Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate women's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh women's basketball team competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference and plays their home games in the Petersen Events Center. The university first sponsored women's basketball on the varsity level in 1914 and have appeared in five straight national post-season tournaments between 2006 and 2010.
Women's intercollegiate varsity basketball at the University of Pittsburgh began during the 1914âÂÂ1915 season and found early success until 1926âÂÂ1927 after which it was disbanded in favor of intramural sports programs. Varsity basketball for women was reinstated during the 1970âÂÂ1971 season. Although participants were awarded varsity letters and competed intercollegiately, the program wasn't taken over by the Athletic Department until the 1974âÂÂ1975 season. During the 1970s, the team earned several EAIAW regional tournament appearances. The team began competing in the Big East Conference in 1982, and the Panthers won the Big East regular season championship in 1984. Pittsburgh appeared in the National Women's Invitational Tournament in 1981 and 1994 as well as the Women's National Invitation Tournament in 2000 and 2006 before earning its first ever NCAA tournament appearance in 2007, where they advanced to the second round before losing to eventual national champion Tennessee. The Panthers then advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 2008 and 2009, and made their fifth straight post-season tournament appearance in the WNIT in 2010. On April 12, 2013, the program hired Suzie McConnell-Serio to replace Berenato as head coach. Pittsburgh moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) beginning with the 2013âÂÂ14 season.
Pittsburgh has appeared in the NCAA tournament four times. They have a record of 6âÂÂ4.
NWIT and WNIT (5): 1981, 1994, 2000, 2006, 2010<br /> Pittsburgh was the NWIT Consolation Winner in 1981 (5th Place), won the NWIT Third Place game in 1994, and reached the WNIT "Final Four" in 2006.
EAIAW regional championship tournaments (6): 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981
Pam Miklasevich, 1981 College Sports Information Directors of America
22 total Panther players have achieved the 1,000 points club with three scoring over 2,000 points.
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Winn played at Georgia Tech from 2002 to 2004 prior to transferring to Pitt. She scored 812 of her 1,028 career points at Pitt.<br /> PPG = points per game
The following former Pittsburgh basketball players have or are currently playing in the WNBA.
The following players were selected in the WNBA draft.
Pitt's varsity women's basketball program, the only women's varsity sport at the school during that time, was started in the 1914âÂÂ15 season and continued until 1926âÂÂ1927 when it was dropped in favor of a program of intramural women's athletics that could provide more opportunities for the female students at the university. The varsity women's basketball program was revived for the 1970âÂÂ71 season and moved under the auspices of the athletic department in 1974âÂÂ75. Records prior to the 1974âÂÂ75 are largely incomplete (see notes).