PITTSBURGH PANTHERS

The 'Pittsburgh Panthers' is the name given to the sports teams of University of Pittsburgh. The university is a member of the Big East Conference, Eastern Wrestling League, East Atlantic Gymnastics League, and Eastern College Athletic Conference. Pitt fields 17 varsity teams at the highest level of competitive collegiate athletics in the United States, NCAA Division I. Recently, ESPN.com used the Sagarin system to rate universities based on the strength of their performance in football and men’s basketball over the course of the last five years. Pitt was tied for 10th as one of the nation’s top two-sport schools. In another recent ranking, an all-sports ranking done by Sports Illustrated on Campus, Pitt was ranked 17th among all of the country’s universities in terms of the overall strength of its athletic program. Pitt is one of only five current NCAA Division 1A schools to have won multiple national championships in both football (9) and basketball (2).

List of Sponsored Varsity Sports

★ 'Men's sports'

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★ Baseball

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★ Basketball

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★ Cross Country

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★ Football

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★ Soccer

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★ Swimming

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★ Track

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★ Wrestling

★ 'Women's sports'

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★ Basketball

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★ Cross Country

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★ Gymnastics

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★ Soccer

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★ Softball

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★ Swimming

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★ Tennis

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★ Track

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★ Volleyball

The Panthers participate in NCAA Division I (Division I-A for football). All Pitt varsity sports teams compete in the Big East Conference except for wrestling (Eastern Wrestling League) and women's gymnastics (East Atlantic Gymnastics League).

Scholar Athletes

During 2006, out of approximately 450 Pitt student-athletes, 311 had term grade point averages exceeding 3.0, 23 had a perfect term grade point average of 4.0, and 124 were named Big East Academic All-Stars.

Football

Main articles: Pittsburgh Panthers football

Traditionally the most popular sport at the University of Pittsburgh is football, at which Pitt has competed at the highest levels since 1889. During the more than 100 years of competitive football at Pitt, the university has fielded some of the greatest all-time teams, players and coaches.
===9-Time National Champions===
The University of Pittsburgh officially claims 9 National Championships for the Panthers football team: 4 unanimous ones (1916, 1918, 1937, and 1976) and 5 shared titles (1915, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936). The University of Pittsburgh bases its claim for the first 8 national championships on a study conducted in 1970 by Sports Illustrated[1]. These championships, together with its unanimous championship of 1976, are the basis for the university's claim of 9 national championship seasons. Furthermore, in 8 additional years at least one recognized selector of national championships has declared Pitt a National Champion. In total Pitt has been recognized as the National Champion by at least one selector in a total of 17 different seasons[2][3][4]:
Pitt has had 8 undefeated seasons: 1904 (10-0), 1910 (9-0), 1915 (8-0), 1916 (8-0), 1917 (10-0), 1920 (6-0-2), 1937 (9-0-1), and 1976 (12-0). Of these 8 undefeated seasons, 4 are not claimed as national championship seasons by Pitt.

Pitt has also had 17 one-loss seasons (1894, 1899, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1931-1936, 1963, and 1979-1981). Pitt won Eastern football titles in 1925, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936
★ , 1937
★ , 1955
★ , 1976
★ , 1979
★ , 1980
★ , and won a co-share of the Big East Conference championship and received a BCS bowl berth in 2004.

★ Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy (est. 1936) winner

Football Traditions & Facts

The football team has played at Recreation Park until 1899[5][6], and then began playing games at Exposition Park in 1900[7], but did not exclusively lease the park unitl 1904.[8][9] Pitt moved in to Forbes Field from 1909 to 1924, and the at Pitt Stadium in 1925. The team moved into the Three Rivers Stadium for the 2000 seson and then into Heinz Field, where they currently play, in 2001.
The upper section of the Cathedral of Learning is illuminated in gold-colored lights after a football team victory.
Pitt Football has a long and glorious history. Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka, Dan Marino, Tony Siragusa, Mark May, Beano Cook, Johnny Majors, Russ Grimm and Jimmy Johnson are just some of the alumni, coaches, and staff that have achieved prominence. Current NFL stars with Pitt Panther ties include Pittsburgh Steeler Kevan Barlow, Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald, Charger coach Marty Schottenheimer, and Bucs coach Jon Gruden.
Pitt Panthers football has also gained a reputation as a national leader in innovation, Bobby Grier became the first African-American player to break the Bowl game color-barrier in 1956.[10]
Former NFL head coach and Pitt alum Dave Wannstedt was hired in late 2004 as head football coach, to rekindle the glory days of the 1970s and early 1980s for Pitt football.
Long-standing football rivalries with Penn State University, the University of Notre Dame, the Backyard Brawl with West Virginia University, and the new River City Rivalry with the University of Cincinnati also highlight Pitt's resume.

Hall of Fame & All Americans

The Pitt Panthers have a long history of producing top football talent. Pitt has produced 85 1st team All-Americans (49 consensus All-Americans, 7th most of all schools). There are 24 Pitt Panthers in the College Football Hall of Fame and four that are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Dan Marino, Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka, and Joe Schmidt
Main articles: Pittsburgh Panthers football

Men's Basketball

Main articles: Pittsburgh Panthers basketball

Pitt began playing men's basketball in 1905-06 and 20 years later had become a national power as evidenced by Pitt's two Helms Foundation National Championships in 1927-28 and 1929-30. Those teams were lead by National Player of the Year, 3-time All-American and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Charlie Hyatt. During this period, Pitt was coached by the legendary and ground-breaking Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Henry Clifford "Doc" Carlson, MD, who would end up being at the reigns of Pitt's hoops program for 30 consecutive seasons (1923-24 to 1952-53). Led by 2-time All-American Clarie Cribbs, Pitt continued success through the 30s winning four Eastern Collegate Conference Championships. Pitt appeared in the 1941 NCAA Final Four, and, led by two-time All-American and Helms Foundation Basketball Hall of Fame inducte Don Hennon, appeared in two NCAA tournaments during the 50s. Bob Timmons took over for "Doc" Carlson and led Pitt to an NCAA and NIT appearance in the 60s and was followed by head coach Chuck Ridl who, with All-American Billy Knight, led Pitt to the Elite Eight in 1974 and an NIT appearance the year after. Following a short stint at head coach by Tim Grgurich, who led Pitt to the 1980 NIT, Dr. Roy Chipman was hired to lead the Panthers into what could be considered the modern, Big East era of Pitt basketball, and the start of a rollercoaster-like trip back to national significance.
Begininng with the 1980-81 season, Roy Chipman took Pitt to its third consective post-season appearance with an NCAA second round appearance following an Eastern 8 Conference tournament title, followed by the another Eastern 8 tournament championship and NCAA birth the following season. With the opening of the 1982-1983 season, Pitt began play as a member of the new Big East Conference. Although Chipman would lead Pitt to three more post-season appearances, he was replace by Paul Evans as head coach in 1986-87. In eight seasons as head coach, Paul Evans' teams, lead by All-Americans Charles Smith and Jerome Lane, would capture two regular season Big East Championships, secure several top 10 rankings, and advance to 5 NCAA tournaments and 1 NIT. Following Evans' departure, Ralph Willard took over the Pitt program in 1994-95 and advanced to one NIT in 5 seasons.
Ben Howland, who would become national coach of the year while at Pitt in 2002, took over in 1999-2000. In his second season as head coach, Howland's Pitt team would be led by All-American guard Brandin Knight to the Big East tournament championship game and NIT, followed the next two seasons by back-to-back NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances, back-to-back Big East regular season championships, and two more Big East tournament championship game appearances topped by winning the Big East tournament in 2003. Howland's assistant, Jamie Dixon, took over as head coach of the team in 2003-2004 and the program didn't miss a beat registering a third straight Big East regular season championship and NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance as well as another appearance in the Big East tournament championship game. The success has continued with two more Big East tournament championship appearances and 3 additional consecutive NCAA appearances, including a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2007.
Main articles: Pittsburgh Panthers basketball

Women's Basketball

Main articles: Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball

The Pittsburgh Panthers Women's Basketball program started in the early 1970s and have posted several conference and NWIT/EAIAW Tournament Appearances. In 2006-2007, the Pitt women, led head coach Agnus Benerato, advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament, losing to eventual national champion Tennessee.

Olympic Sports

Pitt has had a long history of success in other intercollegiate athletic events.

Track and Field

In Track and Field, Pitt has produced several Olympic and NCAA champions such as 800m Olympic gold medalist John Woodruff, two-time 110m hurdle Olympic gold medalist Roger Kingdom, and 7-time NCAA champion and 2005 World Champion triple jumper Trecia-Kaye Smith.[11]

Wrestling

The wrestling program has a rich history and is among the leaders in producing individual national champions with 15.[12]

Volleyball

Pitt's women's volleyball is the 12th winningest program in the nation[13] and has won 11 Big East Championships and appeared in 11 NCAA tournaments since the program began in 1974.[14]

Swimming and Diving

Pitt's Swimming and Diving teams have produced several Olympians and won 19 men's and 9 women's Big East Championships since joining the conference in 1983.

Gymnastics

Pitt women's gymnastics has qualified for the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship all but two years in the last ten seasons.[15]

Baseball

Baseball, Pitt's oldest sport, has produced multiple major league baseball players and has become on common presence in the Big East post-season championship.[16] Other sports have also found success.

Soccer, Softball, and Tennis

Pitt also fields competitive Big East Conference teams in men's and women's soccer, softball, and women's tennis.

Support Groups

The history rich Pitt Band was founded in 1911 and performs at athletic and other events. The Pitt Cheerleaders have won multiple cheerleading 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 the Division IA category.[17][18]

Rivalries

Pitt and Duquesne University have had a long-standing rivalry in men's basketball. Their annual game, alternating locations between the two campuses but once held every year at Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena, attracts lots of local interest and has thus been dubbed the City Game. Both schools' women's teams also play their annual version of the City Game.
Pitt also has a large football rivalry with West Virginia University that dates back to 1895. The annual contest is called the Backyard Brawl, due to the proximity of the two schools' main campuses (they are 80 miles apart) and the shared boundary between western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The game is traditionally played on Thanksgiving weekend. In 2007, the two schools will play in the 100th game of the Backyard Brawl.
Also, Pitt is one of the handful of schools that has a longstanding rivalry with the University of Notre Dame. 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 signed a contract to play eight games between 2006 and 2015.
In 2005, Pitt began a football rivalry with the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, dubbed the "River City Rivalry". 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) [19]. Pitt leads the series 2-0 after a 33-15 victory over the Bearcats on September 8, 2006.
Also in 2005, Marquette University joined the Big East Conference. Though Marquette had beaten Pitt in the 2003 NCAA Tournament, a rivalry was not born until the two teams played each other twice in the 2005-06 season, with the home team closely taking both games. The next season, Marquette won at Pitt in an overtime game both sides agreed was marred by terrible officiating. Marquette won the rematch in Wisconsin, but Pitt avenged both losses in the Big East Tournament. Both schools have grown to dislike each other immensely after just five Big East games.
Pitt's largest football rivalry formerly was with Penn State University, with some fans arguing it still is heated. The series began in 1905 and ended in 2000 with Penn State leading the series 50-42-4. The two teams ended play in light of disputes over the scheduling of games, with Penn State reportedly wishing to play Pitt at home twice for every game in Pittsburgh. In addition, the two schools have stopped playing each other in men's basketball, but they still have heated rivalries in women's sports, such as basketball and gymnastics.

Club Sports

The following teams compete in intercollegiate non-varsity club sports: Men's and Women's Ultimate, Pitt Crew, Men's and Women's Ice Hockey, Men's and Women's Lacrosse, Men's and Women's Rugby Club, Men's and Women's Soccer, Men's and Women's Water Polo, Panther Cycling Club, Panther Equestrian Club, Panther Wresting, Panther Baseball, and Women's Fast-Pitch Softball.