Pitt Women's Basketball Loses Duo to Injury

Pitt Panthers women's basketball lost a duo to injury.

Pitt Women's Basketball Guard Amiya Jenkins / Courtesy of Pitt Athletic

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers women's basketball have only just started their season, but already are dealing with serious injuries that will hurt them the rest of the way.

The program announced that junior guard Amiya Jenkins, who suffered a serious knee injury in the loss to rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl on the road on Nov. 12, will miss the rest of the season.

Pitt also announced that sophomore forward Lauren Rust will miss a significant amount of time due to a leg injury.

"We wish both Amiya and Lauren a speedy recovery," Panthers head coach Tory Verdi said. "They are both fierce competitors and have shown incredible determination and resilience. I'm confident that they will attack the rehabilitation process head-on. With the help of our training staff, we expect both players to make a full recovery."    

Jenkins will have the chance to redshirt and so too will Rust, if she isn't ready to play the rest of the season.

The Panthers already had one of their players out for the season before it even began. Freshman Kiara Williams underwent successful surgery on a lower leg injury in early July, which will allow her to redshirt.

Jenkins played well in the first two games for Pitt this season, scoring 10 points in the blowout win vs. Canisius in the season opener on Nov. 5 and then dropping a team-high 19 points and grabbing six rebounds in the 64-61 win against Bucknell on Nov. 9, both at home.

She spent the past two seasons with Kentucky, averaging 15.7 mintues, 5.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game, respectively, while shooting 39.8% from the field, 26.1% from 3-point range and 67.4% from the foul line.

Jenkins played sparingly as a freshman in the 2022-23 season, averaging 8.9 minutes, 3.2 points and 1.2 rebounds per game, respectively, while shooting 37.0% from the field and 67.7% from the free throw line in 26 games. 

She saw more playing time as a sophomore last season, averaging 22.6 minutes, 7.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, respectively, while making 41.1% of her field goal attempts, 32.1% of her 3-point attempts and 67.2% of her free throw attempts. 

Hailing from Lexington, Ky., Jenkins played for Anderson County High School, where she led her team to a 30-5 record as a senior in 2021-22, while averaging 20.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.1 steals and 2.9 assists per game, respectively.

She also shot 53% from the field, 45% from deep and 73% from the foul line, helping her earn 2021 MaxPreps Kentucky Player of the year.

Jenkins joined Pitt this offseason with another Kentucky teammate in senior guard Brooklynn Miles, who is an imporant member of the backcourt for the program this season.

The duo were two of five transfers who came to Pitt heading into Verdi's second season. This includes redshirt sophomore guard Mikayla Johnson from Colorado, senior forward MaKayla Elmorefrom Clemson and graduate student center Khadija Faye.

Rust, who hails from Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada, signed as a recruit under former head coach Lance White and remained committed under Verdi.

She put in the best performance of her career vs. the Mountaineers, scoring 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting, making a 3-pointer and all three free throws. She averaged 8.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 60% from the floor in the first three games.

Pitt will have to rely heavily on Elmore and Faye, their remaining frontcourt options, the rest of the season.

Miles will also have to lead a Pitt backcourt along with guards in juniors, Marley Washenitz and Aislin Malcolm, sophomore Aaryn Battle, senior Bella Perkins and Johnson.

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