Pitt
#25 Clemson
No. 19 Pitt Hosts No. 25 Clemson in ACC Opener Friday Evening
1/16/2025 5:11:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
PITTSBURGH – The No. 19 Pitt Gymnastics team hosts No. 25 Clemson in the conference opener at the Fitzgerald Field House on Friday, Jan. 16. The meet begins at 7 p.m. as the Panthers begin their second season of ACC play.
Live stats for the meet are available HERE. Fans can also follow the action on X and Instagram via the Pitt Gymnastics handles @pitt_gym.
Pitt Lineups
Balance Beam – Kennedy Duke, Emily Todd, Meika Lee, Darbi Simcox, Reyna Garvey, Hallie Copperwheat
Floor Exercise – Elizabeth Cesarone, Meika Lee, Emily Todd, Hallie Copperwheat, Jordyn Ewing, Jah'Liyah Bedminster
Vault – Jaime Pratt, Olivia Giunta, Lila Pileggi, Kennedy Duke, Jah'Liyah Bedminster, Elizabeth Cesarone
Uneven Bars – Kennedy Duke, Jah'Liyah Bedminster, Camryn Chiu, Jaime Pratt, Emily Todd, Hallie Copperwheat
Success in the Season Opener
- Pitt Gymnastics (3-0-0, 0-0-0 ACC) opened the season with wins over Illinois State, George Washington, and Western Michigan as Jah'Liyah Bedminster (bars), Elizabeth Cesarone (vault), and Jordyn Ewing (floor) claimed event titles at the Next Level Podium Challenge.
- The Panthers had 10 podium finishes and posted a team score of 195.575 to out pace Illinois State (195.100), George Washington (194.375), and host Western Michigan (192.850) Saturday evening at Kellogg Arena.
- The Panthers powered their way to the victory with a 49.025 on the uneven bars in the final rotation of the night. Bedminster claimed the top spot with a 9.850, while Emily Todd and Jaime Pratt finished tied for second with matching 9.825s. Hallie Copperwheat posted a 9.800 to reach the podium with a tie for third finish.
- Pitt took two of the top three spots on floor as Ewing (9.900) and Bedminster (9.850) delivered strong performances on the floor to pace Pitt to a 49.000. Ewing posted the top score in the event for her 11th career individual title and the fifth first place finish in floor exercise of her career.
- Cesarone, making her Pitt debut, posted an impressive 9.850, while Kennedy Duke added a 9.800 on the vault as the Panthers scored a 48.875. Cesarone tied for first to claim her fifth career first place finish in the vault, while Duke was tied for third overall.
- The Panthers recorded a 48.675 on the beam with Todd posting a team-best 9.775 to tie for third overall.
- Meika Lee finished second in the all-around with a total of 38.400 to reach the podium in her first collegiate meet. She posted a 9.750 on the balance beam for her top scoring event of the night.
2025 Roster Highlights
- The Panthers return a pair of 2024 NCAA Regional Championship participants in Jah'Liyah Bedminster and Jordyn Ewing along with two-time NCAA Regional Championship qualifier and 2024 ACC Championship overall runner-up Hallie Copperwheat.
- Bedminster and Copperwheat named to 2025 ACC Preseason Watch List.
- Bedminster and Ewing were All-ACC (floor) last season.
- Emily Todd returns after becoming first Panther to earn ACC Newcomer of the Week (1/9) last season following a 9.900 routine on bars at the Keystone Classic.
- Bedminster earned Pitt's first ACC Gymnast of the Week honor (1/15) for her performance against Kent State last season … named ACC Specialist of the Week (2/2) after posting a career- high 9.950 – securing a perfect score on the vault against North Carolina.
- Pitt's seven new additions to the roster including transfers Elizabeth Cesarone (Central Michigan) and Jaime Pratt (Arkansas) along with freshmen Camryn Chiu, Olivia Giunta, Meika Lee, Lila Pileggi, and Darbi Simcox.
- Lee was named to 2025 ACC Preseason Newcomer Watch List.
- Chiu showcased her talents with a strong performance in all four events at the Panther Preview (Dec. 20).
Head Coach Casey Jo MacPherson
- Second season at Pitt ... coaching stops at Arkansas, Western Michigan, and Missouri.
- Led the Panthers to a tied for third at the 2024 ACC Championship.
- 8x All-American and two-time First Team All-SEC honoree at Arkansas.
Celebrating 50 Years of Pitt Gymnastics
- Pitt will celebrate the program's 50-year anniversary of varsity status, dating back to the first season of competition in 1975 under Pitt Athletics Hall of Famer Donna Sanft, throughout the 2025 campaign.
Up Next
The Panthers continue conference action next Sunday, Jan. 26 against ACC newcomer Stanford at the Fitzgerald Field House.
Players Mentioned
