University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Program Record Five Panthers Earn All-ACC Honors
11/1/2023 2:02:00 PM | Women's Soccer
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The University of Pittsburgh women's soccer team is represented by five student-athletes who secured All-ACC honors as announced by the conference office Wednesday afternoon. This is the most student-athletes in program history who have garnered all-league honors in a single season.
All-ACC First Team
The Pittsburgh, PA native, Sarah Schupansky was selected to the All-ACC First-Team – becoming the only Panther to ever receive this honor. The forward is paving the way for the Panthers - leading in goals (10), assists (10) and points (30). Schupansky earned the ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors in the first week of play this season after her key set pieces in the matchup against Bucknell. Her efforts throughout the season have helped the Panthers make history by upsetting Duke, breaking the program record in goals, assists, points, ACC Wins and first ever win in the ACC Championships. In the historic game against UNC, Schupansky posted the second assist to Landy Mertz who crossed it to Amanda West to complete the game winning goal. This was the first ever win against the Tar Heels in program history which secured the Panthers' spot in the ACC Championship Semifinals.
Schupansky is currently ranked in the top-10 in the ACC for assists per game (0.53), game-winning goals (3), goals per game (0.53), shot accuracy (0.500), points per game (1.58), shots per game (2.95), shots on goal per game (1.47), total assists (10), total goals (10), and total points (30). Schupansky also earned a spot on the TopDrawerSoccer mid-season Top-100 list – coming in at No. 42.
All-ACC Second Team
For the fourth time in her career, Amanda West earned All-ACC honors (second team (2023, 2020)), third team (2021,2019)). After her comeback from injury last season, West come out ready to tack on to her records here at Pitt. This Panther captain has been nothing short of monumental for this squad – posting nine goals, eight assists, and 26 points so far this season. Her contributions this year continue to hold the all-time scoring and assist leader title to her name. West's efforts in the historic game against North Carolina secured the spot in the semifinals in the ACC Championships for the Panthers. The fifth year headed in the game-winning-goal in the first 10-minute overtime period after a clean assist from Mertz and Schupansky.
West is currently ranked in the top-10 in the ACC for assists per game (0.37), goals per game (0.47), points per game (1.32), shot accuracy (0.520), shots per game (3.95), shots on goal per game (2.05), total assists (7), total goals (9), and total points (25).
All-ACC Third Team
Three Panthers placed their names on the All-ACC Third Team: Landy Mertz, Samiah Phiri, and Deborah Abiodun. Mertz, Phiri and Abiodun join West as the only Panthers in program history to earn this honor.
This is Mertz second consecutive year receiving this honor after earning a spot on the All-ACC Third-Team last year for her key efforts to the historic 2022 season. The Pittsburgh, PA native was the star performer in the ACC Championship Quarterfinals on Sunday night - producing key set pieces for the Panthers' victory. Her efforts helped the Panthers secure their first win in program history against the Tar Heels and their first ever win in the ACC Championships. Due to her strong work on the field, Mertz also landed a spot on the TopDrawerSoccer Team of the Week.
Currently, Mertz is ranked in the top-10 in the conference for assists per game (0.47), shot accuracy (0.531), shots on goal per game (1.37) and total assists (9).
Phiri earns her first All-ACC team accolade after quickly rising to one of Pitt's most key players this season. The junior has produced four game winning goals against Drexel, Bucknell, Cincinnati and Virginia Tech to lead the Panthers. She has been a strong contributor in the front pack, leading the pack in goals with Schupansky – both having ten goals on the season. Phiri also earned a spot on the TopDrawerSoccer mid-season Top-100 list – coming in at No. 80.
Phiri is ranked in the top-10 in the ACC for game-winning goals (4), goals per game (0.53), points per game (1.21), shots per game (3.21), shots on goal per game (1.37), total goals (10), and total points (23).
Midfielder Abiodun has secured a spot on both the All-ACC Third Team and the All- ACC Freshman Team. Abiodun is the third Pitt player named to the All-ACC Freshman Team, joining Katie Zailski (2022) and West (2019). The freshman has started in 14 out of the 17 games played this season – totaling 1004 minutes. This key player came in ready to contribute to the history making team. Abiodun has posted four goals and three points on the season thus far – totaling 11 points. Along with these two honors, Abiodun also earned a spot on the TopDrawerSoccer mid-season Top-100 Freshman list earlier this season – coming in at No. 16.
Abiodun is currently ranked in the top-10 in the ACC for shot accuracy (0.500).
These five key Panthers helped Pitt set program records for overall ACC wins in the regular season – totaling six. The team has also set records in goals (52), assists (55), points (157), corner kicks (170), and broke the record for most home wins in a single season with eight after going 8-0-1 at Ambrose Urbanic Field. This team also set records this season in upsets after taking the win against Duke and North Carolina this season.
