Pitt Hosts UMBC to Wrap Up Non-Conference Play

PITTSBURGH – The No. 8 Pitt volleyball team (8-2, 0-0 ACC) will host the UMBC Retrievers (6-4, 0-0 America East) on Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. at the Fitzgerald Field House. The match will be available on ACCNX. This marks the last non-conference match of the season before the Panthers begin ACC play this weekend.

Pitt and UMBC will play for the fourth time in program history, as the Panthers hold a 3-0 advantage. The most recent meeting between the two dates to Dec. 3, 2021, where the Panthers hosted the Retrievers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before sweeping them at the Petersen Events Center.

UMBC is coming off a successful 2022 season, going 17-9 and advancing to the first round of the NCAA Tournament once again before falling to Penn State, 3-0. They are led by Kamani Conteh who was recently named the America East Player of the Week and Grubisic Cabo, the reigning America East Freshman of the Week.

NOTES
BLOCK PARTY
• The Pitt Panthers are currently third in the nation in blocks per set (3.13).
• Emma Monks is first in the ACC and sixth in the nation in blocks per set (1.62).
• Chiamaka Nwokolo, Rachel Jepsen, Olivia Babcock and Emma Monks have all registered at least six blocks in a match so far this season.

STAFFORD SHINES
• Freshman Torrey Stafford was named ACC Freshman of the Week (9/18/23) for the first time after her impressive performance in the Panther Challenge.
• Stafford registered 32 kills, 14 digs, eight blocks and six aces during the three-day span.

SWEET SWEEP
• Pitt looked impressive against No. 24 Marquette and Loyola Chicago, sweeping both.
• Chiamaka Nwokolo registered a season-high seven blocks against Loyola Chicago while Emma Monks averaged 2.0 blocks per set.

PANTHERS CLAIM ACC HONORS
• Olivia Babcock earned back-to-back ACC Freshman of the Week honors after registering 21 kills, eight blocks and seven digs againt Marquette and Loyola Chicago.
• Emma Monks was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time after recording 13 kills, 12 blocks and a pair of digs against the Golden Eagles and Ramblers.

84 LUMBER SWEEP
• The Panthers swept the 84 Lumber Classic series against then No. 15 Kentucky. Pitt beat the Wildcats 3-0 in Lexington on Friday night and earned a 3-1 win in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
• Rachel Fairbanks registered her first double-double of the season with 25 assists and 15 digs.