Roc the Panther prowled the sidelines as the anticipation grew inside the Petersen Events Center while the starting lineup was announced.
But the five all-stars who donned their Pitt caps after signing their commitment letters weren’t the most recent recruits to the Pitt basketball or volleyball teams. They were faculty, students, and clinicians eager to change the game in their respective fields by translating their research discoveries from the lab to the market, where they can make a difference in people’s lives.
Pat Bostick, Pitt’s senior associate athletic director for NIL business development and strategic partnerships, and Panther football radio analyst, welcomed the Pitt innovators to the second annual Startup Signing Day by comparing the preparation and resolve of elite athletes that he helps recruit to Pitt to the qualities of academic entrepreneurs.