GAME PREVIEW: Pitt Opens Season Thursday at Home Against Xavier

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt Women's Soccer team opens the 2025 season at Ambrose Urbanic Field Thursday, Aug. 14 against 2024 NCAA Tournament qualifier Xavier. Opening kick is at 7 p.m. as the Panthers open their first season under the direction of head coach Ben Waldrum.

THE OPENING KICK

Thursday's home opener is also the Pitt head coaching debut for Ben Waldrum as the Panthers shifted to a professional training model in the offseason with Randy Waldrum moving to technical director and Ben Waldrum assuming head coach duties.
The Panthers have recorded 10 or more wins in four of the past five seasons and have totaled 62 victories since the start of the 2020-21 season.
Pitt returns 12 letterwinners from the 2024 squad that finished the year 9-6-3. The Panthers lost five of its top six goal scorers from last season but return a solid core of players led by goalie Ellie Breech, outside back Olivia Lee, forward Lucia Wells, forward Lola Abraham and midfielder Magali Gagne.
The Panthers' roster has totaled 13 career goals in the Pitt uniform with Magali Gagne the leading goal scorer after finding the back of the net four times last season. Katie Zailski has six career goals at Pitt but is currently sidelined due to injury.

PANTHERS IN THE OPENER

Pitt is 18-5-6 all-time in season openers, including a 6-0-1 mark during the Waldrum era.
The Panthers are 10-2-2 all-time in home openers at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

FINDING FOOTING AT HOME

Pitt is 22-4-2 home record over the past three seasons at Ambrose Urbanic Filed and 42-17-5 at home during the Waldrum era (2018-present).
The Panthers are 63-52-10 all-time at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

WALDRUM ERA 2.0

In line with the professional soccer model, Pitt named Randy Waldrum as technical director of the Pitt Women's Soccer program in May. The Panthers' now turn to Ben Waldrum, who has been on the Pitt staff for the past seven seasons including the past six as associate head coach, to lead the program heading into the 2025 season.
The winningest coach in program history, Randy Waldrum led the Panthers to a 71-51-11 record with a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances over the past seven seasons. He engineered the four winningest seasons in program history including a 17-6-1 mark with an NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2023. Waldrum concludes his NCAA Division I coaching career ranked in the top-20 overall with 470 victories.

THURSDAY'S PROMOS

The first 250 fans to arrive Thursday will receive the 2025 Pitt Women's Soccer team poster.
Happy Hour Thursdays also return in 2025 with the concession stand offering 50% off domestic beers from the time gates open until kickoff during every Thursday home game.

TICKET INFORMATION

Season, match, and group tickets for the 2025 season are now on sale through the Panthers Ticket Office.

2025 Season Tickets are ON SALE NOW for just $50.
Group tickets are also available HERE.
2025 Match Tickets are ON SALE NOW for just $10.
All tickets are general admission seating.
All tickets will be digital once again this season.

WHERE TO WATCH

Fans who can't make it out to Ambrose Urbanic Field for Thursday's season opener can catch all the action on ACC Network Extra with Zack Gibney and Rachael Palmer calling the action.