Former Pitt center Federiko Federiko makes verbal commitment to Texas Tech
Less than a month after entering the NCAA transfer portal, former Pitt center Federiko Federiko has found a new home, making a verbal commitment to Texas Tech on Wednesday.
????BREAKING????#TexasTech has received a commitment from Pittsburgh transfer center Federiko Federiko (@Federiko_F)!!
One of the best defenders in the ACC is headed to Lubbock #GunsUp #WreckEm pic.twitter.com/GAu2I3DzEe
— RedRaiderSports.com (@RedRaiderSports) April 17, 2024
Federiko made 53 starts over the past two seasons and was a major contributor to Pitt’s run to the 2023 NCAA Tournament. He was a defensive threat and a shot blocker — one of the ACC’s best in those areas — but never was a consistent point producer.
He recorded 101 blocks in two seasons and averaged 5.2 rebounds per game. His scoring average fell to 4.7 this season from 6.6 in 2022-23.
But he shot a high percentage, mainly from the paint area. In two seasons, he never attempted a 3-point shot, but he shot 65.4% from the field (159 of 243) in 68 games.
Born in Egypt and raised in Finland, Federiko played locally at First Love Christian Academy in Washington County before matriculating to Northern Oklahoma where he was an honorable mention junior college All-American in 2021-22.
He was joined in the transfer portal this year by former Pitt forward William Jeffress.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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