds), Taleb Rahmani and Nico Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park) all finished in the top eight. Phillippi lost to Cornell junior Chaz Tucker in the...
Joe Moore Award finds a permanent home in Pittsburgh
In Aaron Taylor’s mind, there are two appropriate places to display a trophy named after legendary coach Joe Moore and honoring college football’s top offensive line: • The school that wins it, of course, should get to display the 7-foot tall, 6-foot long, 3-foot wide, 800-pound “behemoth.” (Taylor’s word) •...
Last scheduled Pitt-Penn State game to be nationally televised on ABC
The last scheduled game between old rivals Pitt and Penn State will be nationally televised by ABC and will begin at noon Sept. 14 at Beaver Stadium. The game is the last of a four-game series between the schools. Penn State won two of the first three, 33-14 in 2017...
Super Bowl loss, other factors drive Aaron Donald
To stay a cut above the competition, Aaron Donald again trained this offseason by dodging knives. Fake blades, of course. But the results from the reaction exercises have certainly been real. The two-time reigning AP Defensive Player of the Year for the Los Angeles Rams by way of Pitt and...
Pitt’s Jeff Capel offers up-close insight on NBA Draft
Jeff Capel’s interest in this year’s NBA Draft goes beyond that of most Pittsburghers, actually most people in general. Before he became Pitt’s coach, Capel was directly involved in recruiting Duke stars Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish. When the NBA Draft opens June 20, Williamson is the likely...
Injuries don’t slow down Hampton grad Nate Sloan on Pitt track team
Nate Sloan has battled adversity for the majority of his college career. So on what could have been his last day of it, he was going to take some chances. The Hampton graduate challenged — and nearly defeated — indoor track and field national champion Yared Nuguse of Notre Dame...
Pitt adds graduate transfer linebacker Kylan Johnson to roster
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi added experience to his linebacker group Wednesday when graduate transfer Kylan Johnson officially joined the team from the University of Florida. Johnson earned three letters for the Gators, starting a total of nine games over three seasons (2016-18). His career totals include 83 tackles, 5 1/2...
