The response to the pandemic by the sports world is still unpredictable, and trying to guess at what the landscape may look like months from now may be a futile endeavor. But Pitt’s administration hopes — and believes — that some normalcy may return to Heinz Field this fall.
Athletic Director Heather Lyke detailed what Pitt thinks football games may look like this fall when she joined KDKA Radio’s broadcast of the Pitt Blue-Gold Spring Game Saturday.
“First of all, I think you’re going to have an exceptional football team to watch,” she said. “We have an unbelievable schedule. We are planning on and expect full capacity in our stadium. So we’re thrilled. We hope people are planning to come and we appreciate all of those season ticket holders that have already renewed.”
Due to state and county regulations last season, Pitt was only allowed to host a very minimal amount of fans late in the year.
“It just makes such a difference,” Lyke said of allowing fans back in. “Our student-athletes are grateful for the opportunity to play, but to play in front of fans and people who are passionate about it, it makes it that much more meaningful.”
While Pitt is is readying for full capacity to be allowed, Lyke does recognize the obstacles still standing in the way.
“We have to continue to manage COVID in a responsible way,” she said. “I know people are getting vaccinated as they want to or need to. We will absolutely adhere to all of the medical and safety guidelines of our state and our county, but we’re very hopeful to have full-go and do it in a safe manner.”
Pitt football opens its regular season September 4 against UMass at Heinz Field.
Pittsburgh to Host NCAA Baseball?
Pitt’s baseball team has never hosted an NCAA Regional and has not appeared in one since 1995, but that may change next month.
Lyke confirmed during her radio interview that Pitt has submitted a bid to host an NCAA Regional. The Panthers are currently ranked 16th in the country by D1Baseball.
It would put a cherry on top of what has been one of the most impressive runs in Pitt athletics history, with the volleyball team reaching the Elite 8, the men’s soccer team attaining the top ranking in the nation, the women’s soccer team breaking the program's wins record and the wrestling team producing two NCAA runner-up finishers.
“Success is contagious. I’m so proud of our coaches, our kids, really competing at an extraordinary level. They’ve got a lot of confidence. They’re believing in their coaches, too.
“To build programs, you’ve got to have confidence in your coaches. They’ve got to be able to recruit kids who have some courage and confidence, and want to be a part off building something that has never happened.”
Victory Heights Update
One of Pitt’s largest planned facilities upgrades in history will resume development.
‘Victory Heights’ will include construction of a new arena for Pitt’s volleyball, wrestling and gymnastics programs, as well as a women’s lacrosse venue and upgrades for the track and field and band programs.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, construction and fundraising had been interrupted. Those delays appear to be over, according to Lyke.
“The future is really about Victory Heights and moving forward on those facility projects, which are moving forward now and have been given the green light again post-pandemic,” she said. “So that’s exciting.
“We had this vision and we understand that it had to pause a bit during the pandemic. But it is back up and running. I’ve seen some initial renderings and it just gets you so fired up.”
Initial plans called for the project to be completed in 2024.