Jeff Capel’s Pittsburgh Panthers have started to recover from the exodus they suffered from earlier this month. They have made some valuable additions to the roster in the transfer portal window, including A’lahn Sumler.
The Panthers haven’t had a good run in the NCAA Tournament in over a decade. The last time they made it to the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight was back in 2009. Their only Final Four appearance happened back in 1941.
This year, they failed to make the NCAA Tournament bracket once again, and the consistent disappointment led to several players leaving the program through the transfer portal window.
They lost seven players to the transfer portal. Brandin Cummings, Nojus Indrusaitis, Roman Siulepa, Kieran Mullen, Henry Lau, Papa Amadou Kante, and Omari Witherspoon left the program earlier this month.
The teams that lose the most also stand a chance to win big in the transfer portal, and the Pittsburgh Panthers are proving it right in April. They have signed some of the best players available in the transfer portal.
A’lahn Sumler of the Charleston Southern Buccaneers recently committed to the Panthers. Last season, he averaged 18.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting 48% from the field and 39.6% from the three-point line.
He follows Mercer’s Armani Mighty, Georgia Tech big man Baye NDongo, BYU forward Dominique Diomande, guards Naithan George of Syracuse, Jonathan Powell of the North Carolina Tar Heels, Alabama Crimson Tide’s Jalil Bethea, and Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs’ Colin Hawkins.
The Panthers have accumulated plenty of talent in this transfer portal window. Although the amount of talent that left this month will be a problem for them, if Capel manages to extract the best out of every new player, the Panthers might get back on track next season.
Jeff Capel’s Run with the Pittsburgh Panthers
Capel joined the program in 2018 as their head coach. He had prior head coaching experience with the VCU Rams and the Oklahoma Sooners. So far, this has been his worst head coaching stint.
Since 2018, the Panthers have only made one NCAA Tournament appearance. Overall, Capel has a 127-127 record, including 60-92 in the conference. The team that used to frequently compete in the NCAA Tournament in the 2010s has disappeared over the last 10 years.
The only time Capel took the Panthers to the NCAA Tournament was in 2023 where they were eliminated in the Round of 32. Next year, he will have another opportunity to make his mark. With a new team that is loaded with talent, this will be Capel’s best chance in years.
Read More:
Who Is Michael Malone’s Daughter? A Look Into the Coach’s Personal Life
Who Is Michael Malone’s Wife Jocelyn Malone?
Fans Roast UNC as Tar Heels Hire $20M NBA Champ As Hubert Davis Replacement
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in College Football, Men’s College Basketball, and Women’s College Basketball
