For many, finals week brings long hours of studying and project work, along with all-night cram sessions and a significant amount of caffeine. But for Pitt's student-athletes, this period marks the end of their regular seasons. It's a time to reflect on their efforts over the past few months. The 2024 fall sports season at Pitt is one that will be remembered for a long time, with multiple teams achieving remarkable rankings and creating countless memories.

Unveiling the Performance Grades of Pitt's Fall Sports

Volleyball: A+

Pitt's volleyball program has firmly established itself among the nation's elite in recent years, and this season was no exception. The Panthers finished the regular season with an outstanding 29-1 record, dominating their schedule by defeating six top 10 opponents, including sweeping No. 13 Oregon, No. 4 Penn State, and No. 6 Stanford. Entering the postseason, they hold the No. 1 ranking, have won the ACC championship, and are the top seed in the NCAA tournament. They have a plethora of national and conference awards across the roster. It seems that every accolade and championship is within their reach. Now, they just need to overcome the final hurdle and claim their place as national champions.The team's performance this season has been nothing short of remarkable. Their consistent dominance on the court has earned them the respect and admiration of fans and opponents alike. The players' hard work and dedication have paid off, and they are now on the verge of achieving greatness.

Men's Soccer: A-

This year's season for Pitt men's soccer is one of the most successful in program history. The team held the No. 1 spot in the country for a few weeks, a first in school history. They also secured the regular season ACC title for the first time, a significant achievement. Currently, the Panthers are a two-seed in the NCAA tournament and have advanced to the Elite Eight.However, the reason for the slightly lower grade is due to a few unexpected losses throughout the season. They lost to Penn, Cal, and Virginia, which eliminated them in the ACC tournament. Despite these setbacks, the Panthers have shown great resilience and have the opportunity to rectify their mistakes and bring a championship to Pittsburgh. Their performance this season has been a testament to their skill and determination.

Football: B-

If this article were to give a mid-term grade, the football team would have earned an A. But unfortunately, the Panthers had a reverse of an academic comeback as they dropped their final five games of the season. The 7-0 start was the best since 1982, with highlights including comeback wins over rivals Cincinnati and West Virginia and a five-interception drubbing of Syracuse. However, a blowout loss at SMU and two heartbreaking defeats against Virginia and Clemson derailed their amazing start.A combination of injuries to Pitt's star talent hampered their offense, and the defense struggled to keep up with the opposing offenses. This offseason is crucial for the program, and head coach Pat Narduzzi's position is certainly under pressure. The team will need to address these issues and come back stronger next season.

Women's Soccer: C

After an impressive 2023 season where women's soccer reached the Elite Eight, expectations were high for this year's program. National pundits agreed, as the team started the season ranked highly. But an early loss to Buffalo set the tone for the season, as they then suffered head-scratching and blowout losses to top teams. By the end of the season, the Panthers found themselves at 9-6-3 and missed the NCAA tournament, just a year after reaching their best result in program history.While the season wasn't a complete disaster, the mediocre result reflects the team's performance. They had the potential to do better but failed to meet the high expectations set for them. It will be important for the team to learn from this season and work harder to improve in the future.

Cross Country: C-

This fall was a bit of a disappointment for the cross-country team. In all their events, they never finished higher than fifth. The ACC tournament was particularly tough, as both the women's and men's teams finished near the bottom of the conference.Although they had a solid performance in the regional tournaments, finishing seventh in both, it wasn't enough to secure a spot in the national tournament. The season ended abruptly, leaving many fans disappointed. The team will need to work on their performance and aim for better results in the future.