March 31, 2008

PITTSBURGH - Pitt women's basketball head coach Agnus Berenato will be honored Tuesday night as the 2007 Dapper Dan Sportswoman of the Year. Berenato will receive the award for the second time in three years.

Berenato joins Swin Cash as a two-time award winner of the prestigious award. She was awarded the honor after leading the Pitt women's team to a school-best 24-9 record in 2006-07 and gave the Panthers their first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. Pitt went on to win its first-round game over James Madison and set numerous firsts for the program along the way.

This season, the Panthers are coming off another record-breaking season with the program's first trip to the Sweet 16 with a win over No. 12 Baylor in the round of 32. Pitt also defeated four top 15-ranked teams on the year including a win over No. 9 Notre Dame - the school's first-ever win over a top 10 team.

Awarded alongside Berenato will be Penguins star Sidney Crosby, who was named the Sportsman of the Year. Crosby has also won the award twice. He was named the Dapper Dan Sportsman of the Year last year as well.

Berenato has raised the level of the Pitt program substantially since her arrival in 2003. The team has gone from a 6-20 season her first year, to a program that is consistently in the top 25 and has now won 20 games in three consecutive seasons.

The Dapper Dan Dinner and Sports Auction will be held on April 1 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The event will celebrate the city's 250th anniversary. A cocktail reception and silent auction will take place at 5:30 p.m., with the dinner and awards program to be held at 6:30 p.m.