Abby Answers: Your First Round of Pitt Questions, Tackled

We're kicking off a brand new series here: Abby Answers.

Every so often, I'll be digging into your questions — the sharp ones, the speculative ones, and yes, the occasional "can we get a live panther on the sidelines" ones — and giving it to you straight.

We've got a good first edition with questions about a handful of our teams. Let's get into it.

Football

The past three seasons have been a mixed bag — a 3-win year, a couple of tough stretch-run finishes, and bowl losses to G5 teams. With the playoffs and an ACC Championship appearance feeling out of reach lately, what's the goal for this program going forward?

Let's reframe this one a bit: Pitt has had some tough finishes to recent seasons, so what's the north star for this program right now?

First, it's worth noting Pitt actually came very close to reaching the ACC Championship last season. The Panthers got caught up in a five-way tiebreaker with Miami, Georgia Tech, SMU, and eventual champion Duke, and lost out on the tiebreak rather than losing on the field.

Narduzzi often points out that since Pitt joined the ACC in 2013, only four teams have won a conference championship: Florida State, Clemson, Pitt, and now Duke. That's the company Pitt keeps.

The goal is always to compete for an ACC title and a CFP berth. It's a tough environment right now — not every program has a Mark Cuban-level benefactor — but Pitt has continued to stay competitive and hang onto the players who make the difference. The tiebreaker heartbreak from last year is proof the margin is thin. Closing that gap is the goal.

Volleyball

What is up with [Jess] Smallwood? My guess is she has a tendon tear in her foot or ankle, and we still may see her this season.

Smallwood announced on Instagram on Aug. 28 that she's out for the season. A recurring stress fracture led to foot surgery. You'll see her on the sidelines in her cast, but she won't get reps on the court this year. She was likely coming off the bench anyway, given she plays the same position as Olivia Babcock.

What is the playing status of Marina Pezelj? She's played very little this season — I think only 1 or 2 sets?

This has been my most-asked question by far. Pezelj is working back from an injury and available in a limited capacity. She did see the court for two sets (backrow only) against Cal on Friday.

Fortunately, Pitt has real depth at her position: Blaire Bayless has held down the fort as a returning starter, and Ayanna Watson has played well enough to draw national attention. Sophia Gregoire is ready in the wings, and Lola Sageer could go too if needed. Pezelj will be back, no need to worry.

Nebraska fan here. Our biggest volleyball rivals are Texas, Wisconsin, and Penn State. Who is Pitt's biggest rival? Is it Penn State, or a conference opponent? Has the rivalry grown now that Pitt is a perennial contender?

I'd say Pitt has two main rivals. Louisville has been a fixture for years with both being atop the ACC — the Panthers have lost to the Cardinals twice in national semifinals, which keeps that one feisty. The other rival is newer: SMU. Pitt went undefeated in 2024 until falling at SMU in mid-October, and the two teams have had an edge ever since. They also play a home-and-home every season which just heightens the intensity. I'm sure there is a case for Penn State as an out of conference rival, but I get the sense that it really isn't that intense.

Will Olivia stay for a fifth year, or will her coach push her toward turning pro to focus on development for LA28?

You put this in the "Got a question you think we won't answer? Ask it anyway!" box, but I'm happy to say I actually can. For anyone who missed it: Olivia Babcock and Blaire Bayless have both announced they're staying for a fifth year. That means Pitt volleyball has the pair not just for 2026, but 2027 too — huge news for the program.

Men's Basketball

Do we have any sense of what the rotation might look like when the season starts?

Nait George and Baye Ndongo look like locks, and Jonathan Powell feels like the next safest bet. After that, it opens up. Armani Mighty is probably your starting big, but that last starting spot is wide open depending on whether coach Jeff Capel wants to go small or big. Chase Foster could work his way into the starting five — and even if he doesn't, he'll play plenty. I'm high on A'lahn Sumler, but he's also a point guard, so I don't see him playing over George. There's also a lot of buzz around Jalil Bethea.

Whatever combination he goes with gives you a well-rounded five with ball-handling, shooting and rebounding covered.

The beauty of this year's roster is its depth. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone sees the floor early on before Capel narrows it to an 8-10 man rotation as the season goes.

Men's Soccer

With Pitt getting a win over Louisville, does that open up their chances for an ACC title? What about an NCAA tournament bid?

That was a great win for the Panthers, and Mamadou Tall's goal was another reminder of how much better he gets every game. He's up to four goals on the season as a freshman, leading the team.

It's still early in conference play, so I'll hold off on getting too deep into rankings talk just yet. What I will say is that head coach Jay Vidovich's scheduling has prepared this team for exactly these kinds of moments. You can expect the Panthers to keep stepping up when it matters.

Everyone makes the ACC Tournament in men's soccer, so the goal is simple: keep improving week to week like they have been, and they'll be peaking at the right time. Keep stacking strong performances in conference play, and there's a real path to hosting some ACC Tournament games.

As for the NCAA Tournament: Pitt currently sits at No. 5 in the RPI, which is a huge factor in how bids and seeding shake out. Between that RPI and their results, this team is on track to host in the NCAA Tournament. Rankings are wide open across men's soccer right now, and Pitt is playing together and doing everything it needs to do to turn heads come November.

Just for Fun

When can we get a live panther on the sidelines? I spoke to PETA, they said it's OK.

This one got a genuine laugh out of me. I'd love to see that email chain with PETA, because I'm not sure this is the safest call — even LSU's tiger doesn't go on the field, and they're the gold standard for live mascots. For now, we'll stick with Roc on the sidelines. He's close enough.