Pittsburgh Panthers

Pittsburgh Panthers
The Pittsburgh Panthers is the name given to the sports teams of University of Pittsburgh.The Panthers participate in NCAA Division I (Division I-A for football) and in the Big East Conference.

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 team bases its claim for the first 8 national championships on a study conducted in 1970 by Sports Illustrated. These championships, together with its agreed championship of 1976, are the basis for the university's claim of 9 national championship seasons. In 8 additional years at least one recognized selector of national championships has declared Pitt a National Champion.

The football team moved into the Three Rivers Stadium in 2000 and then brand new Heinz Field in 2001 from their home at Pitt Stadium, built in the 1920s.

The upper section of the Cathedral of Learning is illuminated after a football team victory.

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 achieved prominence. Current NFL stars with Pitt Panther ties include NY Jet Kevan Barlow, NY Jet Curtis Martin, Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald, Charger coach Marty Schottenheimer, and Bucs coach Jon Gruden.

Pitt Panthers football has gained repute as a national leader in innovation; Bobby Grier became the first African-American player to break the Bowl game color-barrier in 1956.

Former NFL head coach and Pitt alum Dave Wannstedt was hired in late 2004 as head football coach, to renew the glory days of the 1970s and early 1980s for Pitt football.

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, Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Charlie Hyatt. During this period, Pitt was coached by the legendary Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Henry Clifford "Doc" Carlson, MD, who would ended 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 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 Ridle who, with All-American Billy Knight, led Pitt to the Elite Eight in 1974 and an NIT appearance the year after. Head coach Tim Grgurich, led Pitt to the 1980 NIT, Dr. Roy Chipman was hired to lead the Panthers into modern, Big East era of Pitt basketball, and the start of a roller coaster-like trip back to national significance.

Beginning with the 1980-81 season, Roy Chipman took Pitt to its thrid consecutive post-season appearance with an NCAA second round appearance following an Eastern 8 Conference tournament title, followed by 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.

Women's Basketball
The Pittsburgh Panthers Women's Basketball program started in the early 1970's and has posted several conference and NWIT/EAIAW Tournament Appearances.

Rivalries
Pitt and Duquesne University have had a long-standing rivalry in men's basketball. Their annual game, alternating locations between the two campuses at Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena 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.