Pitt Women’s Basketball Team Posts Record-breaking Season

The Pitt women’s basketball team had a fantastic 2008-09 season.

The Panthers advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year, giving Pitt a trip to the third round twice in just three tournament appearances in school history.

Pitt also reached 25 wins, giving this season’s team the most wins in school history, finishing with a 25-8 overall record. In Big East play, the Panthers finished 12-4 overall, which is also a school record for best winning percentage.

Individually, senior guard Shavonte Zellous put the team on her shoulders and willed Pitt to its current success. The May 2008 Pitt graduate finished second in the Big East and sixth in the nation in scoring, making an astounding 22.6 points per game average. She broke numerous records during the season, including becoming the only player in Pitt men’s or women’s history to score more than 700 points in a season. She concluded the season with 747 points and 2,251 in her career. Zellous also became the first at Pitt—and just the ninth in men’s and women’s Big East history—to score more than 600 points in three separate seasons.

Zellous also was Pitt’s first three-time First Team All-Big East member. She was named to the Big East All-Tournament team and is currently a finalist for the State Farm Coaches WBCA All-America team.

Zellous became Pitt’s first-ever All-American women’s basketball team member as she was named to the Associated Press All-America third team Tuesday.