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Pitt’s Jeff Capel, Gamers Supply Prayers to Damar Hamlin After Emotional Win

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PITTSBURGH — Tuesday evening’s victory over No. 11 Virginia was about extra than simply basketball for Pitt.

The Panthers, led by Pittsburgh native Nelly Cummings and third-year guard Nike Sibande, took down the Cavaliers in entrance of a loud, and at occasions very emotional crowd.

This sport, which held super weight on paper (towards a ranked opponent, with Pitt trying to go 4-0 in convention play for the primary time in 9 years) was about extra than simply hoops.

Former Pitt Soccer captain and present Buffalo Payments defensive again Damar Hamlin was on everybody’s minds. Everybody within the sports activities group, everybody within the soccer group, everybody within the Pittsburgh group, and everybody within the Petersen Occasions Middle for the 9 p.m. matchup, was eager about Hamlin.

Only one evening prior, Hamlin had gone into cardiac arrest after tackling a Bengals receiver in the course of the first quarter of the Payments-Bengals matchup. Each an AED and CPR had been administered to Hamlin shortly thereafter on the sector, earlier than he was taken to the College of Cincinnati Medical Middle, the place he was listed to be in vital situation.

One evening later, in Oakland — the neighborhood that Hamlin known as dwelling whereas taking part in for Central Catholic and Pitt — the Pittsburgh group gathered to look at the Panthers play with Hamlin on their minds.

“Clearly, everybody noticed what occurred final evening with Damar Hamlin,” head coach Jeff Capel mentioned after the sport. “These guys know him, guys on our staff, he’s a part of our group, our athletic division, I obtained to know him. Unbelievable younger man, nice spirit, each time I noticed him he was in an excellent temper. Unbelievable persona. So our ideas and prayers are with him, his household, the Payments household, everybody within the NFL. We all know he’s a fighter, and he’ll proceed to struggle. Everybody keep prayed up.”

Earlier than the sport, Pitt warmed up sporting “Chasing Thousands and thousands” shirts, representing Hamlin’s model which shares the identical title as his charity — The Chasing M’s Basis.

“A detailed pal introduced them [the shirts] up right here for us, and we simply needed to put on them as a result of, to assist Damar,” Pitt’s Sibande mentioned. “Everyone knows the scenario that he’s going by means of, and we’ve all obtained our arms collectively for him. So, we undoubtedly needed to point out our assist, our love for him.”

“He’s an actual real particular person,” Sibande continued. “He simply needs to assist everyone out. He’s actually giving, and he simply needs to see everyone win. Actually unselfish man, and he actually cares about individuals. We care about him as effectively.”

Then, nearly midway by means of the primary half, in the course of the entirety of the under-12 media timeout, Pitt put a photograph of Hamlin on the jumbotron, together with a observe.

“Damar, we love you,” the observe learn. “We’re praying for you. Pittsburgh’s at all times had your again. And now it’s apparent the complete nation has your again, too.”

After the message was displayed, the video board started to scroll by means of totally different tweets and images of Hamlin, together with one tweet that confirmed that his GoFundMe marketing campaign — one which Hamlin organized earlier than the vacations to boost cash for a toy drive — had now obtained tens of millions of {dollars} price of donations since his harm Monday evening.

The Pitt trustworthy in attendance erupted.

“Man, that’s my man man,” Cummings mentioned about Hamlin, a fellow Pittsburgh native. “I don’t need to add an excessive amount of extra, I simply actually need to simply pray for him and hopefully nothing however one of the best for him and his household as a result of he’s a really real particular person, and also you hate to see one thing like that occur to a man like him.”



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Pitt Legend, NFL Corridor of Famer Rickey Jackson Graduates in Pitt’s Class of 2023

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Rickey Jackson can name himself loads of issues. An All-American at Pitt, a Professional Bowl, All-Professional, Tremendous Bowl-champion linebacker with the New Orleans Saints and a member of the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.

However now he can proudly say he’s a graduate of the College of Pittsburgh. Jackson, who left Pitt after the 1980 season to pursue his NFL desires, returned to Pittsburgh to graduate with Pitt’s class of 2023 on the age of 65.

Jackson graduated with a level in social sciences from the School of Common Research.

“My mom would’ve beloved it, my father needed me to get it,” Jackson instructed PittWire. “I do know they’d be pleased with me.”

Jackson was an All-American within the 1980 season at Pitt, forming a star-studded core with Dan Marino, Russ Grimm, Jimbo Covert, Hugh Inexperienced and Mark Might, on a workforce that went 11-1 and closed the season second within the nation.

In 4 seasons at Pitt from 1977-80, Jackson racked up 290 tackles (166 solo), 21 sacks, three interceptions and 4 go breakups as some of the dominant defenders in school soccer.

The New Orleans Saints chosen Jackson with the 51st choose within the 1981 NFL Draft (a second-round choice), and he spent 13 seasons with the Saints, incomes six Professional Bowl nods and 5 All-Professional honors. He performed two seasons for the San Francisco 49ers after 13 seasons in New Orleans, retiring after the 1995 seasons.

In 15 seasons, Jackson racked up 1,180 tackles, 135 sacks, 40 compelled fumbles and 29 recoveries and eight interceptions, and he was inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2010. However commencement is particular.

“I’d put it up with the Tremendous Bowl and all,” Jackson mentioned. “That is one thing I achieved personally by myself, so I’d put it proper up with that.”



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Pitt Goal Noah Thomasson Commits to Georgia

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On Tuesday, Pitt goal Noah Thomasson dedicated to Georgia over the Panthers, San Francisco, Penn State, St. John’s, and others.

Thomasson is a 6-foot-3 guard out of Niagara who Pitt focused exhausting out of the switch portal. He took an official go to this previous week but additionally visited Georgia weeks prior and finally determined to decide to the Bulldogs on Tuesday.

Thomasson picked the Bulldogs after averaging greater than 19 factors per recreation this season for Niagara and incomes first group all convention honors. He was one of many high guards remaining within the portal and now, Pitt will look to fill one other card spot with one other portal participant.

The Panthers reached out to Marshall switch Andrew Taylor on Monday after he entered the portal. Taylor common 20 factors per recreation for Marshall this previous season an escort over 1600 factors in his collegiate profession.

Pitt Reaches Out to Excessive-Scoring Marshall Switch Andrew Taylor

Pitt has two open scholarships remaining after including Rhode Island switch Ishmael Leggett, and Excessive Level switch Zack Austin out of the portal this low season.

Pitt’s again court docket will probably be led by redshirt freshman guard Dior Johnson, in addition to Leggett, Austin, and incoming freshmen Jaland Lowe and Carlton Carrington.



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Pitt Duo of Blaire Bayless and Olivia Babcock to characterize USA in U19 Pan-Am Cup

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USA Volleyball Nationwide Staff Improvement Program (NTDP) chosen Pitt incoming first-year duo of proper aspect hitter Olivia Babcock and outdoors hitter Blaire Bayless for the 2023 Ladies U19 NORCECA Pan American Cup from Might 9-15 in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico on Monday.

Bayless stands at 6-foot-2 and earned a rating of the No. 5 recruit within the Class of 2023. She led her highschool workforce to a District 6-6A Championship this 12 months. Bayless obtained district MVP honors, earned a spot on the First-Staff All-District in 2021, and Newcomer of the Yr honors after her sophomore 12 months. She additionally obtained the glory of enjoying within the 2022 Beneath Armour All-American match.

Babcock earned volleymag.com and AVCA First-Staff Excessive College All-American honors, as she led her highschool, Sierra Canyon, to their first ever Division I ladies volleyball championship. She stands at 6-foot-4, and prepdig.com ranked her at No. 27 her class, whereas prepvolleyball.com ranked her at No. 43.

The groups that Babcock and Bayless and the USA squad might compete towards within the Pan Am Cup are Honduras, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico.

USA Volleyball can even compete on the 2023 FIVB Ladies U19 World Championship, and the federation will decide the roster later this 12 months, previous to the August 1 beginning date.



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