This school year looks like it will have tons of excitement for Pitt athletics as athletes across campus, both new and seasoned, aim to make their mark. From Acrisure to Trees, this list of Panthers should help you know who to look out for on game day.
Football players to know
Starting on the football field, the Panthers have senior running back Desmond Reid transferred from Western Carolina to Pitt. Reid posted nearly 1,700 all-purpose yards in 2024, ranking him first among all returning FBS players. This year, he looks to build on a monster 10-touchdown, 579 receiving yard season.
On the other side of the ball is 2024 All-American and ACC linebacker of the year, redshirt junior Kyle Louis. Louis recorded 105 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and four interceptions, including a pick-six this last season. He looks to continue that run into this season and possibly end up as a first-round selection in 2026.
Leading the Pitt offense is redshirt sophomore quarterback Eli Holstein. Holstein transferred from Alabama to Pitt, and in his debut season with Pitt, he finished with an impressive 2,200 passing yards and 17 touchdowns in the 10 games he played.
Volleyball players to know
Pitt volleyball continues to show the program’s strength as junior right side Olivia Babcock and redshirt senior middle blocker Bre Kelley have been named on the AVCA’s second-ever Division I Player of the Year Watch List. They are named along with 28 other players from 19 different schools. Pitt is only one of nine schools with two or more players nominated, with Babcock winning the previous year’s AVCA Division I Player of the Year award.
Babcock had the most successful season in the history of the program last year, being honored as ACC Player of the Year, AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year, Pittsburgh Regional Most Outstanding Player, Honda Award winner, AAU Sullivan Award Semifinalist, ESPY nominee and, of course, AVCA Division I Player of the Year.
She had 5.94 points, 4.72 kills, 1.82 digs and 0.62 aces per set. The Los Angeles native set program history with a record 71 aces in 2024 and ranks fifth in program history for most kills in a single season with 538 and first in the rally scoring era.
Kelley was named to the AVCA East Coast All-Region team last year and earned Second Team All-American honors for the first time. She was also named a First Team All-ACC player, finishing the season eighth in the nation in blocks per set with 1.49, and hit a program-best and ACC record .497.
Men’s basketball players to know
Pitt’s basketball team will look totally different this year as many of the previously rostered players have either graduated or transferred through the portal. That said, the new roster Pitt head coach Jeff Capel has put together seems like it will make some noise in the ACC and potentially in March Madness.
Leading the new-look backcourt is Oregon State transfer and fifth-year Damarco Minor, who averaged 9.8 points and 5.1 assists this past season with the Beavers. Minor will share the floor with sophomore forward transfer from Iowa State Nojus Indrusaitis, who showed promise in his initial season. It’s also expected that sophomore guard Brandin Cummings, who averaged 6.3 points for the Panthers in his freshman year, will have an increased role for Pitt in his second season with the team.
Bolstering the Panthers’ wing play are transfer senior Barry Dunning Jr. and new commit first-year Roman Siulepa. Dunning is 6-foot-6 and has previously played for Arkansas, UAB and South Alabama. This past season, he averaged 15.1 points along with his 7.2 rebounds and looks to help the Panthers with scoring and rebounding.
A top prospect out of Australia, Siulepa came off an impressive showing at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, where he earned second team all-tournament honors. Siulpa led the Boomers to a sixth-place finish at the event, averaging 18.9 points and 8.1 rebounds a game. He also looks to help the Panthers on the boards and can impact the game with his driving and shooting.
Wrestler to know
On the wrestling mat, redshirt junior Mac Stout was named Pitt’s 2025 male athlete of the year. As the heavyweight grappler, he led Pitt to a dominant season, qualifying seven individuals for the NCAA national championship.
Women’s lacrosse player to know
Pitt women’s lacrosse made history last season, upsetting top-20-ranked Notre Dame in the program’s first ranked win, led by rising junior midfielder Paige Telatovich’s five-goal run. The Panthers look to build on this massive victory and rally behind players like Telatovich to bring more milestones to the young women’s lacrosse program.
Men’s soccer player to know
On the soccer pitch, senior defenseman Casper Svendby made a name for himself after earning the Newcomer of the Year award at the Panthers’ Choice Awards. Svendby helped the Panthers’ back line to seven clean sheets while appearing in 19 matches, including 17 starts. Svendby also contributed four assists and three goals, including two match winners.
These are the Pitt athletes shaping the identity of the 2025-26 Panthers as the school year slowly creeps closer. Whether you have followed the Panthers for years or are a first-time fan, these names are the ones to take note of in this year’s season of Pitt athletics.
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