University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt Lands Nine Selections on Phil Steele’s Preseason All-ACC Team
6/15/2026 3:55:00 PM | Football
PITTSBURGH—Pitt Football placed nine student-athletes on Phil Steele's 2026 Preseason All-ACC Team, highlighted by senior linebacker Braylan Lovelace earning First Team honors.
The Panthers' nine selections included representatives on all four teams and tied with SMU for the fourth-most players on the list.
Lovelace, a Leechburg, Pa., native, enters his senior season as one of the ACC's premier linebackers. An honorable mention All-ACC selection in 2025, he started all 13 games and led Pitt with 80 tackles while adding 5.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and four pass breakups. He earned ACC Linebacker of the Week recognition following Pitt's road victory at No. 16 Georgia Tech, where his 100-yard interception return for a touchdown was the longest pick-six by a Panther since 1908.
Over three seasons, Lovelace has played in 37 games with 17 starts and compiled 157 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, five sacks, three interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. He has steadily emerged as one of the leaders of Pitt's defense and is coming off the most productive season of his career.
Joining Lovelace on Phil Steele's Preseason All-ACC Team were:
Second Team
- Nick James, DT
Third Team
- Ryan Baer, OT
- Cruce Brookins, S
- BJ Williams, OG
Fourth Team
- Mason Heintschel, QB
- Isaiah Neal, DE
- Alex Sanford Jr., LB
- Ja'Kyrian Turner, RB
The Panthers will host seven games this fall. Season tickets for the 2026 Pitt Football season are on sale now, while single-game ticket pricing is also available. For more information on group tickets, fans can visit PittsburghPanthers.com/groups or contact the Panthers Ticket Office at 412-648-7488.
