The 2024-25 seasons for the Pitt football and men’s basketball programs were uncertain and fluctuating. The year brought exhilarating highs and nauseating lows at a breakneck pace for fans.
In times of tribulation and craziness, looking for constants is calming. One character stands out among the rest, especially during the football season. In a sea of blue and gold students donned in ghillie suits, inflatable sharks and even the Pope, a certain cowboy managed to stand out among them all.
Whether you sat in the student section, saw the Panthers play on TV or just scrolled through social media, you likely saw a student dressed in cowboy attire sitting front row and cheering the Panthers on. However, the connection between the Pitt Panthers and a cowboy isn’t so easy to explain at first, so I decided to go out and learn more about this story myself.
Justin Zhao’s story of becoming the Pitt Cowboy ironically begins in West Virginia, where Zhao lived before coming to Pitt. Of course, many of his friends and neighbors either attended or cheered for WVU. Zhao’s decision drew some playful derision from those close to him, given the hatred between the two schools.
However, Zhao himself did not grow up a huge sports fan, and thus, he had little idea about the history between Pitt and WVU. Once Justin enrolled at Pitt and attended his first football game — a Pitt vs. WVU game, no less — he came to love the university’s sports culture and began regularly attending games.
“When I started out in 2022, everyone was kind of hating on me,” Zhao said. “Then I did a little bit of research and found out about the Backyard Brawl, and I just kept going from there.”
It would take another two seasons before Zhao’s persona really took off. In the 2024 edition of the Brawl, Zhao worked his way into front row seats and used his West Virginia heritage to his advantage. During the game, Zhao wore a raccoon fur hat, similar to the one worn by WVU’s Mountaineer mascot.
While Zhao and those around him initially found the hat amusing, spirits began to turn once the Mountaineers took a 10-point lead late into the game and all hope seemed lost for the Panthers.
“When we went down 10, everyone started hating on [the hat],” Zhao said. “They said I was bringing bad luck and I was like, ‘chill out.’”
Pitt would overcome the deficit and defeat the Mountaineers 38-34, and despite the derision from his fellow students, Zhao decided to lean into his “country boy” roots throughout the season.
Beginning with Pitt’s contest against Youngstown State the following week, Zhao brought in a banner that read “WV Grown, Pitt Core, Fed By Corn, Panthers Roar.” Initially, most people were confused by the message.
“Since a lot of people don’t know my background, it doesn’t make sense to them,” Zhao said. “I wanted something more identifiable so people can tell I’m from there.”
After mulling over several ideas — including a farmer — Zhao settled on his identity after spotting a cowboy hat in his house. From there, a new persona was born. Beginning with Pitt’s next home game against Cal, Zhao’s costume got a lot of attention from fellow students, much to his surprise.
“I was not expecting people to have so much energy and give me so much attention,” Zhao said. “Eventually, people would say, ‘Oh, that’s the cowboy’ or ‘There’s Woody,’ so I was like, ‘I’m gonna do this forever.’”
Zhao would seize another opportunity in the spotlight again when the Panthers hosted Syracuse in a nationally televised Thursday night contest. He arrived at Acrisure Stadium four hours before kickoff, which worked out in his favor — he was spotted on ESPN and social media yet again. The craziness of Pitt’s demolition of Syracuse added to the atmosphere of the stadium, allowing Zhao and the rest of the Panther Pitt to shine on the national stage.
Despite the Panthers’ downturn at the end of the season, Zhao still found plenty of opportunities to let his character make an impact.
Pitt faced West Virginia in men’s basketball last November. In an electrifying drubbing of the Mountaineers, Zhao returned to the student section in his cowboy getup and added a message to his banner, which stated “#PanthersfromWV.”
While not intending to attend many basketball games that season, Zhao was inclined by members of the Oakland Zoo to return and give a little boost to the student section.
“If nobody’s gonna go there, I’m gonna be there to show some support,” Zhao said.
Perhaps his most impressive feat was when Pitt hosted North Carolina in their annual “blackout” game. Having to make a quick turn from his class in Benedum Hall to get to the game, Zhao sprinted to his place in South Oakland and then marched back up Cardiac Hill to the Pete to help create an energetic environment.
“They saved a seat for me, and I was surprised they did that,” Zhao said. “I am so grateful for them.”
As the 2025-26 athletic season approaches, another year of energetic students in hilarious and creative costumes is set to make its return. Sure enough, Zhao has his cowboy outfit prepared, ready to energize the Panthers and inspire a new class of Pitt students to enjoy athletics in the same way that he has.
“Let the environment take you there, because it’s amazing,” Zhao said. “The players are one of us and showing support is not about the result of the game, but about the process. When they lose our support, they lose their energy.”
It’s worth mentioning that Zhao is a first-generation immigrant. With the support of friends, family and a desire to make something special out of his time in Pittsburgh, he was able to create something that symbolizes Pitt’s love for sports and that other students can look up to.
“Three years ago, there was no way I would’ve dressed up and shown up to the game,” Zhao said. “But here I am — what started as a simple choice has become a symbol and is now introduced to the whole school and nationwide.”
So while the 2025 season is another unpredictable one for the Panthers, students can definitely look to their leaders, like Justin Zhao, and hail alongside him in another fun year for the Panther Pitt.
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