University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Simpson, Giandonato Named PNC Achievers of the Week
2/17/2026 2:00:00 PM | General, Track & Field, Women's Lacrosse
PITTSBURGH – Luke Simpson of men's track and field and Kaitlyn Giandonato of lacrosse have been named Pitt's PNC Achievers of the Week following standout performances last week.
Giandonato powered Pitt to the highest-ranked win in program history, leading the Panthers to a 17-10 victory over No. 13 Duke. The junior midfielder from Malvern, Pennsylvania, scored four goals and added two assists for six points as Pitt led wire to wire.
Two of Giandonato's goals were highlight-reel plays. She faked a pass to freeze two defenders before cutting to the net for a score, and later sent a defender to the turf with a stop-and-start move before finishing with a backhand shovel goal. She also contributed three ground balls, one draw control and four caused turnovers. On multiple transition plays, Giandonato tracked down Duke attackers from behind to force turnovers and spark scoring opportunities.
On the track, Simpson made history at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston. The Mars, Pennsylvania, native set a school record in the mile, becoming the first Pitt athlete to break the four-minute barrier with a time of 3 minutes, 57.40 seconds.
Simpson eclipsed the previous school record of 4:00.14, a mark that stood for 20 years and was shared by Sam Bair (2006) and Finn Walsh (2014).
Players Mentioned
