Belief led kicker Ben Sauls to become one of the most reliable players on Pitt’s roster
Two years ago, equipped with a scholarship and a strong leg, Ben Sauls could not win Pitt’s kicking job over a walk-on who is no longer on the team. But in the fall of 2022 and now, in the spring of 2023, Sauls is and has been one of the...
‘Near-death’ experience as a child motivates Pitt long snapper Byron Floyd to give back
On a cold December day, a week before Christmas 2011, two young brothers walked outside their grandpap’s house in the tiny town of Waite Hill, Ohio. They planned to toss a football around for a short time before returning to the warmth of the house where they had been watching...
Blake Zubovic, Jake Kradel return for final opportunity on Pitt’s offensive line
Blake Zubovic was honest about the 2022 Pitt football season. “It was a good year,” he said. “Nine wins, you know, it doesn’t happen that often.” But he was sweating inside Pitt’s indoor practice facility Thursday after the fifth day of spring drills for a specific reason. “We felt there...
With new ‘shark’s teeth,’ Pitt defense hopes to thrive under familiar coaching staff
Brandon George called the process of changing the look of Pitt’s defense not unlike what happens when a shark loses a tooth. “Replace it after one falls out,” he said. A shark enjoys lifelong regeneration of its teeth, but a college football team only can hope to be as fortunate...
Pitt moves ahead with $240M plan for new arena, sports performance center
University of Pittsburgh officials Tuesday provided city planners with an overview of their plans for a $240 million arena and sports performance center on the Oakland campus. The proposed Victory Heights facility would be located near Petersen Events Center on Terrace Street, on the site of the former Pitt Stadium,...
Nebraska tight end Eric Ingwerson joins Pitt’s 2024 recruiting class
Pitt continued its strong early start to the 2024 recruiting season Tuesday when tight end Eric Ingwerson announced his verbal commitment to the Panthers. Ingwerson, who will be a senior at Papillion-La Vista South High School in Nebraska, is the sixth member of coach Pat Narduzzi’s current class of prospects...
Analysis: Pitt’s Jeff Capel has the benefit of this season to help rebuild for 2023-24
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Somewhere in America — possibly on one of those TVs above the bar where you’re watching or planning to watch March Madness — there are players who might be able to help Pitt next season. They could come from anywhere. At this time last season, who knew...
Pitt notebook: Bittersweet weekend for athletic director Heather Lyke
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The 16 or so hours between Saturday night and Sunday afternoon carried Heather Lyke from one emotional focal point to another. First, Pitt senior Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park) won a wrestling national championship at 197 pounds Saturday night in Tulsa, Okla. Pitt’s athletic director was with the...
Pitt bows out of NCAA Tournament after loss to Xavier
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The pure basketball part of Pitt’s 84-73 loss to Xavier on Sunday was painfully obvious to anyone watching, either from the Pitt bench or among the sellout crowd at Greensboro Coliseum. The Musketeers (27-9) were dominant for much of the first half, bludgeoning the Panthers with 48...
Nino Bonaccorsi wins Pitt’s 1st NCAA wrestling title in 15 years; Penn State wins team race
Nino Bonaccorsi, a 197-pound Bethel Park graduate, became Pitt’s first NCAA wrestling champion in 15 years Saturday night, and he didn’t have to wait long to receive congratulations from the last Panther to achieve that honor. Bonaccorsi defeated South Dakota State’s Tanner Sloan, 5-3, to become Pitt’s 17th national champion....
Sean Miller wanted to remember Pitt as a player, not as its head coach
GREENSBORO, N.C. — If Sean Miller wanted to be Pitt’s basketball coach or if the university’s administrators or boosters wanted it to happen (and some from that group did), he said Saturday he is glad his career veered in other directions. Miller’s Xavier team will meet Pitt on Sunday in...
NCAA Tournament notebook: How the Diaz Graham twins found their way to Pitt
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Jeff Capel’s career in college basketball stretches back to the turn of the century. Since that time, he has been a host for many recruits. But the day prep stars Guillermo and Jorge Diaz Graham showed up at Pitt with their family — extended family, really —...
Pitt notebook: Black uniforms suit Pitt just fine
Fans have expressed plenty of angst this week after Pitt’s players decided to wear their black uniforms instead of the royal blue that has been so popular for football and basketball. Guess what. Greg Elliott said you can stop complaining. In his mind, black uniforms have helped fuel the team...
Defense leads Pitt to 59-41 NCAA Tournament victory against Iowa State
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Guillermo Diaz Graham just couldn’t help it. He needed to open his mouth and unleash all his emotion with one scream. Even though he would rather not. Screaming is what everybody — Pitt players, coaches and, especially, the 16,150 at Greensboro Coliseum — were doing Friday while...
Pitt’s Federiko Federiko doesn’t start, may play against Iowa State
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Federiko Federiko may play in Pitt’s first-round game Friday against Iowa State, but he was not announced as a starter before the game. Freshman Guillermo Diaz Graham started in his place. The TruTV telecast reported that Federiko has a sprained MCL in his knee, but he entered...
Penn State takes wrestling lead after Day 1; Spencer Lee advances
TULSA, Okla. — Cornell’s Yianni Diakomihalis and Iowa’s Spencer Lee remain on track to win their fourth Division I wrestling titles, and Penn State leads the team race after the opening day of action at the national championships on Thursday. Lee, a Franklin Regional grad, pinned Air Force’s Tucker Owens...
Pitt students gear up for March Madness game against Iowa State with cautious optimism
So, maybe it’s not full-on madness — at least not yet. But with the University of Pittsburgh’s men’s basketball team set to face Iowa State University on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, Panthers fans who haven’t had a tournament win to celebrate since 2014 are...
Pitt notebook: Blake Hinson puts his time at Iowa State off limits, but he welcomes talk about Barack Obama
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Turns out, Blake Hinson prefers talking about Barack Obama, his Pitt teammates and the city of Pittsburgh more than he does his former team, Iowa State. Hinson sat on stage Thursday and was peppered with questions about Iowa State, where he spent the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons....
Amid all his coaches, Pitt’s Jamarius Burton still welcomes mom’s halftime texts
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Jeff Capel almost never sits down during games. He’s always pacing the Pitt sideline, directing player traffic and, occasionally, pleading with officials. Meanwhile, several of his assistants regularly are bouncing off their chairs, waving their arms and shouting instructions toward the court. All that said, Pitt senior...
Sean Miller back in the NCAA Tournament with Xavier, but Vanderbilt loss with Pitt sticks with him
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Sean Miller turned 54 years old this season, with almost that many years of basketball fame, fortune and success behind him. At present, Miller is consumed by the 2023 NCAA Tournament, bringing his No. 3-seeded Xavier team to Greensboro, N.C., to meet No. 14 Kennesaw State at...
Pitt, Duquesne involved in talks to play football game at Acrisure Stadium
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Pitt and Duquesne officials are in the midst of talks that could bring their football teams together for the first time since 1939, possibly in one of the next few seasons at Acrisure Stadium, Pitt Athletic Director Heather Lyke said Thursday. Duquesne has played Power 5 schools...
Tim Benz: Tournament expansion is a bad idea — but if the NCAA can’t resist, here’s how to do it
Thursday and Friday mark what many feel to be two of the best days of the sports year: the first two days of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament. Perfectly timed on the sports calendar. Perfectly formatted with its fan-friendly three-week-long bracket system. Perfectly packaged with its survive-and-advance drama, and David...
Pitt adds verbal commitment from Ohio defensive tackle Francis Brewu
Pitt upped its number of verbal commitments for the Class of 2024 to five Thursday morning, as three-star defensive tackle Francis Brewu announced a pledge to the Panthers on Twitter. #BLESSED I am extremely excited to announce that I am 100% committed to play football and continue my academic career...
U mad, bro?: Steelers free agency, Pitt coverage, Tristan Jarry, Pens roster decisions put the ‘mad’ in ‘March Madness’
March Madness is upon us, but Pittsburgh sports fans don’t seem that mad about Pitt. They’re mainly mad about the Steelers, the Penguins and my coverage of both teams. OK, and a little mad about Pitt too. Here’s this week’s “U mad, bro?” Tim sent me an email after Penguins...
Pitt’s Guillermo Diaz Graham likes the flavor of his first taste of March Madness
When Guillermo Diaz Graham walked onto the UD Arena floor for Pitt’s First Four NCAA Tournament game Tuesday, he was startled by the enormity of the crowd. Born in the Canary Islands 20 years ago, Guillermo and his twin brother, Jorge, had been playing basketball for years. Why such a...
