Pitt Women's Basketball Hires New Head Coach

The Pitt Panthers have a new leader of the women's basketball program.

Mar 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A Pittsburgh Panthers branded game ball goes through the net before the game against the Florida State Seminoles at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers women's basketball program needs someone to bring winning back to the city and they have their new head coach.

Pitt announced that they have hired College of Charleston head coach Robin Harmony as the next head coach for women's basketball. Harmony will serve as the 11th head coach of the Panthers, as they head into the 53rd season in the program's existence.

Harmony replaces former Panthers head coach Tory Verdi, who accrued a record of 29-66 (.305) and 8-46 in ACC play (.148) during his three seasons with the program.

Verdi is also the subject of a lawsuit from six former players during his time at Pitt, alleging he created an environment of hostility, psychologically abused the players and punished them when they spoke up.

Oct 9, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Pittsburgh head coach Tory Verdi during ACC Media Days at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

What Pitt Gets in Robin Harmony

Pitt women's basketball now has a woman at the helm for the first time since Suzie McConnell-Serio, who spent five seasons in charge from 2013-18 and led the program to their last NCAA Tournament in 2015.

Harmony had spent the past seven seasons in charge of the Cougars, leading them to a 122-81 record (.601) and 66-50 (.569) in the Colonial.

She led them to four winning seasons, including three straight 20+ win seasons and postseason berths, following a few tough early seasons, as she built up the program.

Harmony also guided them to the Colonial regular season title and the conference championship in 2026, giving them their first NCAA tournament bid in program history. She earned CAA Coach of the Year honors for her efforts.

She previously spent six seasons as head coach of Lamar from 2013-19 and led them to five winning seasons and three consecutive 20+ win seasons.

Harmony won three Southland Conference regular season titles in 2014 and back-to-back, 2018-19, but never made the NCAA tournament, featuring in the WNIT three times and the WBI one time.

She finished her time at Lamar with a 115-68 overall record (.628) and an 83-25 Southland record (.769). She was also the Southland Conference Coach of the Year in 2018.

Harmony got her first head coaching gig at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Fla. an NAIA school, spending six seasons in the role from 2007-13.

She had success there as well, posting a 132-49 overall record (.729) and a 66-15 (.815) record in the Sun Conference. She also won four regular season titles and made the NAIA DIII Tournament First Round three times, while earning Sun Conference Coach of the Year honors twice in 2009 and 2013.

Harmony is a Hershey, Pa. native and starred for Miami from 1980-94, recording 1,308 points, 750 rebounds, 415 assists and 314 steals in her career.

That gave her a start in coaching, as she spent 19 of her first 20 seasons on the coaching staff at Miami from 1985-2005, aside from one-year as an assistant at Fairleigh Dickinson in the 1987-88 season.

Harmony worked as an assistant coach for seven seasons over two stints at Miami, 1985-87 and 1988-93, before spending her final 12 seasons as an associate head coach under Ferne Labati from 1993-2005.

She helped Miami make the NCAA tournament six times and get as far as the Sweet 16 in 1992.

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