Inside The Panthers

Pitt Basketball HC Jeff Capel Signs Extension

Pitt Panthers head coach Jeff Capel signed a three-year extension to stay with the program

Dominic Campbell

Jan 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel reacts on the sidelines against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel reacts on the sidelines against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers men's basketball head coach Jeff Capel signed an extension that will keep him with the program for three more seasons through the 2029-30 season, according to a press release.

This is his third extension that Capel has signed since coming to Pitt, with the previous one in 2020 for two-years, that kept him with the program through the 2026-27 season.

Capel has served as the head coach of the Panthers since 2018 and is heading into his seventh season at the helm of the program. He holds a 97-92 record during that time, including 46 wins the past two seasons and 26 wins in the ACC.

He took over from former head coach Kevin Stallings, who led the program to one of its worst seasons in 2017-18, finishing 8-24 overall and 0-18 in the ACC.

The first few seasons for Capel were not easy, finishing below .500 in his first four, as he dealt with internal struggles within the team, COVID-19 and the transfer portal.

Capel and his coaching staff's use of the transfer portal led them to a fantastic 2022-23 season, finishing 24-12 overall and 14-6 in the ACC. They ended a seven-year NCAA Tournament drought and made it to the Round of 32, defeating Mississippi State in the First Four and Iowa State in the Round of 64.

Many of the players who led the team came from the transfer portal in guards Jamarius Burton (Wichita State/Texas Tech), Greg Elliott (Marquette), Nelly Cummings (Bowling Green/Colgate) and Nike Sibande (Miami (Ohio)), plus forward Blake Hinson (Ole Miss/Iowa State).

Capel and staff brought in a fantastic Class of 2023, including star guards Bub Carrington and Jaland Lowe, while also landing Rhode Island transfer guard, Ishmael Leggett, who earned ACC Sixth Man of the Year honors.

The team struggled early on last season, one win in the first six ACC games, but finished the regular season winning 11 of 14 contests and the No. 4 seed in the ACC Tournament. They made the ACC Tournament Semifinals, but the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee controversially left them out.

Carrington departed for the NBA Draft and the Washington Wizards traded to get him at the No. 14 overall pick, making him a lottery pick and one of the most intriguing rookies in the league next season. It also builds a pipeline from Pitt to the NBA, which will help future recruiting classes.

Pitt will look to get back to the NCAA Tournament this next season, as they bring back Lowe and Leggett, while also adding transfers in forward Cam Corhen from Florida State and guard Damian Dunn from Houston.

“When Coach Capel initially arrived at Pitt in 2018, he was tasked with one of the most difficult rebuilding jobs in all of college basketball,” Athletic Director Heather Lyke said in the press release. “Jeff fully embraced that challenge from the outset and never wavered from his lofty vision for our players and program. Brick-by-brick, he built a rock-solid foundation that has Pitt basketball poised for a championship future. Jeff is an outstanding leader well beyond the court and we are highly fortunate to have him representing the University of Pittsburgh. I’m incredibly pleased to announce this extension of his contract and look forward to the continued ascendance of Pitt basketball under his direction.”  

“The University of Pittsburgh continues to have outstanding leadership under Chancellor Joan Gabel and Director of Athletics Heather Lyke,” Capel said in the press release. “I am appreciative of the support they have provided me and my staff as we continue to build a Pitt Men’s Basketball program that competes for championships on a conference and national level annually. Pittsburgh is a terrific sports town full of amazing people and we are grateful for the continued support of so many passionate fans. We will continue to give one hundred percent of ourselves as we represent Pitt on the court, in the classroom and in the community." 

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Dominic Campbell

DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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