University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Reigning ACC Coastal Champs Announce Conference Schedule
11/20/2018 3:00:00 PM | Softball
Panthers to Play Eight ACC Series on the Season
PITTSBURGH – Entering her first season at the helm of the University of Pittsburgh softball team, head coach Jodi Hermanek has announced the Panthers' 2019 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) schedule.
Pitt is coming off a 2018 season in which it captured the ACC Coastal Division Championship for the first time in program history after compiling a 16-6 conference record. The Panthers also won seven of their eight ACC series, with both their conference wins and series wins being program highs since joining the league in 2014.
"Pitt is playing in one of the best softball conferences in the nation," said Hermanek. "Our goal is to repeat success and remain atop the ACC in 2019. We are playing a very challenging non-conference schedule that will prepare us for the consistent level of elite softball in the ACC."
The Panthers' conference schedule consists of eight series and 24 games in total, with a split of 12 home matchups and 12 road contests.
The 2019 squad will open conference play with a three-game road series in Charlottesville, Va., against the Cavaliers (March 8-10). The Panthers swept Virginia in last year's series and own a 9-7 all-time series edge over the Cavaliers.
Pitt's next conference series will be played in Durham, N.C., against the Blue Devils (March 15-17), who enter just their second year as a softball program. The Panthers took two of three against Duke in its inaugural season. The Blue Devils compiled a 29-27 overall record and 13-11 mark in conference play last year.
The Panthers first home ACC matchup will come against Virginia Tech (March 22-24). Pitt won each of its three contests against the Hokies last season, winning a regular season doubleheader while also topping Virginia Tech, 6-4, in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.
Pitt will then welcome North Carolina (March 29-31) to Vartabedian Field. The Panthers went 3-1 against the Tar Heels last season, taking two of three in their regular season series before earning a 3-0 victory over UNC in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. North Carolina closed out the 2018 slate with a 30-26 overall record, including a 15-8 conference mark.
The Panthers will then head to Atlanta, Ga., for a matchup with the Yellow Jackets (April 12-14). Pitt went 2-1 against Georgia Tech last year and owns a 12-7 all-time series lead over the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech finished the 2018 season with a 28-26 overall record and a 13-11 ACC record, eventually falling to UNC in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.
Pitt's last ACC road series of the season will come in Syracuse, N.Y., as it faces the Orange (April 19-21). Syracuse went 30-20 last year with a 9-12 conference mark. The two teams did not face each other last season. The Panthers' last win against the Orange came April 12, 2015, with Pitt earning the 10-7 victory.
The Panthers will then head back home as they welcome Notre Dame (April 26-28) to Pittsburgh. The Fighting Irish finished the 2018 slate with a 34-23 overall record and a 13-10 mark in conference play, advancing to the NCAA Tournament, where they beat Michigan twice while falling to Kentucky two times. The two teams did not face each other last season, with Pitt's last win over the Irish coming via an 8-1 ACC Tournament victory May 7, 2015.
Pitt's final games of the regular season will feature an ACC home matchup with Boston College (May 3-5). The Eagles went 30-23 overall last season while compiling a 13-10 conference record. The last time Pitt and Boston College met, the Panthers came out with a 4-2 win March 25, 2017.
This year's ACC Tournament will be held in Tallahassee, Fla., from May 8-11.
The Panthers return 15 players from a roster that won its first ACC Coastal Division Championship in program history a season ago. Returning to the team are seniors Sarah Dawson, Marissa DeMatteo, Gabrielle Fredericks, Olivia Gray, Taylor Myers, Taylor Rahach, Alexis Solak and Nava Susi, juniors Alexee Haynes, Brittany Knight, Kaitlyn Kruger and Connor McGaffic and sophomores Morgan Batesole, Brie Horrell and Hunter Levesque.
Among the returnees are multiple key contributors to last year's success. Kruger earned NFCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Third Team recognition a season ago, while Gray received First Team All-ACC honors, Levesque was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team and Dawson earned ACC All-Tournament Team accolades.
The Panthers also welcome four newcomers to the team in freshmen Hannah Bach, Abby Edwards, Katlyn Pavlick and Sarah Seamans.
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Pitt is coming off a 2018 season in which it captured the ACC Coastal Division Championship for the first time in program history after compiling a 16-6 conference record. The Panthers also won seven of their eight ACC series, with both their conference wins and series wins being program highs since joining the league in 2014.
"Pitt is playing in one of the best softball conferences in the nation," said Hermanek. "Our goal is to repeat success and remain atop the ACC in 2019. We are playing a very challenging non-conference schedule that will prepare us for the consistent level of elite softball in the ACC."
The Panthers' conference schedule consists of eight series and 24 games in total, with a split of 12 home matchups and 12 road contests.
The 2019 squad will open conference play with a three-game road series in Charlottesville, Va., against the Cavaliers (March 8-10). The Panthers swept Virginia in last year's series and own a 9-7 all-time series edge over the Cavaliers.
Pitt's next conference series will be played in Durham, N.C., against the Blue Devils (March 15-17), who enter just their second year as a softball program. The Panthers took two of three against Duke in its inaugural season. The Blue Devils compiled a 29-27 overall record and 13-11 mark in conference play last year.
The Panthers first home ACC matchup will come against Virginia Tech (March 22-24). Pitt won each of its three contests against the Hokies last season, winning a regular season doubleheader while also topping Virginia Tech, 6-4, in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.
Pitt will then welcome North Carolina (March 29-31) to Vartabedian Field. The Panthers went 3-1 against the Tar Heels last season, taking two of three in their regular season series before earning a 3-0 victory over UNC in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. North Carolina closed out the 2018 slate with a 30-26 overall record, including a 15-8 conference mark.
The Panthers will then head to Atlanta, Ga., for a matchup with the Yellow Jackets (April 12-14). Pitt went 2-1 against Georgia Tech last year and owns a 12-7 all-time series lead over the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech finished the 2018 season with a 28-26 overall record and a 13-11 ACC record, eventually falling to UNC in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.
Pitt's last ACC road series of the season will come in Syracuse, N.Y., as it faces the Orange (April 19-21). Syracuse went 30-20 last year with a 9-12 conference mark. The two teams did not face each other last season. The Panthers' last win against the Orange came April 12, 2015, with Pitt earning the 10-7 victory.
The Panthers will then head back home as they welcome Notre Dame (April 26-28) to Pittsburgh. The Fighting Irish finished the 2018 slate with a 34-23 overall record and a 13-10 mark in conference play, advancing to the NCAA Tournament, where they beat Michigan twice while falling to Kentucky two times. The two teams did not face each other last season, with Pitt's last win over the Irish coming via an 8-1 ACC Tournament victory May 7, 2015.
Pitt's final games of the regular season will feature an ACC home matchup with Boston College (May 3-5). The Eagles went 30-23 overall last season while compiling a 13-10 conference record. The last time Pitt and Boston College met, the Panthers came out with a 4-2 win March 25, 2017.
This year's ACC Tournament will be held in Tallahassee, Fla., from May 8-11.
The Panthers return 15 players from a roster that won its first ACC Coastal Division Championship in program history a season ago. Returning to the team are seniors Sarah Dawson, Marissa DeMatteo, Gabrielle Fredericks, Olivia Gray, Taylor Myers, Taylor Rahach, Alexis Solak and Nava Susi, juniors Alexee Haynes, Brittany Knight, Kaitlyn Kruger and Connor McGaffic and sophomores Morgan Batesole, Brie Horrell and Hunter Levesque.
Among the returnees are multiple key contributors to last year's success. Kruger earned NFCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region Third Team recognition a season ago, while Gray received First Team All-ACC honors, Levesque was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team and Dawson earned ACC All-Tournament Team accolades.
The Panthers also welcome four newcomers to the team in freshmen Hannah Bach, Abby Edwards, Katlyn Pavlick and Sarah Seamans.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
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