%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20499.1%2055.3%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%20499.1%2055.3%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22GUIDES%22%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M148.4%2C25v29.5h-7.1V25h-11.5v-6.7h30.2V25H148.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M168.2%2C54.5h-6.8V17.6h6.8v13.9c1.8-1.9%2C4.3-2.9%2C6.8-2.8c6.4%2C0%2C9.4%2C4.4%2C9.4%2C9.9v15.8h-6.8V39.8%0A%09%09c0-2.8-1.4-5-4.7-5c-2.9%2C0-4.6%2C2.1-4.7%2C4.9V54.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M211.1%2C47.3c-1.3%2C4.3-5.3%2C8-11.5%2C8c-6.9%2C0-13.1-5-13.1-13.4c0-8%2C6-13.2%2C12.4-13.2c7.8%2C0%2C12.5%2C4.9%2C12.5%2C13%0A%09%09c0%2C1-0.1%2C2-0.1%2C2.1h-18.1c0.2%2C3.3%2C3.1%2C5.8%2C6.4%2C5.7c2.6%2C0.2%2C5-1.4%2C5.8-3.8L211.1%2C47.3z%20M204.7%2C39.1c-0.1-2.5-1.8-4.9-5.7-4.9%0A%09%09c-2.9-0.1-5.4%2C2.1-5.6%2C4.9H204.7z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M225.7%2C40.9v13.6h-7.1V18.3h13.6c7.2%2C0%2C12%2C4.7%2C12%2C11.3s-4.8%2C11.3-12%2C11.3L225.7%2C40.9z%20M231.4%2C34.8%0A%09%09c3.6%2C0%2C5.7-2%2C5.7-5.1s-2.2-5.2-5.7-5.2h-5.6v10.3H231.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M252.3%2C40l6.2-0.9c1.4-0.2%2C1.9-0.9%2C1.9-1.8c0-1.8-1.4-3.3-4.3-3.3c-2.5-0.2-4.6%2C1.6-4.8%2C4.1c0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C0%0A%09%09l-6.1-1.3c0.4-3.9%2C4.1-8.2%2C10.8-8.2c8%2C0%2C11%2C4.5%2C11%2C9.5v12.3c0%2C1.3%2C0.1%2C2.7%2C0.3%2C4h-6.3c-0.2-1-0.3-2-0.3-3c-1.7%2C2.5-4.5%2C3.9-7.5%2C3.7%0A%09%09c-5.4%2C0-8.7-3.6-8.7-7.6C244.7%2C43.1%2C248.1%2C40.6%2C252.3%2C40z%20M260.4%2C44.3v-1.1l-5.7%2C0.9c-1.8%2C0.2-3.1%2C1.2-3.1%2C3.2c0%2C1.7%2C1.4%2C3%2C3.1%2C2.9%0A%09%09c0.1%2C0%2C0.1%2C0%2C0.2%2C0C257.7%2C50.1%2C260.4%2C48.8%2C260.4%2C44.3z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M277.8%2C54.5H271V29.4h6.6v3.1c1.6-2.4%2C4.4-3.9%2C7.3-3.8c6.3%2C0%2C9.1%2C4.4%2C9.1%2C9.9v15.8h-6.8V39.8%0A%09%09c0-2.8-1.4-5-4.7-5c-3%2C0-4.7%2C2.3-4.7%2C5.2V54.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M306.5%2C29.4h5.1v6h-5.1v10.5c0%2C2.2%2C1%2C2.9%2C3%2C2.9c0.7%2C0%2C1.4-0.1%2C2.1-0.2v5.6c-1.2%2C0.4-2.5%2C0.7-3.9%2C0.6%0A%09%09c-4.9%2C0-8-2.9-8-7.8V35.4h-4.6v-6h1.3c2%2C0.2%2C3.8-1.3%2C3.9-3.3c0-0.2%2C0-0.5%2C0-0.7v-3.5h6.2L306.5%2C29.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M321.1%2C54.5h-6.8V17.6h6.8v13.9c1.8-1.9%2C4.3-2.9%2C6.8-2.8c6.4%2C0%2C9.4%2C4.4%2C9.4%2C9.9v15.8h-6.8V39.8%0A%09%09c0-2.8-1.4-5-4.7-5c-2.9%2C0-4.6%2C2.1-4.7%2C4.9V54.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M363.9%2C47.3c-1.3%2C4.3-5.3%2C8-11.5%2C8c-6.9%2C0-13.1-5-13.1-13.4c0-8%2C6-13.2%2C12.4-13.2c7.8%2C0%2C12.5%2C4.9%2C12.5%2C13%0A%09%09c0%2C1-0.1%2C2-0.1%2C2.1h-18.1c0.2%2C3.3%2C3.1%2C5.8%2C6.4%2C5.7c2.6%2C0.2%2C5-1.4%2C5.8-3.8L363.9%2C47.3z%20M357.6%2C39.1c-0.1-2.5-1.8-4.9-5.6-4.9%0A%09%09c-2.9-0.1-5.4%2C2.1-5.7%2C4.9H357.6z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M382.1%2C36.1c-0.7-0.1-1.4-0.2-2.1-0.2c-3.5%2C0-6.5%2C1.7-6.5%2C7.1v11.5h-6.8V29.4h6.6v3.7c1.5-3.3%2C5-3.9%2C7.2-3.9%0A%09%09c0.6%2C0%2C1.1%2C0%2C1.6%2C0.1L382.1%2C36.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M387.5%2C46.2c0.1%2C2%2C1.6%2C3.8%2C4.6%2C3.8c2.3%2C0%2C3.4-1.2%2C3.4-2.5c0-1.1-0.8-2-2.7-2.4l-3.3-0.8%0A%09%09c-4.9-1.1-7.1-4-7.1-7.5c0-4.5%2C4-8.2%2C9.5-8.2c7.2%2C0%2C9.6%2C4.5%2C9.9%2C7.2l-5.7%2C1.3c-0.2-2.1-2.1-3.6-4.2-3.4c-1.8%2C0-3.2%2C1.1-3.2%2C2.5%0A%09%09c0%2C1.2%2C0.9%2C2%2C2.3%2C2.2l3.6%2C0.8c5%2C1%2C7.5%2C4%2C7.5%2C7.7c0%2C4.1-3.2%2C8.3-9.8%2C8.3c-7.6%2C0-10.2-4.9-10.5-7.8L387.5%2C46.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M472.2%2C19.1l26.6-17.9c0.3-0.2%2C0.4-0.6%2C0.1-0.9c-0.1-0.2-0.3-0.3-0.5-0.3h-74.1c-4.1%2C0-5.4%2C2.4-5.4%2C6.4v47.3%0A%09%09c0%2C2.2%2C7.4-5.3%2C13.7-12.1h65.4c0.4%2C0%2C0.7-0.3%2C0.7-0.8c0-0.2-0.1-0.5-0.3-0.6l-26.3-17.7c-1-0.6-1.2-1.9-0.6-2.9%0A%09%09C471.8%2C19.5%2C472%2C19.3%2C472.2%2C19.1z%20M442.7%2C13.7c0%2C0.2-0.2%2C0.4-0.4%2C0.4h-10.2v4.8h9c0.2%2C0%2C0.4%2C0.2%2C0.4%2C0.3v4c0%2C0.2-0.2%2C0.4-0.4%2C0.4%0A%09%09h-9V32c0%2C0.2-0.2%2C0.4-0.4%2C0.4h-4.7c-0.2%2C0-0.4-0.2-0.4-0.4V9.6c0-0.2%2C0.2-0.4%2C0.4-0.4h15.2c0.2%2C0%2C0.4%2C0.2%2C0.4%2C0.4L442.7%2C13.7z%0A%09%09%20M466.6%2C32.1c0%2C0.2-0.2%2C0.4-0.4%2C0.4h-4.9c-0.1%2C0-0.2-0.1-0.3-0.2l-10.2-15v14.8c0%2C0.2-0.2%2C0.4-0.4%2C0.4h-4.7c-0.2%2C0-0.4-0.2-0.4-0.4%0A%09%09V9.6c0-0.2%2C0.2-0.4%2C0.4-0.4h5.8c0.1%2C0%2C0.2%2C0.1%2C0.3%2C0.2l9.4%2C13.9V9.6c0-0.2%2C0.2-0.4%2C0.4-0.4h4.7c0.2%2C0%2C0.4%2C0.2%2C0.4%2C0.4L466.6%2C32.1z%22%0A%09%09%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M0%2C54.4V18.3h7.2v36.1H0z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M18.8%2C54.4H12V29.3h6.6v3.1c1.6-2.4%2C4.4-3.8%2C7.3-3.7c6.3%2C0%2C9.2%2C4.4%2C9.2%2C9.9v15.8h-6.8V39.8c0-2.8-1.4-5-4.7-5%0A%09%09c-3%2C0-4.7%2C2.3-4.7%2C5.2L18.8%2C54.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M42.8%2C46.1c0.2%2C2%2C1.6%2C3.8%2C4.6%2C3.8c2.3%2C0%2C3.3-1.2%2C3.3-2.5c0-1.1-0.8-2-2.7-2.4l-3.3-0.8c-4.9-1.1-7.1-4-7.1-7.5%0A%09%09c0-4.5%2C4-8.2%2C9.5-8.2c7.2%2C0%2C9.6%2C4.5%2C9.9%2C7.2l-5.7%2C1.3c-0.2-2.1-2.1-3.6-4.2-3.4c-1.8%2C0-3.2%2C1.1-3.2%2C2.5c0%2C1.2%2C0.9%2C2%2C2.3%2C2.2%0A%09%09l3.6%2C0.8c5%2C1%2C7.5%2C4%2C7.5%2C7.7c0%2C4.1-3.2%2C8.2-9.8%2C8.2c-7.6%2C0-10.2-4.9-10.5-7.7L42.8%2C46.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M63.2%2C16.9c2.3%2C0%2C4.2%2C1.9%2C4.1%2C4.2c0%2C2.3-1.9%2C4.2-4.2%2C4.1c-2.3%2C0-4.1-1.9-4.1-4.1%0A%09%09C58.9%2C18.8%2C60.8%2C16.9%2C63.2%2C16.9C63.1%2C16.9%2C63.2%2C16.9%2C63.2%2C16.9z%20M59.8%2C54.4V29.3h6.8v25.1H59.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M95.1%2C49.9c0%2C1.7%2C0.1%2C3.5%2C0.2%2C4.5h-6.5c-0.2-1-0.2-1.9-0.2-2.9c-1.1%2C2-3.7%2C3.5-7.1%2C3.5%0A%09%09C74.2%2C55%2C69%2C49.4%2C69%2C41.8c0-7.3%2C5-13.1%2C12.1-13.1c4.4%2C0%2C6.4%2C1.8%2C7.1%2C3.1V17.5H95L95.1%2C49.9z%20M82.2%2C49c3.5%2C0%2C6.2-2.7%2C6.2-7.2%0A%09%09s-2.7-7-6.2-7s-6.3%2C2.5-6.3%2C7S78.6%2C49%2C82.2%2C49z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st0%22%20d%3D%22M122.1%2C47.2c-1.3%2C4.3-5.3%2C8-11.5%2C8c-6.9%2C0-13.1-4.9-13.1-13.4c0-8%2C6-13.2%2C12.4-13.2c7.8%2C0%2C12.5%2C4.9%2C12.5%2C13%0A%09%09c0%2C1-0.1%2C2-0.1%2C2.1h-18.1c0.2%2C3.3%2C3.1%2C5.8%2C6.4%2C5.7c2.6%2C0.2%2C5-1.4%2C5.8-3.8L122.1%2C47.2z%20M115.8%2C39c-0.1-2.5-1.8-4.9-5.7-4.9%0A%09%09c-2.9-0.1-5.4%2C2.1-5.7%2C4.9H115.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Blake Hinson Says Goodbye to Pitt
PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers superstar Blake Hinson's time in Pittsburgh came to an abrupt and unsatisfying end, with his team just narrowly missing out on a berth to the 2024 NCAA Tournament and declining a bid to the NIT.
But nevertheless, Hinson wouldn't have traded his time at Pitt for anything and he expressed as much in a goodbye video to the school, team and fanbase that changed his life.
"University of Pittsburgh, don't got anything written down, just want to give y'all a big thank you for some of the best two years of my life," Hinson said in between highlights of his best moments as a Panther. "Coming in here, just literally wanted to be a player that fits in and gets some minutes and coach allows to shoot. I really didn't expect all of this, all of the fan support. I literally just wanted to finish my last two years of college out because I knew I was capable, so what you guys have done for me is just something I could never have imagined."
He thanked his coaches, teammates and the fans that backed him during his best and worst performances in blue and gold.
"This place has been magical. The teammates and the bonds I've made with my coaches and teammates have been magical." Hinson said. "The Oakland Zoo is definitely some of the most rowdy and proud fans."
Hinson didn't arrive at Pitt thinking he'd turn into a superstar but he embraced that role as well as anyone could have. The Panthers needed Hinson and Hinson needed the Panthers and the mrriage turned into something beautiful despite the bitter ending.
"I'm just super glad I came here. God doesn't make any mistakes and it's no mistake that I got here and met all these great people here in Pittsburgh," Hinson said. "I really became a better person and y'all brought the best out of me. This school and this city and these coaches have really brought the best out of me. ... Hail to Pitt and I'll love y'all forever."
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!
Pitt WR Holding Two Pre-Draft Meetings
Pitt's MJ Devonshire Schedules Two Pre-Draft Meetings
Pitt OT Taking Pre-Draft Visit to Steelers
Pennsylvania Governor Says Pitt Snubbed from NCAA Tournament
Three Takeaways: Pitt Completes First Scrimmage
Pitt's Pat Narduzzi Favors Hip-Drop Tackle Ban
Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt
STEPHEN THOMPSON
Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper. He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press. During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general. You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work: