PITTSBURGH – After another historical season in 2023, Pitt Women’s Soccer has many wanting to be a part of the upcoming campaign.
The Panthers previous season concluded with the team having 17 total wins on the season with six losses and one tie. The squad made it to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament where they eventually fell to the number one team in the country and last year’s NCAA National Champions, Florida State, by a score of 3-0.
For the 2024 season, the Panthers are returning a handful of key players, most of which three or four-year starters that bring great experience to the remainder of the young team.
The Panthers have two players coming back for a fifth year. Chloe Minas will look to add veteran knowledge and leadership to the squad in the upcoming season, after starting in sixteen games for the Panthers and registering two assists. Grace Pettet,a grad transfer from the University of Missouri and 2022 All-SEC second Team selection, will look to add further experience to the Panther’s back line.
Returning senior forwards Sarah Schupansky and Samiah Phiri combined for a total of 22 goals in the fall. Schupansky was the first-ever Panther named to the All-ACC First Team and secured the 13th spot on TopDrawerSoccer’s National Top-100 Postseason List (No. 13). Phiri started in 22 of 24 games played, tallying four assists on the season.
In the midfield, rising senior captain Ellie Coffield will look to build on her 2023 season after racking up eight goals, a team leading four of which coming from postseason play. Coffield recorded 1665 minutes and added four assists. Beside her, returner Deborah Abiodun looks to help the team get back to where they left off. Abiodun was named to the All-ACC Third and Freshman Teams and will be competing in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Also coming back to the team in 2024 is midfielder Keera Melenhorst. Melenhorst started fifteen games of twenty-four played, tallying 3 goals and six assists.
On defense, center back Katie Zailski and goalkeeper Elliott Breech make a return. Zailski recorded almost 1900 minutes in the fall, starting in every one of her 24 game appearances, and added a goal. Breech started every game of the season and recorded eight…
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