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Inside The Panthers

Pitt Starter Returning for Next Season

The Pitt Panthers will get another starter back for the 2024-25 season.
Stephen Thompson|
Pittsburgh Panthers Zack Austin (55) shoots a three point shot after gaining space from Louisville
Pittsburgh Panthers Zack Austin (55) shoots a three point shot after gaining space from Louisville | Michael Longo/For USA Today Network /

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers got more unsurprising but good news this week as they retool and rest their roster for the 2024-25 season.

To keep a strong month of recruiting news rolling, Pitt was able to announce that starting forward Zack Austin would be back for his second season with the Panthers. He joins star guards Jaland Lowe and Ishmael Leggett, who announced their intention to return to Oakland for another season earlier in the spring.

Austin transferred in from High Point after an All-Big South-worth campaign during his sophomore season, and quickly became an impact player for the Panthers. He earned a starting job right away but struggled to shoot during his first month at the ACC level. Austin was relegated to the bench briefly but earned his way back into the starting lineup and finished the season in that role.

He carved out a niche as a versatile defender and high-caliber shot-blocker. Austin ended the year having averaged 6.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 42% from the field and 30% from the 3-point line.

The Panthers retained Leggett, Lowe and Austin while adding transfers Cameron Corhen and Damian Dunn.

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Stephen Thompson
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:

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