University of Pittsburgh Panthers - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Pittsburgh Panthers, commonly also referred to as the Pitt Panthers, are the athletic teams of University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...

, although the term is colloquially used to refer to other aspects of the university such as alumni, faculty, and students. Pitt fields 19 varsity

Varsity team

In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...

teams at the highest level of competitive collegiate athletics in the United States, NCAA

National Collegiate Athletic Association

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...

Division I, which compete as members of the Big East Conference

Big East Conference

The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...

, Eastern Wrestling League

Eastern Wrestling League

The Eastern Wrestling League is an NCAA Division I wrestling-only conference. It is made up mostly of schools from the northeastern United States whose primary conferences do not sponsor wrestling as an NCAA-qualifying event...

, East Atlantic Gymnastics League

East Atlantic Gymnastics League

The East Atlantic Gymnastics League is a collegiate women's gymnastics conference competing at the NCAA Division I level. Membership comprises eight universities:*George Washington University*University of Maryland*University of New Hampshire...

, and Eastern College Athletic Conference

Eastern College Athletic Conference

The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois...

.

On September 18, the Atlantic Coast Conference

Atlantic Coast Conference

The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...

announced that it had extended a formal invitation to Pittsburgh to join the ACC after approving their application. No start date has been set for the Panthers' official membership as of yet.

The university's athletic program is one of only five current NCAA Division 1A schools to have won multiple national championships in both football (9) and basketball (2), and the Panthers have been ranked as having among the best combinations of football and basketball programs by multiple publications. Pitt was ranked as having the fifth best combination of football and basketball programs in CBSSports.com

CBSSports.com

CBSSports.com was founded in 1994 as SportsLine USA, and today is a CBS-owned website that provides sports scores, news, statistics, live and on-demand video, mobile apps, e-commerce, fantasy sports products, services, and information..Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, CBSSports.com it is...

's Flourishing Five ranking in 2010. In its "Hoops & Helmets" list of the best combinations, CollegeFootballNews.com has ranked Pitt ninth in 2011, fifth in 2010, third in 2009, 30th in 2007, 26th in 2006, 12th in 2005, fourth in 2004, and third in 2003. Pitt was also ranked 19th for the best combined football and basketball programs during the BCS

Bowl Championship Series

The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...

era and among the top 25 between 1974 and 2008 by Rivals.com

Rivals.com

Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...

. In addition, ESPN.com

ESPN.com

ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc. Since launching in 1995 as ESPNet.SportsZone.com, the website has developed numerous sections including: Page 2, SportsNation, ESPN 3.com, ESPN Motion, My ESPN, ESPN Sports Travel, ESPN Video Games, ESPN Insider, ESPN.com's...

used the Sagarin

Jeff Sagarin

Jeff Sagarin is an American sports statistician well-known for his development of a methodology for ranking and rating sports teams in a variety of sports...

mathematical system to rate universities based on the strength of their performance in football and men’s basketball for five years through 2006 and found Pitt was tied for 10th as one of the nation’s top two-sport schools. Further, in a 2006 all-sports ranking done by Sports Illustrated on Campus
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...

, Pitt was ranked 17th among all of the country’s universities in terms of the overall strength of its athletic program.

Department of Athletics

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics administers the 17 men's and women's varsity sports teams, as well as the spirit groups such as the Pitt Band and Pitt Cheerleaders. The Athletic Department also provides student-athlete academic support, the Panther Game Plan student-athlete life skills program, athletic training, marketing, development, media relations, and other support and administrative services and divisions.

Scholar Athletes

Each year the university honors student-athletes who have achieved academic success during the University of Pittsburgh Scholar-Athlete Awards Breakfast where it hands out Blue and Gold awards to student-athletes who have earned over a 3.0 GPA. The 2010-2011 academic year, out of approximately 450 Pitt athletes, 290 achieved a GPA of 3.0 or above, with 21 earning a perfect 4.0. In addition, 150 student-athletes were named as Big East Academic All-Stars or named to the all-academic Big East football team, which does not include athletes from the wrestling and gymnastics teams that compete in other conferences. In 2010, volleyball

Pittsburgh Panthers volleyball

Pittsburgh Panthers women's volleyball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate volleyball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt volleyball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in Fitzgerald...

standout Meagan Dooley was named the Big East Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the university's seventh male or female Big East scholar-athlete of the year winner since the award was instituted in 1985. Dooley was also awarded one of 87 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships for women in 2010.

Varsity sports

The University of Pittsburgh sponsors in 19 varsity

Varsity team

sports in NCAA Division I (Division I FBS for football), the highest competitive level of intercollegiate athletics

College athletics

College athletics refers primarily to sports and athletic competition organized and funded by institutions of tertiary education . In the United States, college athletics is a two-tiered system. The first tier includes the sports that are sanctioned by one of the collegiate sport governing bodies...

in the United States. All Pitt varsity sports teams compete in the Big East Conference

Big East Conference

The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...

except for wrestling, which competes in the Eastern Wrestling League

Eastern Wrestling League

, and women's gymnastics, which competes in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League

East Atlantic Gymnastics League

Men's sports
- Baseball
  Pittsburgh Panthers baseball
  Pittsburgh Panthers baseball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate baseball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt baseball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games at Charles L. Cost Field in...
- Basketball
  Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
  Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...
- Cross Country
- Football
  Pittsburgh Panthers football
  Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
- Soccer
- Swimming & Diving
- Track & Field, Indoor
- Track & Field, Outdoor
- Wrestling
  Pittsburgh Panthers wrestling
  Pittsburgh Panthers wrestling is the NCAA Division 1 intercollegiate wrestling program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

Women's sports
- Basketball
  Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball
  Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate women's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt women's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games...
- Cross Country
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming & Diving
- Tennis
- Track & Field, Indoor
- Track & Field, Outdoor
- Volleyball
  Pittsburgh Panthers volleyball
  Pittsburgh Panthers women's volleyball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate volleyball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt volleyball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in Fitzgerald...

Baseball

Pittsburgh Panthers baseball

Pittsburgh Panthers baseball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate baseball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt baseball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games at Charles L. Cost Field in...

, Pitt's oldest varsity sport started in 1869 and has produced multiple All-Americans, Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

players, and has become a regular threat in the Big East Baseball Tournament

Big East Baseball Tournament

The Big East Baseball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in baseball for the Big East Conference. It is a double-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season records. The winner receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. ...

championship. The baseball team was ranked in the top 25 during the 2010 season and moved into a new facility, the Charles L. Cost Field at the Petersen Sports Complex

Petersen Sports Complex

Not to be confused with Petersen Events Center.The Petersen Sports Complex is a multi-sport athletic facility on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It houses Charles L...

, in 2011. Pitt baseball is coached by Joe Jordano.

^{NCAA tournament appearances (3): 1959, 1965, 1995

Conference Championships: Tournament (1): 1995; Regular Season (1): 1994}

Men's basketball

Pitt began playing men's basketball

Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball

Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...

in 1905 and soon become a national power winning two Helms Foundation National Championships in 1927–28 and 1929–30. Those teams, coached by the innovative and legendary Naismith Hall of Fame inductee "Doc" Carlson

Clifford Carlson

Henry Clifford "Doc" Carlson is a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee as the men's college basketball coach of his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh, from 1922 to 1953...

, were led by National Player of the Year and Hall of Famer Charlie Hyatt

Chuck Hyatt

Charles D. "Chuck" Hyatt was a well-known collegiate basketball player in the late 1920s.The Syracuse, New York native played three seasons at University of Pittsburgh under Hall of Fame coach Clifford Carlson . An exceptional shooter, Hyatt scored then-outstanding 880 points throughout his...

. Following a Final Four appearance in 1941, Pitt appeared in a handful of NCAA tournaments

NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship

The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...

throughout the 50, 60s, and 70s, including an Elite Eight appearance in 1974 led by All-American Billy Knight

Billy Knight

William R. "Billy" Knight is an American former professional basketball player who most recently served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks from 2003–08.Knight grew up in Braddock, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where he...

. Pitt entered the Big East Conference in 1982, and by the end of the decade had secured a pair of Big East regular season championships led by All-Americans Charles Smith

Charles D. Smith

Charles Daniel Smith is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.- College career :...

and Jerome Lane

Jerome Lane

Jerome Lane is a retired American professional basketball player. Lane attended Akron Saint Vincent-Saint Mary High School. He played collegiately at the University of Pittsburgh, where he led the Big East Conference in rebounding during the 1986-87 and the 1987-88 regular seasons. He led the...

. The last decade has been an era of consistent national and conference competitiveness that has included 10 straight NCAA tournament appearances with five Sweet 16 appearances and an Elite Eight appearance in 2009. In total, Pitt has 23 NCAA appearances, seven Sweet Sixteen appearances, 10 conference regular season championships, four conference tournament championships, ten conference tournament championship game appearances, and 37 players drafted to play professionally with the most recent being Sam Young and DeJuan Blair

DeJuan Blair

DeJuan Lamont Blair is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . Before turning pro Blair played center for the University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team from 2007 to 2009...

. Pitt men's basketball plays its home games at the Petersen Events Center

Petersen Events Center

Not to be confused with Petersen Sports Complex.The John M. and Gertrude E. Petersen Events Center is a 12,508-seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It hosts the men's and women's Pitt Panthers basketball teams...

and is coached by Jamie Dixon

Jamie Dixon

Jamie Dixon is an American basketball head coach. He has served as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team since 2003. In 2009 he was the head coach for the FIBA Under-19 2009 gold-medal winning United States national basketball team for which he was named the 2009 USA...

.

^{National Championships (2 HelmsHelms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation was an athletic foundation based in Los Angeles, founded in 1936 by Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms. It put together a panel of experts to select National Champion teams and make All-America team selections in a number of college sports including football and basketball...

): 1927-28, 1929-30 (23-2)

NCAA Final Four (1): 1941; Elite Eight (3): 1941, 1974, 2009; Sweet Sixteen (7): 1957, 1974, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009

NCAA tournament appearances (23): 1941, 1957, 1958, 1963, 1974, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

NIT appearances (8): 1964, 1975, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1997, 2001

Conference Championships: Tournament (4): 1981, 1982, 2003, 2008; Regular Season (10): 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1987, 1988, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2011}

Women's basketball

The Pittsburgh Panthers women's varsity basketball program

Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball

Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate women's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt women's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games...

started during the 1914–1915 school year and lasted until 1927 before going on hiatus until 1970. Pitt's women's team has posted several NCAA, NWIT, and EAIAW regional tournament appearances. Over the last five seasons, Pitt has appeared in the national rankings and advanced to five straight post-season tournaments. Included in that stretch are three NCAA Tournament bids which resulted in Sweet Sixteen appearances in 2008 and 2009. Pitt women's basketball plays its home games at the Petersen Events Center

Petersen Events Center

and is coached by Agnus Berenato

Agnus Berenato

Agnus Berenato , is the head women's basketball coach at the University of Pittsburgh, a role she has held since 2003.-Early life and education:Berenato is the eighth of ten children born to Peter and Theresa McGlade...

.

^{NCAA Sweet Sixteen (2): 2008, 2009

NCAA tournament appearances (3): 2007, 2008, 2009

WNIT appearances (5): 1981, 1994, 2000, 2006, 2010

Conference Championships: Regular Season (1): 1984}

Cross Country
Men's and women's cross country at Pitt host home meets at Schenley Park
Schenley Park
Schenley Park is a large municipal park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, between the neighborhoods of Oakland, Greenfield, and Squirrel Hill. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district...

and is overseen by head coach Alonzo Webb with distance assistant Clinton Bell.

Men's NCAA Top Ten finishes (3): 1951, 1953, 1954

Men's NCAA championship appearances (7): 1951, 1953, 1954, 1964, 1970, 1975, 1990

Football

Traditionally the most popular sport at the University of Pittsburgh, football

Pittsburgh Panthers football

Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...

has been played at the highest levels at the University since 1889. During the more than 100 years of competitive football at Pitt, the University has helped pioneer the sport by, among other things, instituting the use of numbers on jerseys, having the first live radio broadcast of a college football game, and desegregating the Sugar Bowl

Sugar Bowl

The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...

. Some of football's all-time greatest coaches and players have plied their trade at Pitt, including Pop Warner

Glenn Scobey Warner

Glenn Scobey Warner , most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American football player and coach...

, Jock Sutherland

Jock Sutherland

Dr. John Bain "Jock" Sutherland, D.D.S., was an American football coach. He coached college football at Lafayette College and the University of Pittsburgh and professional football for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Steelers...

, Marshall Goldberg

Marshall Goldberg

Marshall Goldberg was an American football halfback with the Chicago Cardinals in the National Football League.- Football career :Goldberg was born in Elkins, West Virginia...

, Joe Schmidt

Joe Schmidt

Joseph Paul Schmidt is a former American football player and coach at both the collegiate and professional levels. His 13-year career with the National Football League's Detroit Lions gained him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973.-Collegiate career:Schmidt grew up in Pittsburgh,...

, Mike Ditka

Mike Ditka

Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. is a former American football NFL player, television commentator, and coach. Ditka coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years and New Orleans Saints for three years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two people to win Super Bowls as a player, an assistant coach, and a head...

, Tony Dorsett

Tony Dorsett

Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...

, Hugh Green, Mark May

Mark May

Mark Eric May is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He is currently a football analyst for ESPN.-Football career:...

, Dan Marino

Dan Marino

Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...

, Bill Fralic

Bill Fralic

William P. Fralic, Jr. is a former professional American football offensive guard in the NFL.-Early years:...

, Curtis Martin

Curtis Martin

Curtis James Martin, Jr. is a former American football running back. He is an alumnus of Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh...

, Larry Fitzgerald

Larry Fitzgerald

Larry Darnell Fitzgerald, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League, and currently ranks fourth all-time in league history in receiving yards per game for a career , behind Andre Johnson, Torry Holt, and Marvin Harrison...

and Darrelle Revis

Darrelle Revis

Though Revis was not the first defensive back drafted in the 2007 NFL Draft , he was the first cornerback taken that year...

. Among the top schools in terms of all-time wins, Pitt teams have claimed nine national championships and boast 87 players that have been chosen as first-team All-Americans. Pitt football plays its home games at Heinz Field

Heinz Field

Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...

and has practice facilities located at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex

UPMC Sports Performance Complex

The UPMC Sports Performance Complex is a multipurpose, multisport training, sports science, and sports medical complex of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center...

. Pitt football is coached by Todd Graham

Todd Graham

Todd Graham is the head football coach of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was previously the head coach at the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma.-Playing career:...

.

^{National Championships (9 claimed): 1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1976

Undefeated seasons (8): 1904, 1910, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1937, 1976

Eastern and Conference Championships (14): 1925, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1955, 1976, 1979, 1980, 2004, 2010

Bowl appearances (27): RoseRose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...

(4), FiestaFiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...

(4), SugarSugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...

(3), GatorGator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...

(3), SunSun Bowl
The Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...

(3) InsightInsight Bowl
The Insight Bowl is an NCAA college football bowl game played in Arizona since 1989. From 1989 to 1999, the games were played at Arizona Stadium in Tucson. The game moved to Phoenix in 2000 and was played at Chase Field until 2005. After the 2005 playing the Insight Bowl moved to Sun Devil Stadium...

(2), Tire/Car Care (2), Cotton (1), Tangerine/Capital OneCapital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...

(1), Tangerine/Champs SportsChamps Sports Bowl
The Champs Sports Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that is played in Orlando, Florida, at the Citrus Bowl. The bowl is operated by Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit group which also organizes the Capital One Bowl and Florida Classic...

(1), LibertyLiberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...

(1), BBVA Compass (1), BluebonnetBluebonnet Bowl
The Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 through 1967, and again in 1985 and 1986. The game was...

(1)}

Gymnastics

Pitt women's gymnastics has qualified for the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship all but two years in the last ten seasons.http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/pitt/sports/w-gym/auto_pdf/0607-media-guide.pdf Pitt is one of only 22 schools in the nation to claim an individual national champion, Lisa Shirk who won the uneven bars in 1982. Pitt Gymnastics host home meets at Fitzgerald Field House, has a Gymnastics Training Center at the adjacent Trees Hall

Trees Hall

Joseph C. Trees Hall is a multipurpose student, staff, faculty recreational facility on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Designed by the architectural firm of Deeter & Ritchey, Trees Hall first opened in 1962, and a second phase of...

, and is coached by Debbie Yohman.

^{AIAW / NCAA national championship appearances (1): 1981

Individual National Champions: 1}

Soccer
Pitt field competitive Big East varsity teams for men's and women's soccer, softball, and women's tennis. Men's Soccer is coached by Joe Luxbacher while women's soccer is coached by Sue-Moy Chin. Both programs moved into a new facility, Ambrose Urbanic Field at the Petersen Sports Complex
Petersen Sports Complex
Not to be confused with Petersen Events Center.The Petersen Sports Complex is a multi-sport athletic facility on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It houses Charles L...

, in the spring of 2011.

Men's NCAA Elite Eight (1): 1962; Sweet Sixteen (1): 1965

Men's NCAA tournament appearances (2): 1962, 1965

Softball

Softball was founded as a varsity sport at Pitt in 1998 and entered the Big East in 1999. In 2010, Pitt earned its highest ever seed in the Big East tournament in 2010. The team moved into a new softball facility, Vartabedian Field at the Petersen Sports Complex

Petersen Sports Complex

, in 2011. Pitt softball is coached by Holly Aprile.

Swimming and Diving

Pitt's Swimming and Diving teams have produced several Olympians and dominated the Big East Conference having won 19 men's and 9 women's Big East Championships since joining the conference in 1983. The Swimming and Diving teams train and compete at Trees Pool

Trees Hall

. The men's team first competed in 1913 while the women's team was founded in 1974. Both men's and women's swimming are coached by head coach Chuck Knoles while diving is coached by Julian Krug. The women's swimming team is assisted by Assistant Head Coach Jeff Berghoff.

^{Men's NCAA championship appearances, team scored (19): 1938, 1953, 1954, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008

Men's Conference Championships (41): 1934, 1938, 1940, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004

Women's NCAA championship appearances, team scored (11): 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003

Women's Conference Championships (10): 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991}

Tennis

Pitt women's tennis host matches at an indoor facility at The Club in Monroeville

Monroeville, Pennsylvania

Monroeville is a home rule municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located about east of the city of Pittsburgh, Monroeville is a bustling suburb with mixed residential and commercial developments...

and an outdoor facility at Washington's Landing

Washington's Landing

Washington's Landing is an island in the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is officially considered part of the Troy Hill neighborhood.-Herrs Island:...

. Tennis is coached by George Dieffenbach.

Track and Field

In Track and Field, Pitt has produced several Olympic

Olympic Games

The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...

and NCAA champions such as 800m Olympic gold medalist John Woodruff

John Woodruff

John Youie Woodruff was an American athlete and winner of the 800 metres at the 1936 Summer Olympics....

, two-time 110m hurdle Olympic gold medalist Roger Kingdom

Roger Kingdom

Roger Kingdom is a former sprint hurdler from the United States.Born in Vienna, Georgia, an athlete of note Roger excelled at the high jump and discus in his formative years as well as being a noteworthy American football player...

, and 7-time NCAA champion and 2005 World Champion triple jump

Triple jump

The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...

er Trecia-Kaye Smith

Trecia Smith

Trecia-Kaye Smith is a Jamaican athlete competing mainly in triple jump. In college, she competed for the University of Pittsburgh from 1996–1999 and was a seven-time NCAA national champion , 15-time All-American, a 14-time Big East Conference...

.http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/pitt/sports/m-track/auto_pdf/06-07-mg-part1.pdf Pitt track and field is coached by Alonzo Webb.

At the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, the Pitt men have finished as high as fifth place, while the Pitt women have finished as high as third.

^{Men's NCAA Indoor Top Ten finishes (4): 1971, 1986, 1987, 1988

Men's NCAA Indoor championship appearances, team scored (16): 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 2007, 2008

Men's Indoor Individual National Champions: 6

Men's Indoor Conference Championships (1): 1987

Women's NCAA Indoor Top Ten finishes (4): 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999

Women's NCAA Indoor championship appearances, team scored (11): 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006

Women's Indoor Individual National Champions: 7

Women's Indoor ECAC Championships (3): 2001, 2004, 2005; Conference Championships (3): 1989, 1999, 2005}

At the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the Pitt men have finished as high as 8th place, while the Pitt women have finished as high as 9th.

Men's NCAA Outdoor Top Ten finishes (2): 1928, 1929

Men's NCAA Outdoor championship appearances, team scored (28): 1921, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1946, 1950, 1954, 1956, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2006

Men's Outdoor Individual National Champions: 12

Men's Outdoor IC4A Championships (1): 1940; Conference Championships (2): 1989, 1994

Women's NCAA Outdoor Top Ten finishes (2): 1994, 1999

Women's NCAA Outdoor championship appearances, team scored (13): 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006

Women's Outdoor Individual National Champions: 3

Women's Outdoor ECAC Championships (4): 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006; Conference Championships (5): 1990, 1991, 1994, 2005, 2006

Volleyball

The Pitt volleyball

Pittsburgh Panthers volleyball

program was established in 1974, and since that time the Panthers have had 33 winning seasons, one of the nation's top all-time winning percentages, appearances in 14 national championship tournaments, and the most Big East tournament championships, eleven, in the conference. Pitt volleyball host home matches at the Fitzgerald Field House

Fitzgerald Field House

Fitzgerald Field House is a 4,122-seat multi-purpose athletic venue on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Fitzgerald Field House is named for Rufus Fitzgerald, a past chancellor of the university....

and is coached by Toby Rens.

^{AIAW / NCAA Sweet Sixteen (3): 1978, 1981, 1990

AIAW / NCAA tournament appearances (14): 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2003, 2004

NIVC tournament appearances (2): 1989, 1995

Conference Championships: Tournament (11): 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2003; Regular Season (6): 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2003}

Wrestling

The wrestling

Pittsburgh Panthers wrestling

Pittsburgh Panthers wrestling is the NCAA Division 1 intercollegiate wrestling program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

program has a rich history finishing second at the NCAA Championships twice and in the top ten 13 times, being 13th in the number of all-time individual national champions produced with 16, and boasting 70 All-American wrestlers throughout its history.http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/pitt/sports/m-wrestl/auto_pdf/0607_media_guide.pdf Pitt competes in the Eastern Wrestling League

Eastern Wrestling League

but formerly was in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association

Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association

The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association is an NCAA Division I collegiate wrestling conference. It has been active since 1905 and has had a variety of schools as members throughout its tenure.-Current members:*American University...

(The Big East Conference

Big East Conference

The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...

does not sponsor wrestling). Pitt wrestling host home meets at Fitzgerald Field House and is coached by Rande Stottlemyer.

^{NCAA Runner-up (2): 1954, 1957; Top Ten finishes (13): 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1970

NCAA championship appearances, team scored (56): 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

Individual National Champions: 16

Conference Champions: Tournament (5): 1954, 1955, 1956, 1960, 2011; Regular Season (2): 2010, 2011}

Pitt Band

The history rich University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band was founded in 1911 and performs at sports and other events, including at every home football game and select away football games. Its constituent group, the Pitt Pep Band, performs at all home basketball games and at post-season away games. The Pitt Band's drumline

University of Pittsburgh drumline

The University of Pittsburgh Drumline, also known as the "Crew," is a percussion section of the University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band currently directed by Jack R. Anderson. The main function of the drum line is to provide the beat and percussive sounds for the University of Pittsburgh...

, known as The Crew, also performs at football games and occasionally at select basketball games. The Band also oversees the Golden Girls majorette

Majorette (dancer)

A majorette is a person doing choreographed dance or movement, primarily baton twirling associated with marching bands during parades. It derives from girls', in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, involvement in drill and gymnastic teams or groups that used apparatuses similar to those found...

group. The Pitt Band is directed by Jack R. Anderson

Jack R. Anderson

Jack R. Anderson was appointed Director of Bands at the University of Pittsburgh in 1995 after serving as assistant director at Pitt for 9 years. His responsibilities include directing the Varsity Marching Band, leading the Pep Band, and conducting the Symphonic Band...

Pitt Cheerleaders and Dance Team

The Pitt Cheerleaders have won multiple cheerleading

Cheerleading

Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...

national championships, including three straight from 1992–1994. At the 2007 NCA/NDA Collegiate Cheerleading and Dance National Championships, Pitt's Cheer squad won the 2007 Challenge Cup and finished in eighth place overall in the All-Girl Division I category. The Pitt Dance Team has also been competitive in national competitions, earning a top-20 finish at the NCA/NDA competition in the Division IA category in 2007, and advancing to finals in 2010 to finish 13th. The Cheerleading team also oversees the costumed Panther

Panthers of Pittsburgh

A panther is the animal that serves as the official mascot of the University of Pittsburgh and used as a nickname for both athletic teams as well as other organizations and affiliates of the university. The mascot is generally referred to as the Pittsburgh Panther or Pitt Panther, while the...

mascot named Roc. The Cheerleading and Dance Team is coached by Theresa Nuzzo.

^{NCANational Cheerleaders Association
The National Cheerleaders Association was established as a way to bring cheerleaders together to learn new skills. From 1949 on the NCA held summer camps, and is credited with the invention of the herkie jump, the pom pon and being the first uniform manufacturer-History:The NCA was founded in 1948...

and UCA All-Girl Division I Cheerleading National Championships (3): 1992, 1993, 1994}

Facilities

Pitt athletic teams utilize the follow facilities and venues:

Charles L. Cost Sports Center
Cost Sports Center
Not to be confused with Charles L. Cost Field.The Charles L. Cost Sports Center is a multi-purpose indoor sports complex at the University of Pittsburgh and located at its upper campus area above and behind the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

- Multi-sport (baseball, softball, soccer, track & field) indoor practice facility
Heinz Field
Heinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...

- Football
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...

home field
Fitzgerald Field House
Fitzgerald Field House
Fitzgerald Field House is a 4,122-seat multi-purpose athletic venue on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Fitzgerald Field House is named for Rufus Fitzgerald, a past chancellor of the university....

- Wrestling
Pittsburgh Panthers wrestling
Pittsburgh Panthers wrestling is the NCAA Division 1 intercollegiate wrestling program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

, volleyball
Pittsburgh Panthers volleyball
Pittsburgh Panthers women's volleyball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate volleyball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt volleyball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in Fitzgerald...

, indoor track & field, and gymnastics home venue and olympic sports training, locker room and office facilities
Petersen Events Center
Petersen Events Center
Not to be confused with Petersen Sports Complex.The John M. and Gertrude E. Petersen Events Center is a 12,508-seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It hosts the men's and women's Pitt Panthers basketball teams...

- Men's
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...

and women's
Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate women's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt women's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games...

basketball
Petersen Sports Complex
Petersen Sports Complex
Not to be confused with Petersen Events Center.The Petersen Sports Complex is a multi-sport athletic facility on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It houses Charles L...

- An on-campus multi-sport complex housing the home competition and practice venues for baseball, soccer, and softball.
- Ambrose Urbanic Field - Men's and women's soccer
- Charles L. Cost Field - Baseball
  Pittsburgh Panthers baseball
  Pittsburgh Panthers baseball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate baseball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt baseball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games at Charles L. Cost Field in...
- Vartabedian Field - Softball
Schenley Park
Schenley Park
Schenley Park is a large municipal park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, between the neighborhoods of Oakland, Greenfield, and Squirrel Hill. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district...

- Men's and women's cross country home course
The Club - indoor tennis home facility located in Monroeville
Monroeville, Pennsylvania
Monroeville is a home rule municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located about east of the city of Pittsburgh, Monroeville is a bustling suburb with mixed residential and commercial developments...
Trees Field
Trees Field
Trees Field was a facility consisting of athletic fields located at the upper campus of the University of Pittsburgh located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The facility contained both a baseball and softball fields, which were often individually referred to as "Trees Field", as well as two adjacent...

s - practice and intramural fields, and future site of a new track and field and band complex.
Trees Hall
Trees Hall
Joseph C. Trees Hall is a multipurpose student, staff, faculty recreational facility on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Designed by the architectural firm of Deeter & Ritchey, Trees Hall first opened in 1962, and a second phase of...

- Swimming and diving home pool (Trees Pool) and the Gymnastics Training Center
UPMC Sports Performance Complex
UPMC Sports Performance Complex
The UPMC Sports Performance Complex is a multipurpose, multisport training, sports science, and sports medical complex of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center...

- Indoor and outdoor football practice facility
Washington's Landing
Washington's Landing
Washington's Landing is an island in the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is officially considered part of the Troy Hill neighborhood.-Herrs Island:...

tennis courts - outdoor practice tennis courts

Panther Club

The university Athletic Department has an official booster club

Booster club

A booster club is an organization that is formed to support an associated club, sports team, or organization. Booster clubs are popular in American schools at the high school and university level...

, the Panther Club, which is directly active in raising money for the athletic department from alumni, boosters, and fans. It also oversees the Varsity Letter Club, a booster club specifically for former Pitt student athletes. The Panther Club was previously known as Team Pittsburgh, and prior to 1997, was known as the Golden Panthers. Although independent of the Athletic Department, the Pitt Alumni Association often coordinates with the Athletic Department and Panther Club in hosting events corresponding with both home and away athletic events.

Club sports

Numerous Pitt athletic teams compete intercollegiately at the student club level without official sanction or sponsorship from the university's Department of Athletics. Although some are registered as official student organizations with the University of Pittsburgh Student Government Board and thus receive some small funding from that body, they are all largely self-supported.

The following teams compete in intercollegiate non-varsity club sports:
Baseball http://www.pittclubbaseball.com

Men's Handball https://pitt-community.symplicity.com/index.php?s=student_group&tab=profile&mode=form&id=d58481bcf468949d9d2dab0ebede12aa

Men's Ice Hockey (ACHA

American Collegiate Hockey Association

The American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....

Rivalries

Pitt's biggest rivalry is with West Virginia University

West Virginia University

West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...

, which began with football games that date back to 1895, and spills across multiple sports. The annual contests are called the Backyard Brawl

Backyard Brawl

The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other...

, due to the proximity of the two schools' main campuses that are 80 miles apart, as well as the shared boundary between western Pennsylvania

Western Pennsylvania

Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...

and North-Central West Virginia

North-Central West Virginia

North-Central West Virginia is a region of the U.S. State of West Virginia. The region's largest city is Morgantown.- Counties :*Monongalia County*Marion County*Harrison County*Taylor County*Doddridge County...

and the fact that both school reside in the same Designated Market Area. The football rivalry represents the most played opponent for each school, and is traditionally played on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...

weekend, with the result often having implications both on the conference and national level. A men's basketball rivalry with WVU shares an intensity similar to that of the football one, and is also shared between the women's basketball teams as well. The basketball teams are designated annual rivals in the Big East Conference and face each other twice per season. Most other sponsored varsity and club sports fielded by both schools also share a similar rivalry. The rivalry has been relatively unique in college athletics in recent years as the two most high profile sports, football and men's basketball, have resulted in games between teams have been all been nationally ranked in the same season.

Until 2000, Pitt's most-played and largest football rival was Penn State University, which is still a heated rivalry among some fans. The series began in 1905 and ended in 2000 with a 12-0 Pitt victory, but with Penn State leading the series 50–42–4. Although the two teams ended play due to long-standing coaching and administrative feuding, the rivalry is scheduled to resume for a two game series in 2016 and 2017. Pitt athletic officials have publicly supported an annual renewal of the rivalry, however Penn State has publicly countered that it is financially restricted from agreeing to a long term series on a home and home basis. In addition, the two schools have stopped playing each other in men's basketball, but still compete in other sports as well as in recruiting.

Pitt and Duquesne University

Duquesne University

Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...

have had a long-standing rivalry in men's basketball. Their annual game, scheduled to be held every year at the Consol Energy Center, is between the only two Division I basketball schools located within the city limits, and at one time, was the most intense basketball rivalry for both basketball programs. The inter-city rivalry attracts significant local interest and has thus been dubbed the City Game

City Game

The City Game is an annual college basketball game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the Duquesne University Dukes. The term "City Game" is also used refer to women's basketball games played annually between the two universities and may also be used to refer to other athletic...

. Both schools' women's teams also play their annual version of the City Game.

Also, Pitt is one of the handful of schools that has a longstanding rivalry with the University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...

. Pitt has played Notre Dame on a semi-regular basis since 1899, with never more than three years passing between contests since 1943. The two universities recently are in the midst of a contract to play eight games between 2008 and 2015. Pitt also has a long-standing rivalry with eastern football foe Syracuse University

Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...

, which often spills over onto the basketball court.

In 2005, Pitt began a football rivalry with the University of Cincinnati

University of Cincinnati

The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....

Bearcats, dubbed the "River City Rivalry

River City Rivalry

The River City Rivalry is an annual game played between Big East rivals University of Pittsburgh and University of Cincinnati. The rivalry itself is relatively new, played regularly only since 2005, during which season the rivalry trophy was introduced. Before the rivalry was titled, the two teams...

." This annual Big East Conference game stems from both cities being situated along the Ohio River and features a trophy of a riverboat telegraph (a device for signaling the boat's engine room). Pitt leads the all-time series 7–2 as of the end of the 2009 season.

Pitt also has a significant basketball rivalry with the University of Connecticut

University of Connecticut

The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...

. The Pitt and UConn rivalry first sparked with a last second win by then number one ranked Connecticut at Pitt's Fitzgerald Field House

Fitzgerald Field House

in 1998 that was followed by a crowd-displeasing emotional outburst by Connecticut's Khalid El-Amin

Khalid El-Amin

Khalid El-Amin is an American professional basketball player. He was a member of the 1999 UConn men's basketball team that won the NCAA championship. He is originally from Minnesota where he played for North High School in Minneapolis...

. The rivalry took on new significance in the 2002 Big East Conference Tournament championship game that saw Pitt lose in double overtime. Pitt went on to avenge its loss the following season by defeating UConn in the 2003 Big East Championship game. Pitt and UConn also met for the championship in 2004 and have since played in many conference games of significance since. In the 2008-2009 season, Pitt earned its first win over the country's top-rated team by beating UConn on the road, and later at home while Connecticut was again ranked #1.

Since joining the Big East Conference in 2005, Marquette University

Marquette University

Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...

has played several meaningful and close games with Pitt which have resulted in a burgeoning rivalry. In the 1980s, Pitt had an intense rivalry with cross-state rival and fellow Big East conference member Villanova University

Villanova University

Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...

that was touched off by recruiting battles over several high profile players. This rivalry has heated up again in recent years, especially after Villanova defeated Pitt at the last second of a 2009 Elite Eight game.

Pageantry

Mascot

The University of Pittsburgh officially adopted the Panthers of Pittsburgh

Panthers of Pittsburgh

as its nickname and mascot in 1909, shortly after changing its name from the Western University of Pennsylvania.

The University of Pittsburgh claims that it was the first college or university to choose the panther as a mascot, which it did on November 16, 1909. According to alumnus George Baird, the reasons given for choosing the Panther were:
1. The panther was the most powerful animal that once roamed western Pennsylvania.

2. Its standing as a noble animal.

3. At the time, no other school used the panther as a symbol.

4. Its colors are similar to Pittsburgh's colors of gold and blue.

5. The "happy accident of alliteration

Alliteration

In language, alliteration refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of Three or more words or phrases. Alliteration has historically developed largely through poetry, in which it more narrowly refers to the repetition of a consonant in any syllables that, according to...

."

Over 20 representations of panthers can be found in and around the university's campus and athletic facilities. Students, alumni, and fans rub the nose of one Panther statue in particular, the Millennium Panther located outside the William Pitt Union

William Pitt Union

The William Pitt Union is the student union building of the University of Pittsburgh main campus and is a Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark...

, in order to bring good luck to the university's teams prior to athletic contests. This tradition was featured in a national television advertisement for the 2012 Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

The Hyundai Tucson , or ix35 in Europe, or Hyundai JM in Japan, is a compact crossover SUV built and marketed by the Hyundai Motor Corporation. In Hyundai's lineup, the Tucson fits below the Santa Fe and Veracruz....

automobile. In addition, a costumed mascot, named "Roc", performs with the Pitt Cheerleaders at various athletic and non-athletic university events.

Student sections

The student section for basketball has received national acclaim for the atmosphere it helps to create in the Petersen Events Center

Petersen Events Center

. The student section for football is termed the Panther Pitt.

Song

The Pitt Band and its constituent Pitt Pep Band are often heard to play Pitt's fight songs, "Hail to Pitt

Hail to Pitt

"Hail to Pitt" is the most traditional fight song of the University of Pittsburgh, which is commonly referred to as Pitt. The saying "Hail to Pitt!" is also the most traditional and commonly used slogan of the University of Pittsburgh and its athletics teams. The slogan is frequently used in...

", The Panther, and the "Pitt Victory Song

Pitt Victory Song

The Pitt Victory Song, one of the most popular and widely used fight songs of the University of Pittsburgh, is often played in conjunction with Hail to Pitt and the Panther Song. Few people know the rarely heard first portion of the song, before the chorus. Lyrics were by G. Norman Reis and...

" are typically played during athletic contests, along with other music. The University of Pittsburgh Alma Mater

University of Pittsburgh Alma Mater

The Alma mater of the University of Pittsburgh was adopted soon after the University changed its name in 1908 from the Western University of Pennsylvania to its current moniker. Lyrics were written by George M. P. Baird, class of 1909 and were set to the tune of what was then the Austrian National...

is typically played prior to or following athletic contests. In addition, a recent popular tradition involves the crowd singing a "Let's Go Pitt!" version of "Sweet Caroline" between the 3rd and 4th quarter of football games.

Varsity Walk

Varsity Walk is a walkway between the Cathedral of Learning

Cathedral of Learning

The Cathedral of Learning, a Pittsburgh landmark listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is the centerpiece of the University of Pittsburgh's main campus in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States...

and Heinz Memorial Chapel

Heinz Memorial Chapel

Heinz Memorial Chapel is a Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark and a contributing property to the Schenley Farms National Historic District on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....

on which is carved the names of former Pitt athletes (each year since 1950) who have promoted the University through their athletic (Panther Award) or academic (Blue-Gold Award) achievements.

Victory Lights

The upper section of the Cathedral of Learning is illuminated "gold" after every home football team victory, as well as important victories in other sports.

Notable Panthers

Alumni, students, faculty, athletes and non-athletes alike, often refer to themselves as "Panthers". There have been many notable individuals who have been associated with the University of Pittsburgh throughout its history ranging from athletes like Mike Ditka

Mike Ditka

and Larry Fitzgerald

Larry Fitzgerald

, to celebrities like Gene Kelly

Gene Kelly

Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...

and Mister Rogers, writers like Michael Chabon

Michael Chabon

Michael Chabon born May 24, 1963) is an American author and "one of the most celebrated writers of his generation", according to The Virginia Quarterly Review....

, businessmen like Andrew Mellon

Andrew W. Mellon

Andrew William Mellon was an American banker, industrialist, philanthropist, art collector and Secretary of the Treasury from March 4, 1921 until February 12, 1932.-Early life:...

, and scientists like Jonas Salk

Jonas Salk

Jonas Edward Salk was an American medical researcher and virologist, best known for his discovery and development of the first safe and effective polio vaccine. He was born in New York City to parents from Ashkenazi Jewish Russian immigrant families...

. For more examples, see the List of University of Pittsburgh people.

Pitt Panthers Television

Starting with the 2010-11 school year Comcast

Comcast

Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...

and Xfinity in Central and Western Pennsylvania as well as the border communities in East-Central Ohio and Northern West Virginia will receive an all-Pitt-Panthers network featuring all sports and commentary hosted by Pitt in second-tier cable packages. The channel, located on The Comcast Network

Comcast Network

Comcast Network is a cable television station that is shown mostly in parts of Comcast Cable services in the Eastern part of the US. Viewed in four states and 20 television markets from New Jersey to Virginia on Comcast cable systems. The main focus of the network is Philadelphia although they...

Channel 188 or 210, will also feature rebroadcasts of games carried by CBS, ABC or ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU shot by its own production crew and with the Pitt Radio announcers on play-by-play. The University promises at least 500 hours a year of sports games and matches.

Pittsburgh Panthers Radio Network

The following radio stations are part of the Pittsburgh Panthers Radio Network.

Internet & Satellite
CBS College Sports Panthers All-Access
Sirius Satellite Radio Sirius Satellite Radio Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
Terrestrial
Location	Station	Programming
Altoona Altoona, Pennsylvania -History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...	WFBG 1290 AM WFBG WFBG is a news/talk radio station broadcasting in Altoona, Pennsylvania.-External links:*...	Football, Men's Basketball
Ambridge Ambridge, Pennsylvania Ambridge is a borough in Beaver County in Western Pennsylvania, incorporated in 1905 and named after the American Bridge Company. Ambridge is located 16 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, alongside the Ohio River. In 1910, 5,205 people lived in Ambridge; in 1920, 12,730 people lived there, and in...	WMBA 1460 AM	Football, Men's Basketball
Beaver Falls Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania Beaver Falls is a city in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,987 at the 2010 census. It is located 31 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, and on the Beaver River, six miles from its confluence with the Ohio River...	WBVP 1230 AM	Football, Men's Basketball
Bedford Bedford, Pennsylvania Bedford is a borough in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, west of the State Capital, Harrisburg. It is the county seat of Bedford County. Bedford was established in the mid-18th century. Population counts follow: 1890, 2,242; 1900, 2,167; 1910, 2,385. The population was 3,141 at the 2000...	WBFD 1310 AM WBFD WBFD is an American radio station in Bedford, Pennsylvania, the seat of government for Bedford County. WBFD operates at the assigned frequency of 1310 kHz and a maximum output power of 5,000 watts.-A Legacy of Top 40:...	Football
Butler Butler, Pennsylvania The city of Butler is the county seat of Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, situated north of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,121 at the 2000 census.- History :...	WISR 680 AM WISR WISR is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Butler, Pennsylvania. The station was the first to go on the air in Butler County, doing so on September 26, 1941. The station was the very last to be granted a broadcast license before the FCC halted the licensing of any more stations until after...	Men's Basketball
	WBUT 1050 AM	Football
Connellsville Connellsville, Pennsylvania Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA, 57 miles southeast of Pittsburgh on the Youghiogheny River, a tributary of the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. In 1890, 5,629 people lived in Connellsville, which was a borough at that time...	WLSW 103.9 FM WLSW WLSW is an American radio station, licensed to Scottdale, Pennsylvania. The station operates at the federally-assigned frequency of 103.9 MHz with an effective radiated power of 320 watts...	Football, Men's Basketball
DuBois DuBois, Pennsylvania DuBois is a city in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh. It is the principal city in the DuBois, Pa Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...	WCED 1420 AM	Football, Men's Basketball
Elizabethtown Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania Elizabethtown is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Harrisburg. Small factories existed at the turn of the century when the population in 1900 was 1,861. There was a slight increase in the next decade, with 1,970 people living in Elizabethtown in 1910. As of the 2000 census,...	WPDC 1600 AM	Football, Men's Basketball
Erie Erie, Pennsylvania Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...	WRIE 1260 AM WRIE WRIE is a sports talk formatted radio station known as ESPN Radio AM 1260: The Score in Erie, Pennsylvania. The station is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The station is part of the Buffalo Bills and the Cleveland Indians Radio Network...	Football, Men's Basketball, Dave Wannstedt Show, Jamie Dixon Show
Harrisburg Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...	WTKT 1460 AM WTKT WTKT is an AM radio station in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The station broadcasts at 1460 kHz with 5,000 watts power daytime non-directional and 4,200 watts night time power from a three tower antenna array in Summerdale, Pennsylvania...	Football, Men's Basketball, Jamie Dixon Show
Huntingdon Huntingdon, Pennsylvania Huntingdon is a borough in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Huntingdon County. It is located along the Juniata River, west of Harrisburg, about halfway between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, in an agricultural and fruit-growing region, with valuable forests and deposits of...	WHUN 1150 AM	Football, Men's Basketball, Dave Wannstedt Show
Johnstown Johnstown, Pennsylvania Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States, west-southwest of Altoona, Pennsylvania and east of Pittsburgh. The population was 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Cambria County...	WCRO 1230 AM WCRO WCRO is an American radio station, operating at 1230 AM in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The station, owned by the Greater Johnstown School District, programs a nostalgia format provided by the Music of Your Life network, and simulcasts WJAC-TV's newcasts from 5 am to 7 am...	Football, Men's Basketball, Dave Wannstedt Show, Jamie Dixon Show
	WCCL 101.7 FM WCCL WCCL is an American radio station physically located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania located at 101.7 FM, but licensed to the community of Central City, Pennsylvania. The oldies formatted station is the radio home for Motown, Soul and Rock and Roll. The station is owned by the Results Radio...	Football
Latrobe Latrobe, Pennsylvania Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...	WQTW 1570 AM WQTW WQTW is an American radio station, licensed to the city of Latrobe, Pennsylvania. WQTW operates at 1570 kHz with a maximum power of 1,000 watts day, 220 watts night. The station is owned by L...	Football, Men's Basketball
Meyersdale Meyersdale, Pennsylvania Meyersdale is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, on the Casselman River, southeast of Pittsburgh. In the past, its chief industry was the mining of coal. Meyersdale was first settled as early as 1776, but the growth of the town dates from the advent of the first railroad in 1871. Coal...	WQZS 93.3 FM WQZS WQZS is an oldies and classic rock station that broadcasts from Meyersdale, Pennsylvania. WQZS also airs many oldtime radio shows. The station is 100 percent owned by Roger Wahl, a Larimer Township Supervisor, doing business as Target Broadcasting, Inc....	Football, Men's Basketball, Dave Wannstedt Show, Jamie Dixon Show
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...	KDKA 93.7 FM	Football, Men's Basketball, Dave Wannstedt Show, Jamie Dixon Show
	WJAS 1320 AM WJAS WJAS is an adult standards radio station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Renda Broadcasting, and broadcasts at 1320 kHz with a power level of 5,000 watts.- The History of 1320 WJAS-AM :...	Women's Basketball, Agnus Berenato Show
Uniontown Uniontown, Pennsylvania Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh and part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. Population in 1900, 7,344; in 1910, 13,344; in 1920, 15,692; and in 1940, 21,819. The population was 10,372 at the 2010 census...	WMBS 590 AM WMBS WMBS is a Full Service/Adult Standards formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Uniontown, Pennsylvania, serving the Uniontown/Pittsburgh/Morgantown area. WMBS is owned and operated by Fayette Broadcasting Corporation.-History:...	Football, Men's Basketball, Dave Wannstedt Show, Jamie Dixon Show
York York, Pennsylvania York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...	WOYK AM 1350 WOYK WOYK is a radio station broadcasting a sports talk format. Licensed to York, Pennsylvania, USA, it serves the York, Pennsylvania and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area....	Football, Men's Basketball

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