UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH ATHLETICS MAGAZINE FALL 2024 WELCOME ALLEN GREENE Director of Athletics ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: A Night with Panthers Remembering Bobby Grier Pitt Athletics 2024 Hall of Fame ClassUNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH ATHLETICS MAGAZINE FALL 2024 FEATURES 6 “Fantastic” Estate Gift to Benefit Track, Football Programs 14 From Field to Future: Preparing Student-Athletes for the Next Play 22 Legacy: Pitt Athletics’ Timeless Traditions Embrace the 26 Coaching and Leading Away from the Game 30 Staying in the Spotlight with Bostick, Dickerson and Walsh 34 On the Road with Timothy “Tim” Pecsenye ON THE COVER: The University of Pittsburgh welcomes its new director of athletics, Allen Greene. See the cover story beginning on page 18. Departments Message From Rachel Fairbanks ................................... 2 Name, Image & Likeness ............................................... 4 Sponsor Spotlight ......................................................... 10 Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame 2024 .................................... 13 Panthers United ............................................................ 36 Varsity Letter Club ........................................................ 38 Pitt Memories................................................................ 44 H2P (Hail to Pitt), the official magazine of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics, is published by the Office of University Communications and Marketing and Pitt Athletics. Send correspondence to University of Pittsburgh, Department of Athletics, H2P, Petersen Events Center, 3719 Terrace St., Pittsburgh, PA 15261. ©2024 University of Pittsburgh #114819. H2P magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited contributions of artwork, photography or articles. The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution. 114819-1124 2 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH ATHLETICS A MESSAGE FROM PITT VOLLEYBALL STUDENT-ATHLETE RACHEL FAIRBANKS s a senior at the University of Pittsburgh reflecting on my time here, I am filled with gratitude. Looking back at first-year Rachel and comparing her to who I am today, I realize that my growth is a direct result of the incredible mentors, coaches, professors, teammates, family and friends who have supported me along the way. I truly wouldn’t be here without all of you. Pitt volleyball is a special program with an elite coaching staff. Since Fish [Head Coach Dan Fisher] has been at Pitt, every single year, we have achieved more. He and all our coaches lead in a way that inspires. Our team’s persistent hard work and passion are true testaments to the lessons we have learned from them. Over my three years at Pitt, we have made history. My first year, we beat Purdue University to make it to the program’s first-ever NCAA semifinals. That memory, that season and that group of people will forever hold a special place in my heart. Thanks to an extra year of eligibility, I had the opportunity to play alongside amazing women such as Kayla Lund, Chinaza Ndee, Kylee Levers and Leketor Member-Meneh. Winning that game and experiencing the dedication of the older players who made history- breaking achievements is something I will always cherish. Then, my sophomore year, we had another unforgettable season. We were ACC champions for the fourth time in program history, and when the postseason came around, we were ready. This time, our NCAA quarterfinal game was held in Wisconsin, against Wisconsin (the reigning national champions, I might add.) The field house we were in was not our beloved Fitzgerald Field House but rather the UW Field House, filled with relentless, roaring, red-clad fans. After a hard-fought five-setter, we came out on top, and the emotions we felt were indescribable. It was an extraordinary season full of life- changing experiences and people. Last year, we competed from the preseason through conference play and achieved another ACC title. During the selection show, it was revealed that Pitt would host up until the national semifinals. So, after battling through the first couple of rounds, we met up with the University of Louisville in the Fitzgerald Field House, playing to advance to the final four. Off to a rocky start, we lost the first two sets, and we needed to turn it around. In the next three sets, with a loud crowd willing us through the game, we came back and ended up reverse- sweeping the Cardinals to make it to our third-consecutive final four. And this season, 2024, we have already made history. We earned our first ever No. 1 AVCA ranking, and thanks to the city of Pittsburgh and the fans of Pitt volleyball, we sold out the Petersen Events Center, setting a new program attendance record with 11,800 supporters filling the stands. The life lessons and memories I will take away from Pitt will last far beyond my time here. I’m forever grateful for my teammates, coaches and friends; the fans, donors, spirit teams and band; and the community of Pittsburgh. But we are not done yet. We are not satisfied. I believe that with the support of our fans and the city of Pittsburgh, and with our staff and players, we can bring home a national championship. Hail to Pitt! Rachel Fairbanks #10H2P MAGAZINE FALL 2024 34 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH ATHLETICS 1 , 307 At a glance... TOTAL NIL Transactions 350+ Student-athletes with NIL Transactions ALL Programs with NIL Transactions $4.54 M TOTAL TRANSACTION VALUE $3,472 AVERAGE TRANSACTION VALUE 150+ BUSINESSES/COMPANIES PARTNERED WITH PITT STUDENT-ATHLETES 135+ TOTAL VERIFIED LX BUSINESSES/INDIVIDUALSH2P MAGAZINE FALL 2024 5 RANDY WALDRUM NIGERIA MARCEDES WALKER AZERBAIJAN DEBORAH ABIODUN NIGERIA - ff JAYLA PINA CAPE VERDE CONGRATULATIONS PITT OLYMPIANS6 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH ATHLETICS FEATURE “ Fantastic ” Estate Gift to Benefit Track, Football Programs Written by Josh Rowntree As many look toward the future and consider what to do with their finances, the University of Pittsburgh has worked diligently to develop flexible but meaningful ways to leave a legacy within the University community.H2P MAGAZINE FALL 2024 7 state giving and planned giving are ways to donate to the University while still leaving the door open for uncertain future life developments. Through estate giving, the University allows potential donors to set aside a select portion or percentage of their wealth as a gift. “Very often folks say, ‘I’m not wealthy; I don’t have an estate,’” says Jim Sismour, Pitt’s director of planned giving. “But everyone has an estate. When you die, if you have a bicycle and some food in the fridge, you have an estate. “What we do is work with people who want to consider making a gift—making a provision, more specifically—for a gift after death. A very large amount of those gifts comes from their will. If they have a living trust, it’s a distribution from their trust. You can make a gift like that in your will to the University of Pittsburgh or to any organization or institution or organization you’d like to support.” Essentially, a living trust gives the donor the opportunity to protect their current finances while still allowing for the potential of making a gift when they’re able, even if that does not occur until they’ve passed away. When a donor has officially documented their estate intentions with Pitt, they are welcomed into the University’s 1787 Society. The 1787 Society was founded to recognize those individuals who have made a commitment to Pitt through planned or deferred gifts, regardless of size, through a bequest, annuity, trust, life insurance policy or other planned or deferred gift opportunity. As of early June 2024, the 1787 Society had more than 1,100 members and had cumulatively received nearly $800 million in planned gifts, with received and pledged gifts surpassing $1 billion. Recently, Pitt’s Department of Athletics received a substantial gift when an anonymous donor pledged $1.5 million to endow scholarships for Pitt Football and Track and Field. “Still investing along with performing some part-time consulting since retiring,” the donor says. “Was not ready [to give] right now. Wanted to initiate a planned gift in a responsible and objective manner that would be impactful while honoring the legacy of family members. “The older you become does not necessarily make your decisions better when you are 85 than when you are 65. When my wife and I initiated our discussions on potential donations, I was in my 50s. By starting early, we felt there was more time to consider various aspects of our philanthropy.” The donor began working with Pitt’s major gifts staff in 2016, hoping to formulate a path toward a charitable gift while still acknowledging that conditions could change for them as they enter the later stages of their life. “ Our goal is for each of the scholarship recipients to graduate and have a similar or better experience than I did,” says the donor, and, more importantly, that each recipient is prepared to take the next step in their life and have a successful career.”Next >