Pitt's Top Moments of 2024
Reminisce on some of the best goal scorers, record breakers and buzzer-beaters of the past year with a round-up of Pitt's Top Moments of 2024.
Pitt wins at Cameron Indoor Stadium
Men's Basketball | January 20
Blake Hinson scored 24 points on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting from three-point range as Pitt won in Cameron Indoor Stadium for the first time since 1979, beating No. 7 Duke, 80-76. Hinson went 8-of-10 from the floor and collected a team-high eight rebounds as the Panthers posted their first road win over an AP Top 10 team since a 57-54 win at No. 9 Villanova on Feb. 12, 2011.
Coach Verdi Wins First ACC Game at Pitt
Women's Basketball | January 25
The Pitt women's basketball team collected the first ACC win of head coach Tory Verdi's Pitt career knocking off the Virginia Cavaliers, 56-52, in Charlottesville. Aislin Malcolm scored 11 second half points and Pitt used a 24-6 third quarter surge to overcome a halftime deficit and secure the victory.
WON the day??
— Pitt Basketball (@Pitt_WBB) January 26, 2024
Congrats to coach Verdi on earning his first (of many) ACC wins.#H2P // #BeDifferent pic.twitter.com/sPwMsQ7YuR
Hinson Drops 41 in Home Rout of Louisville
Men's Basketball | February 17
Blake Hinson put on a dazzling offensive display as the Panthers punished Louisville from beyond the arc in an 86-59 rout at the Petersen Events Center. Hinson scored 41 points, tied for third most in program history, and matched his own school record with nine three-pointers. He finished the night 14-of-24 from the field, including 9-of-13 from three-point range, before exiting the game following his ninth three with 2:16 remaining.
Panthers Show Out at ACC Championships
Swimming & Diving | February 24
The Panthers' men’s and women’s diving programs had a strong showing at the 2024 ACC Championships in Greensboro, NC. Diver Cameron Cash won gold on the men’s 3m and platform competitions, becoming Pitt’s first diver to win an ACC title since 2017. Cash shattered the school record on platform that was set in 2015 with a total score of 448.95. Fellow diver Dylan Reed claimed silver on both the men’s 1-meter and 3-meter. Swimmer Max Matteazzi collected a silver medal of his own, taking second place in the 400 IM. The women’s 200 free relay finished fifth and broke the school record with their 1:29.09, securing its highest relay finish in Pitt’s ACC history.
Pitt Crowned Las Vegas College Baseball Classic Champs
Baseball | March 4
The Panthers won the inaugural Las Vegas College Baseball Classic in dominating fashion as they scored 19 runs in consecutive games to win the tournament. Their 38 runs in just 16 innings tied the program record for most runs over a two-game span. The Panthers had five All-Tournament Team selections, with catcher Jayden Melendez grabbing tournament MVP honors.
Panthers Place Five on Podium at ACC Championships
Wrestling | March 10
Cole Matthews won a silver medal at 141 pounds as Pitt put five individuals on the podium at the 2024 ACC Championship. Matthews earned his fifth career ACC medal after winning the conference title in 2022 and 2023 and bringing home bronze in 2020 and 2021.
Matthews defeated his fourth top five opponent of the 2023-24 season on Sunday to secure his first ACC silver medal. Pitt's senior used sudden victory to defeat No. 5 Lachlan McNeil, 4-1, of North Carolina in the semifinal before falling to No. 4 Ryan Jack of NC State by 4-1 decision after a decisive late takedown in the final.
Pitt had four other wrestlers earn bronze medals with Finn Solomon at 149 pounds, Reece Heller at 184, Mac Stout at 197 and Dayton Pitzer at heavyweight.
Seven Panthers Qualify for the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships
Wrestling | March
Pitt qualified seven individuals for the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships. All seven Panthers won at least one match, helping Pitt achieve a 26th-place team finish at the national tournament. It was the first time since 2014 that Pitt produced seven individual match winners at NCAAs.
Two Compete at National Collegiate Gymnastics Championships
Gymnastics | April 4
At the National Collegiate Gymnastics Championships in Ann Arbor, MI, Pitt was represented by Jah'Liyah Bedminster and Jordyn Ewing, who both excelled on floor. Bedminster, a senior, scored 9.825 and earned All-ACC Floor Team honors this season, while Ewing, a junior, delivered a 9.775 performance and also earned a spot on the All-ACC Floor Team. Both gymnasts qualified for the NCAA Regional Championships as individual specialists, marking the first time a Panther has reached this stage since 2012.
Coach Allard Reaches 700 Career Wins
Softball | April 9
Head Coach Jenny Allard reached 700 career wins as Pitt defeated Akron, 10-2, at the Lee R. Jackson Field. Coach Allard is one of 43 active division I head softball coaches to reach the 700-career win milestone.
Cash Named ACC Diver of the Year, Kasprzak ACC Diving Coach of the Year
Swimming & Diving | April 15
Cameron Cash was just the second Panther to earn Diver of the Year honors, while Kasprzak became the first female coach to earn an ACC Men's or Women's Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year accolade. Cash earned NCAA All-American honors on the 3-meter and Honorable Mention All-American honors on the platform. He secured gold on both the platform and 3-meter and earned the Most Valuable Diver award at the ACC Championships.
Kasprzak coached Cash to two ACC titles, Dylan Reed to earn a silver medal on both the 1-meter and the 3-meter and Jackson Salisbury to a fifth-place finish on the platform. Kasprzak had a combined 12 divers qualify for the NCAA Diving Zone A Championships, including having four men's divers qualify on all three boards.
Pitt Shuts Out No. 8 Florida State; Secures Series Win Over Seminoles
Baseball | May 10-12
The Panthers took two of three from No. 8 Florida State at Charles L. Cost Field, including a 1-0 shutout the Seminoles in a true pitcher’s duel in their series opener. Pitt’s starter Ryan Andrade threw seven shutout innings and struck out eight batters in arguably his best outing of the season. Closer Phil Fox struck out four and earned a six-out save as Pitt blanked Florida State, 1-0. First baseman Luke Cantwell put the only run of the ballgame on the board when he launched an opposite-field solo shot to left in the bottom of the sixth inning. Game two was played over two days due to weather, but Justin Fogel delivered for the Panthers in a 9-7 win. He launched two home runs to right field and finished 3-of-5 from the plate with four RBI and three runs scored.
Ilse Steigenga Becomes Pitt's First ACC Women’s Outdoor Champion
Track & Field | May 11
Steigenga became the first woman from Pitt to win an ACC Outdoor Championship, as she recorded a personal best 5,637 points in the heptathlon to win the crown, in what came down to the final race of the seven-part event. A native of Exmorra, Netherlands, Steigenga was named the ACC Women's Most Valuable Field Performer as she tallied 21 points in three separate events over the course of the conference meet. Steigenga earned ten points for her ACC Championship victory in the heptathlon, eight points for her second-place finish in the long jump, and three points for sixth place in the triple jump.
Five Panthers Compete in NCAA Outdoor Championships
Track & Field | June 8
Ilse Steigenga (Long Jump, Heptathlon), Malik Ricketts, Nigel Hussey, Stephon Brown, and Devin Nugent (4x400 meter relay team) competed in the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. All five Panthers earned Honorable Mention All-America status as Steigenga finished 20th in the country in the long jump and 22nd in the heptathlon. The men’s relay team placed 20th in the highly competitive meet.
Phil Fox Named an All-American
Baseball | June 14
RHP Phil Fox was named Pitt’s 13th All-American in program history this year, the first since 2016. The Pittsburgh native had a 1.47 ERA with eight saves and three wins over 23 appearances in 2024. His eight saves were the second-most in a single season in program history. And after just one season, Fox sits fourth all-time in Pitt history in career saves. Fox compiled 18 scoreless outings, nine hitless outings and earned saves against No. 7 Duke, No. 8 Florida State and No. 13 Virginia Tech. He became Pitt’s highest draft pick in six years when he was selected in the seventh round (199 overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox.
Carrington Selected in NBA Draft Lottery
Men's Basketball | June 26
Pitt guard Carlton Carrington was selected with the No. 14 pick by the Washington Wizards via a proposed trade with Portland in the 2024 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Baltimore, MD, native is the seventh Panther to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft and the first draftee directly out of Pitt since Lamar Patterson was taken in the second round of the 2014 draft.
Fox, Andrade Both Selected in Seventh Round of 2024 MLB Draft
Baseball | July 15
First Panther teammates selected in the same round of the same draft since 2011 ??? @foxphil22 ?? @whitesox @RyanAndrade24 ?? @RaysBaseball #H2P pic.twitter.com/QatG2mPYRt
— Pitt Baseball (@Pitt_BASE) July 15, 2024
All-American Phil Fox (199th overall) and Ryan Andrade (216th overall) were selected just minutes from each other during the seventh round of the 2024 MLB Draft. They were the first Pitt teammates to be taken in the same round of the same draft since 2011. Fox and Andrade were the highest draft selections of the Mike Bell Era. Under Bell, the program has now seen eight Panthers selected in the MLB Draft.
Panthers Named IWLCA Academic Honor Squad; Three Placed on Division I Honor Roll
Lacrosse | July 24
The Pitt lacrosse team was named a 2024 IWLCA Academic Honor Squad for the second consecutive year and three Panthers: Maureen McNierney, Audrey Moran and Abby Thorne were named to the Division I Honor Roll, announced by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association
Panthers Compete at the 2024 Paris Games
Swimming & Diving, Women's Soccer, Women's Basketball | August
Junior swimmer Jayla Pina represented Cape Verde in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France, competing in the 200 IM. Pina made her second appearance at the Olympic Games after competing in the Women's 100-meter breaststroke at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Under the direction of Coach Randy Waldrum, Pitt women's soccer student-athlete Deborah Abiodun and the Nigerian Super Falcons qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The Super Falcons topped South Africa 1-0 on aggregate over two legs in the Olympic Qualifying games to secure their spot at the 2024 Olympic Football Tournament.
After leading Azerbaijan to the FIBA 3x3 Qualifying Tournament title in mid-April, and punching the nation's ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics, Pitt alumna Marcedes Walker was officially announced as a member of the Olympic roster.
Walker, along with teammates Tiffany Hayes, Alexandra Mollenhauer and Dina Ulyanova, all represented Azerbaijan at the quadrennial event, marking the country's first-ever appearance.
Presenting… Your 2024 Pitt Panther OLYMPIANS ??
— Pitt Panthers (@Pitt_ATHLETICS) July 22, 2024
????: Deb Abiodun & Head Coach Randy Waldrum ??
????: Jayla Pina ?????
????: Marcedes Walker ?? pic.twitter.com/S6XGO0kJe1
Pitt Battles Back to Win the 107th Backyard Brawl
Football | September 14
Derrick Davis scored on a 1-yard dive with 32 seconds remaining and Pittsburgh rallied past West Virginia 38-34 in the 107th edition of the Backyard Brawl. The Panthers trailed by 10 with less than 5 minutes to go before Eli Holstein led a stirring comeback that added another memorable chapter in a rivalry that dates to 1895.
Pitt Men's Soccer Earn No. 1 Ranking
Men's Soccer | September 24
After starting the 2024 campaign unranked, the Pitt men's soccer team rose to No. 1, nationally, according to the Week 5 United Soccer Coaches Poll.
It marked the first time the Panthers occupied the top of the poll since the 2020-21 campaign.
Schupansky Sets Single-Season and Career Assists Records at Pitt
Women's Soccer | October 13
Sarah Schupansky assisted on an Ellie Coffield goal in the 86th minute of a 3-0 win over Syracuse to set the Pitt single season assists record (15).
The Pittsburgh, PA, native went on to lead the NCAA in assists and also closed her career as Pitt career assists (43).
Schupansky garnered United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region and Second Team All-ACC recognition after leading the Panthers to a 9-6-3 record overall, including a 3-5-2 mark in the ACC. She was also a CSC Academic All-American and CSC Academic All-District Selection.
University of Pittsburgh Names Allen Greene Director of Athletics
General | October 13
"I am tremendously grateful and honored to receive the opportunity from Chancellor Gabel to join the University of Pittsburgh, an institution and athletic tradition I've long admired," said Greene. “It was apparent from my very first conversation with Chancellor Gabel that Pitt has the highest of aspirations in every endeavor it undertakes. That's tremendously energizing to me and a challenge I fully embrace.”
Cross Country Earns Best Combined Finish at Regionals in Program History
Cross Country | November 15
The men’s and women's cross country teams both finished in sixth place at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship to earn their highest combined finish in program history. Both teams improved one spot from their seventh place finishes a season ago, with the women achieving their best finish since 2017.
Zack Austin’s Buzzer-Beater Secures an OT Win Over Ohio State
Men's Basketball | November 29
Zack Austin buried his fifth three-pointer of the game with 0.4 seconds remaining as Pitt overcame a double-figure halftime deficit en route to a 91-90 road win over Ohio State at Value City Arena. Lowe received the final inbounds pass and raced up the floor before veering left. He found Austin trailing the play and he drained a deep three from the top of the key for the win.
Volleyball Earns its Third Consecutive ACC Championship
Volleyball | November 30
The No. 1 Pitt volleyball team defeated No. 19 Georgia Tech, 3-2, to clinch the 2024 ACC Championship title outright and remain undefeated at the Fitzgerald Field House this season. Torrey Stafford recorded 16 kills and eight digs, and Olivia Babcock notched her second career triple-double with 18 kills, 12 digs and a career-high 10 blocks.
Pitt Men’s Soccer Advances to the Elite Eight
Men's Soccer | December 7
Pitt had one of its best seasons to date, winning the ACC regular season championship for the first time in program history, while reaching the national quarterfinals for the fourth time in the past five seasons. The Panthers earned the No. 2 overall seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament after being the lone team nationally to record six or more Quad 1 wins (6-2) in the regular season. Pitt went undefeated against nationally-ranked opponents (5-0) in the regular season, while outscoring them by an 11-2 margin. The Panthers defeated four of the top 16 national seeds, including the third and fourth seeds, Denver and Georgetown, respectively.
Panthers Sweep Kentucky to Advance to Fourth Consecutive National Semifinal
Volleyball | December 14
Pitt women's volleyball swept Kentucky in the Petersen Events Center to win its fourth straight Regional Final and secured a fourth straight Final Four appearance. Olivia Babcock, who had a team-high 13 kills on .375 hitting, was named 2024 Pittsburgh Regional Tournament Most Valuable Player following the win.
Desmond Reid and Kyle Louis Receive All-America Honors
Football | December
Pitt sophomore linebacker Kyle Louis and junior all-purpose back Desmond Reid received multiple All-America honors for their performances over the 2024 season. Both were named to the Associated Press, The Athletic and CBS Sports teams, with additional accolades from The Sporting News for Lewis and a FWAA selection for Reid.
Babcock Named AVCA National Player of the Year; Fisher Named AVCA National Coach of the Year
Volleyball | December 19-20
The AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) named Olivia Babcock as the 2024 AVCA National Player of the Year, and head coach Dan Fisher the AVCA Division I National Coach of the Year after the season.
Babcock was the first Panther in program history to earn the award and recognized as this season's most dominant athlete. The honor put an exclamation point on a sophomore season that that included First Team All-America, ACC Player of the Year, First Team All-ACC, AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year and East Coast Region Team honors. She was named the Pittsburgh Regional Most Outstanding Player after recording 44 kills in the two wins over No. 14 Oregon and No. 11 Kentucky. Her 33 kills against No. 4 Louisville was a career high and the most kills registered by a Panther since 2001.
Fisher led the Panthers to a 33-2 overall record and 19-1 ACC record, resulting in an outright ACC Championship. The Panthers have advanced to four consecutive National Semifinals and five straight Regional Finals, the only program in the country to do so.
The man, the myth, the legend ??
— Pitt Volleyball (@Pitt_VB) December 19, 2024
Dan Fisher is the @AVCAVolleyball National Coach of the Year!
?? https://t.co/cAmpHKL8jM pic.twitter.com/MGFz3QabMv
One of one.
— Pitt Volleyball (@Pitt_VB) December 20, 2024
Liv is the first Panther in program history to be named the @AVCAVolleyball National Player of the Year! ?? pic.twitter.com/7Z5BK74GjS
Local Soccer Products Become Pro Panthers
Men's and Women's Soccer | December 20-23
Pitt soccer standouts and Pittsburgh natives Michael Sullivan and Sarah Schupansky each saw their collegiate career culminate with top-tier professional opportunities in December.
Michael Sullivan was drafted 39th overall by Toronto FC in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft, while Sarah Schupansky signed multi-year contract through 2026, with a team option for 2027, with NJ/NY Gotham of the NWSL.
With the selection, Sullivan became the 10th Panther drafted in the MLS under head coach Jay Vidovich. Additionally, this marked the fifth-consecutive season the Pitt men's soccer program has had a player drafted.
Schupansky joins former teammates Amanda West and Landy Mertz in the fast-growing NWSL.
