University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Fairbanks, Noel Named PNC Achievers of the Week
12/5/2022 2:09:00 PM | General
PITTSBURGH – Volleyball's Rachel Fairbanks and Men's Soccer's Valentin Noel have been named PNC Achievers of the Week after leading their squads to victory in their respective NCAA Tournaments.
Fairbanks became the first Panther to ever achieve a triple-double in an NCAA Tournament match, recording 10 kills, 28 assists and 13 digs, in Pitt's 3-0 sweep over BYU to lead the Panthers to their third-straight Sweet 16 berth. It was her second triple-double of the season after recording 13 kills, 15 assists and 12 digs at Texas A&M earlier this season (Aug. 28). She is the first Panther to record multiple triple-doubles in the same season since Carrie Norris recorded four back in 2001.
She is the only player in the last seven NCAA Tournaments to achieve a triple-double in a three-set NCAA Tournament match and is one of just two players in the last four NCAA Tournaments to record a triple-double of any kind.
Fairbanks and the Panthers continue their NCAA Tournament run at this Thursday at 3:30 ET against Florida. The match will be held at the UW Field House in Madison, Wisconsin as the first of two Regional Semifinals. The winner of the Pitt vs. Florida match will play the winner of Wisconsin vs. Penn State on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. All matches will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Noel was once again the hero for the Panthers on Saturday afternoon as he sent the Panthers on to their second College Cup in the last three years. Noel took a Bertin Jacquesson cross and headed home the game-winning goal for Pitt in the 104th minute against Portland as the Panthers earned the 1-0 double overtime victory. He has now scored in three straight NCAA Tournament games and has a total of four goals through four postseason matches. The goal marked Noel's team-leading 11th of the season as he is now in second place in career goals (35) and third place in career points (82). He is just one point shy of tying the program record for points in a career (83).
Noel and the Panthers will take on Indiana in the Final Four on Friday, Dec. 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. The match will be broadcast on ESPNU with the National Championship match scheduled for Monday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. ET.
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Fairbanks became the first Panther to ever achieve a triple-double in an NCAA Tournament match, recording 10 kills, 28 assists and 13 digs, in Pitt's 3-0 sweep over BYU to lead the Panthers to their third-straight Sweet 16 berth. It was her second triple-double of the season after recording 13 kills, 15 assists and 12 digs at Texas A&M earlier this season (Aug. 28). She is the first Panther to record multiple triple-doubles in the same season since Carrie Norris recorded four back in 2001.
She is the only player in the last seven NCAA Tournaments to achieve a triple-double in a three-set NCAA Tournament match and is one of just two players in the last four NCAA Tournaments to record a triple-double of any kind.
Fairbanks and the Panthers continue their NCAA Tournament run at this Thursday at 3:30 ET against Florida. The match will be held at the UW Field House in Madison, Wisconsin as the first of two Regional Semifinals. The winner of the Pitt vs. Florida match will play the winner of Wisconsin vs. Penn State on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. All matches will be broadcast on ESPNU.
Noel was once again the hero for the Panthers on Saturday afternoon as he sent the Panthers on to their second College Cup in the last three years. Noel took a Bertin Jacquesson cross and headed home the game-winning goal for Pitt in the 104th minute against Portland as the Panthers earned the 1-0 double overtime victory. He has now scored in three straight NCAA Tournament games and has a total of four goals through four postseason matches. The goal marked Noel's team-leading 11th of the season as he is now in second place in career goals (35) and third place in career points (82). He is just one point shy of tying the program record for points in a career (83).
Noel and the Panthers will take on Indiana in the Final Four on Friday, Dec. 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. The match will be broadcast on ESPNU with the National Championship match scheduled for Monday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. ET.
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