University of Pittsburgh

Ryan Luther, Cam Johnson, Michael Young, Sheldon Jeter, and Mike Lecak post on Pitt media day. -- PITT

Ryan Luther, Cam Johnson, Michael Young, Sheldon Jeter, and Mike Lecak post on Pitt media day. -- PITT

Pitt’s Young looks ‘forward’ to position switch

by • Coverage •

By ALAN SAUNDERS

After injuries forced Pitt men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon to send out forward Michael Young at center against some of the nation’s best big men in ACC play last season, he set out to get a true No. 5 this offseason.

He got three.

Six-foot-nine Alonzo Nelson-Ododa (Richmond), 6-9 Rafael Maia (Brown) and 6-11 Rozelle Nix (Pensacola State Junior College) have all transferred in and will be immediately eligible to make in impact for the Panthers this season.

The first and biggest impact will be moving the talented Young back to his more comfortable forward position:

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Suzie McConnell-Serio takes reporters' questions Friday at Petersen Events Center. -- GETTY

Suzie McConnell-Serio takes reporters' questions Friday at Petersen Events Center. -- GETTY

Pitt women hope new faces can hold court

by • Coverage •

By ALAN SAUNDERS

It’ll be a season of change for the Pitt women’s basketball team. Coach Suzie McConnell-Serio will bring in five true freshmen and a transfer to attempt to replace the production of departed star Brianna Kiesel.

The freshman class includes two local products: guard Cassidy Walsh from Seton-La Salle and guard/forward Brenna Wise from Vincentian Academy. Guard Tania Lamb and forwards Kauai Bradley and Kalista Walters join the Pittsburghers.

“We are very, very young,” McConnell-Serio said Friday as part of basketball media day at Petersen Events Center. “We are excited about our freshmen and what they bring, basically, a player at each position. We can do a lot of things with our lineup and put different combinations on the floor.”

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Kadi Kullerkann goes up for the kill in Pitt's upset win over North Carolina last weekend. -- PITT

Kadi Kullerkann goes up for the kill in Pitt's upset win over North Carolina last weekend. -- PITT

Pitt notebook: Toppling Tar Heels just first step

by • Coverage •

By C.J. CUNNINGHAM

When Amanda Orchard started with Pitt volleyball in her freshman year, the team still played in the Big East and coach Dan Fisher had yet to arrive. Now the senior is halfway to finishing her four-year goal of bringing the Panthers towards the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“Each year we’ve gotten better and better,” said Orchard. “I’m so proud of what this program has accomplished so far.”

Pitt snapped reigning ACC champion North Carolina’s 18-game conference winning streak emphatically in straight sets last Sunday at Fitzgerald Field House. The sweep of the Tar Heels followed a 3-1 victory over North Carolina State on Friday, shooting the Panthers to the upper half of the ACC standings.

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Pitt shrugs off concerns about field conditions

by • Coverage •

By ALAN SAUNDERS

With Hurricane Joaquin looming off the Atlantic coast and another frontal system crossing the Appalachians, it could be a sloppy affair when Pitt visits Virginia Tech on Saturday.

Pat Narduzzi doesn’t expect it to be an issue for his Panthers.

“They have a drainage system under the field there,” he said Thursday. “I don’t think the field is going to be a problem at all, I don’t care if we get a monsoon in Blacksburg. I think the field will be in great condition. I think everything’s going to be fine.”

In 2001, Virginia Tech became the first college team to install a turf drainage system that that uses movable trays and a vacuum system to remove rainwater from the playing surface. It’s designed to handle 16 inches of rain an hour.

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Pitt’s Boyd could benefit from Hokies injury

by • Coverage •

By ALAN SAUNDERS

When the Panthers get to Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., on Saturday, coach Frank Beamer’s Virginia Tech team will be ready and waiting.

Well, at least some of the the Hokies will be. After already losing starting quarterback Michael Brewer to a broken collarbone, Virginia Tech announced Wednesday that junior cornerback Kendall Fuller will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his right knee.

Fuller had started 28 of the last 29 games for Beamer’s defense, which often leaves corners in one-on-one coverage. His loss will be a blow for the Hokies, but Beamer doesn’t expect to have to make a tactical change.

“You play what you play and you do what you know and what you’ve had experience doing,” he said on the ACC’s weekly conference call. “We’ve got some guys that are very capable of playing. We don’t have a guy that right now is as talented or as good as Kendall.”

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Freshman Qadree Ollison is one of three Pitt backs listed as a co-starter this week. -- GETTY

Freshman Qadree Ollison is one of three Pitt backs listed as a co-starter this week. -- GETTY

Pitt’s Bisnowaty: ‘Our goal is to run over them’

by • Coverage •

By ALAN SAUNDERS

Pat Narduzzi said Monday that he’s not sure which of the three running backs listed as co-starters will get the bulk of the carries this Saturday at Virginia Tech.

If you ask offensive tackle Adam Bisnowaty, it doesn’t matter who starts.

“As long as we get some yards and score touchdowns, that’s all that matters,” he said.

‘Biz’ and the rest of the Panthers O-line have to be licking their chops watching video of the Hokies front seven that gave up 182 rushing yards to East Carolina a week ago.

On the season, Virginia Tech has given up an average of 205.3 rushing yards per game, 102nd out of the 127 Football Bowl Subdivision teams. That’s despite a defense that has traditionally stacked the box under longtime head coach Frank Beamer.

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Post-QB decision, focus shifts to Pitt rushers

by • Coverage •

By STEVE BRENNER

It was a return to normalcy for Pat Narduzzi on Monday as he stepped in front of the podium on the South Side. Following an off week, it was time to return to work as the Panthers look to right the ship after a 27-24 loss to Iowa on Sept. 19.

As one would expect, Narduzzi said bye weeks following losses are much harder than bye weeks following wins, but the time off was certainly beneficial as the Panthers were afforded more practices, which meant more reps for starting quarterback Nate Peterman.

Narduzzi confirmed Peterman will be the starting quarterback going forward, but he added that Chad Voytik will continue to get reps, and there will be a package for him Saturday at Virginia Tech.

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Pitt notebook: Transfer a blast from the Baltic

by • Coverage •

By C.J. CUNNINGHAM

It’s hard to miss 6-foot-4 Kadi Kullerkann on the court. The impact the graduate transfer is bringing in her only year with Pitt volleyball is also easy to spot.

She frequently rises above the net with ease to drill the ball into the pine, helping her pile up a team-high 138 kills. The season-high 21 she tallied in last Saturday’s night win against George Washington secured a three-game sweep of Pitt’s Panther Invitational.

“She brings a big arm,” coach Dan Fisher said. “We have some good players, but she’s just a cut above offensively.”

Kullerkann’s journey to Pitt’s front line began far across the Atlantic in the small Estonian town of Keila. With a population of 10,000 and located just off the Baltic Sea, Keila offered a quiet and quaint childhood for Kullerkann.

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Peterman not taking Pitt QB job for granted

by • Coverage •

By ALAN SAUNDERS

When Nate Peterman was named Pitt’s starting quarterback Wednesday, he found out pretty much the same way everyone else did.

“I actually found out from people texting me,” Peterman said Thursday on the South Side. “I found out after you guys. (Coach) did just say to run with this thing and we have a lot of confidence in you, so it felt good. I’ve felt a little bit of that from my teammates, also. That’s huge. Luckily, everybody’s responded to me very well, I feel, so I just have to go out there and win games.”

Peterman and Chad Voytik, who became close over the offseason, will continue to compete throughout the season despite Peterman’s current status as starter, Pat Narduzzi made clear as part of his announcement.

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Narduzzi finally tabs Peterman as Pitt QB

by • Coverage •

By ALAN SAUNDERS

It took a quarter of Pitt’s schedule to clear up, but Pat Narduzzi has named redshirt junior Nate Peterman his starting quarterback.

“We will continue to go forward with him as the starting quarterback here,” Narduzzi said during his weekly ACC conference call Wednesday. “I think he’s earned that.”

Despite starting the 27-24 loss against Iowa last week, Peterman stayed in the game, then responded by completing 20 of 29 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

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Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard runs away from Pitt's Rori Blair to set up the winning field goal. -- GETTY

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard runs away from Pitt's Rori Blair to set up the winning field goal. -- GETTY

Peterman quashes QB controversy in Pitt loss

by • Coverage •

By BRENDAN STILES

IOWA CITY, Iowa — In the short term, there’s the agony of defeat. Pitt lost to Iowa, 27-24, Saturday night at Kinnick Stadium in the most heartbreaking of manners, as Hawkeyes kicker Marshall Koehn connected on a 57-yard field goal as time expired.

In the long term however, Pat Narduzzi had plenty of cause for satisfaction and said so afterward. Most notably: Nate Peterman.

Making his first start as the Panthers quarterback, Peterman completed 20 of 29 passes for 219 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. That included a 16-of-20 second half.

“I liked how he came out in the fourth quarter and tore it up,” Narduzzi said. “I thought he did a nice job putting the ball where it needed to be. That last drive to score, to tie the game up, was an impressive, impressive drive orchestrated by him.”

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Final: Iowa 27, Pitt 24

by • Game previews •

By BRENDAN STILES

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Looking ahead to kickoff …

Game: Pitt (2-0) vs. Iowa (2-0), 8 p.m., Kinnick Staduim

TV, radio: BTN, BTN2, 93.7 The Fan

Online: Gameday | Multimedia | Media notes

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