Oakland Zoo (cheering section)
Encyclopedia
The Oakland Zoo is the student cheering section for the University of Pittsburgh
men's
and women's
basketball teams. The Zoo cheers on the Panthers
from the bottom tier of the stands at the Petersen Events Center
, primarily across from the teams' benches and on the baselines under the baskets. The "Pete" holds a rowdy crowd of 1,500 students and is consistently sold out for Panthers home game. The Oakland Zoo is named after Oakland, the neighborhood in which the university is located. The name "Oakland Zoo" is used for the basketball cheering sections only; the football
cheering section does not use the name.
The Oakland Zoo has been noted as being one of the most formidable student cheering sections in college basketball. The Zoo has been profiled in The Wall Street Journal
, and has been featured on ESPN
in various segments including ESPNU Campus Connection Week on January 19, 2009, ESPN Student Spirit Week on January 16, 2007, and ESPN "College Basketball GameDay
" on January 13, 2007. According to an anonymous poll of league players published by Sports Illustrated
, the Oakland Zoo has helped make the Petersen Events Center the "Toughest Place to Play" in the Big East Conference
. Anonymous players in the article were quoted describing the Oakland Zoo with the following descriptions: "The fans get there early to start heckling you. It's like a zoo." and "The student section is next to the court, and the fans there say some creative stuff." Some members of the Oakland Zoo have been known to wear body paint, wigs, masks, or animal-themed costumes including, among other species, gorillas, bears, and wookies.
The Zoo has also been lauded by many notable visitors to the Pete including Dallas Maverick's
owner Mark Cuban
and national college basketball pundits such as Jay Bilas
and Dick Vitale
who have described it as a "phenomenal" and one of the "top" college cheering sections giving a "tremendous home court advantage" with an atmosphere demonstrating "college hoops at its best".
The Zoo was an instrumental member of the Inspiring Pitt Pride Committee that won recognition for the University as being one of five institutions that received the Division I-A Athletic Directors Association's "Sportsmanship Recognition Award" in 2006.
Although credited by Pitt coaches, players and opponents alike for creating an intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams, the Oakland Zoo has also been noted for its ability to impress football
recruits during visits to Pitt basketball games. Elite high school running back prospect LeSean McCoy
credited the Zoo's warm reception for him during a 2007 visit in helping to cement his decision to sign the University of Pittsburgh. Gateway High School linebacker, Shayne Hale, also credited the Zoo with his recruiting. Hale attended a game with high school teammate and friend Cameron Saddler. To the cheers of the Zoo, Hale put on a Zoo shirt and joined the Zoo for a portion of the game.
where he and fellow student Zach Hale determined the Pitt student section was too calm. Cohen and Hale, popularly regarded as the club's founders, rounded up eight of their fellow students from the university's Litchfield Towers
dormitory to initiate the club first appearance at the January 13, 2001 victory over then 15th-ranked Seton Hall
. The name "Zoo" was meant to represent "a bunch of kids in a zoo acting crazy" whereas "Oakland" is the neighborhood of Pittsburgh in which the university resides. Students adopted gold t-shirts and eventually grew to consume the majority of the student section at the team's home court then inside Fitzgerald Field House
. Originally, upon seeking official sponsorship from the University for the 2001-2002 season, the group was denied and the athletic department attempted to implement their own counterpart to their football student cheering section called the "Aero-Zone", named after then athletic department apparel sponsor Aéropostale
, and issued free t-shirts to the students emblazoned with this name. However, the "Aero-Zone" failed to catch on while the Oakland Zoo continued to grow, transitioning into the Petersen Events Center when it was opened in 2002 and filling the larger student section of the "Pete". The group is now an officially recognized student group of the University, and with over 2,000 members, is the largest such group.
Following Cohen, other presidents of the Oakland Zoo include Andy Nagy (2005–2006), David Jedlicka (2006–2009), Josh Frantz (2009–2010), Robert Hogan (2010-2011), and Eric Haybarger (2011-present).
who invited him to Fitzgerald Field House
to liven up the crowd. Typically, his routine would involve dressing in outlandish outfits, sprint along the floor, and doing jumping jacks or push-ups. He was once ejected from a game at Temple University
for arguing with an official. Auslander drifted away from the basketball scene in the early 1980s and eventually moved to Nevada where he died in 1992.
that was the former home facility used by the university's basketball team, sat in one section of bleachers on the baseline behind the basket. The opponents losses were recorded on tombstone like cutouts containing the losing team's name that were hung on a beam overhead of the section, a tradition revived by the Oakland Zoo during the 2008-09 season. T-shirts were made up for the Field House Fanatics, however they lacked the overall coordination and status as an official student group that the current Oakland Zoo section enjoys. They creatively heckled opposing players and worked to distract them while shooting free-throws at the basket in front of the section, but the section slowly diminished in size and disappeared during a slump in basketball quality at Pitt during the mid to late 1990s.
s with an "Oakland Zoo" logo, whose design is altered for each new season, printed on the front. In some iterations, the back of the shirt resembles a jersey
, with the name "Panthers" printed above a large number 6, which stands for the "Sixth Man in the Stands," the fans
. The designs for the 2004-05 to 2008-09 seasons were completed by Pitt graduate student and former Oakland Zoo President David Jedlicka, known as "the Bald Guy". Designs since the 2010-11 season have incorporated elements from the university seal, and on the backs, a depiction of the university's Cathedral of Learning
. T-shirts are available for purchase by the general public in the official Pittsburgh Panthers Team Store. Other merchandise, including pink ladies Oakland Zoo t-shirts, hoodie
s, and polo shirts are also available.
In addition, the official team store sells limited edition plush animals outfitted with Oakland Zoo t-shirts. Individually numbered Oakland Zoo animals outfitted with 2006-2007 Oakland Zoo t-shirts that were produced in the first edition of the Oakland Zoo collection (with release date) included Corey the Giraffe (12-14-06), Romper the Monkey (1-7-2007), Francis the Polar Bear (1-27-2007), and Porter the Tiger (2-12-2007). The second edition of the Oakland Zoo collection with their release date are as follows: Cagney King of the Jungle (10-31-07), Corbin the Elephant (11-23-07), Hobart the Brown Bear (1-2-08), and Dandy the Duck (1-30-08). A third edition for 2008-09 includes the release of Kirby the Koala and Penelope the Penguin wearing Oakland Zoo VI t-shirts.
The Oakland Zoo distributes four page newspapers prior to every home game with details on Pitt players and opponents. The student section uses these papers to mock the opposing team during player introductions for the opponent by feigning disinterest. Also during the introduction of visiting players, the section yells "Sucks!" after the name of each opposing player is introduced, implying that the opposing players are not very good. After the opposing coach is introduced, the section yells "He sucks too!" At the start of the introduction for Pitt players, the Zoo tosses their newspapers into the air.
During the playing of the national anthem, the Zoo members lock their arms around their neighbors shoulders in a sign of solidarity with the Pitt players who also lock arms during the national anthem.
Currently, Panther Fans sing two fight songs during each game, the "Pitt Victory Song
" and "Hail to Pitt
". Oakland Zoo members are also known from dressing up, although some are known for their lack of dress and painted chests, with particular notoriety for costumes involving various animal themes including gorilla and bear costumes.
In 2006, the Oakland Zoo showed solidarity with the Duquesne University basketball team by wearing red ribbons to commemorate the five Duquesne basketball
players who were shot earlier in the year.
In 2008 the Oakland Zoo wore ribbons again, however this time it was for Pink the Pete. During the Pitt vs. UConn women's game, the Oakland Zoo distributed pink ribbons to everyone in attendance to show support for breast cancer awareness. These ribbons were similar to the 2006 ribbons, but this time had the Oakland Zoo logo printed on them. The tradition was continued with a different pink shirt for the annual Pink the Pete games against Cincinnati in 2009, and against Louisville in 2010.
During the 2008-09 season, the Oakland Zoo revived the tradition, started with the Field House Fanatics, of hanging tombstones for each team defeated by the men's basketball team at the Petersen Events Center.
For the 2011-12 season, the Oakland Zoo, in collaboration with university's student radio station WPTS-FM
, created The Oakland Zoo Show. Broadcast live locally on WPTS and streamed over the internet, the radio show starts 30 minutes before every Pitt men's basketball home game and is cohosted by the entire Oakland Zoo student section. During the broadcast of the game that follows, game stoppages also include live check-ins with the Zoo.
The Oakland Zoo also holds an annual pre-season event, hosted by the current president of the organization, during which food is served and talks are given by Pitt's men's and women's head basketball coaches.
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
men's
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...
and women's
Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate women's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt women's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games...
basketball teams. The Zoo cheers on the Panthers
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...
from the bottom tier of the stands at the Petersen Events Center
Petersen Events Center
Not to be confused with Petersen Sports Complex.The John M. and Gertrude E. Petersen Events Center is a 12,508-seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It hosts the men's and women's Pitt Panthers basketball teams...
, primarily across from the teams' benches and on the baselines under the baskets. The "Pete" holds a rowdy crowd of 1,500 students and is consistently sold out for Panthers home game. The Oakland Zoo is named after Oakland, the neighborhood in which the university is located. The name "Oakland Zoo" is used for the basketball cheering sections only; the football
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
cheering section does not use the name.
Notoriety
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, and has been featured on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
in various segments including ESPNU Campus Connection Week on January 19, 2009, ESPN Student Spirit Week on January 16, 2007, and ESPN "College Basketball GameDay
College GameDay (basketball)
College GameDay is an ESPN program that covers college basketball and is a spin-off of the successful college football version. Since debuting on January 22, 2005, it airs on ESPN Saturdays in the college basketball season at 11am ET and 8pm ET at a different game site each week...
" on January 13, 2007. According to an anonymous poll of league players published by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, the Oakland Zoo has helped make the Petersen Events Center the "Toughest Place to Play" in the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
. Anonymous players in the article were quoted describing the Oakland Zoo with the following descriptions: "The fans get there early to start heckling you. It's like a zoo." and "The student section is next to the court, and the fans there say some creative stuff." Some members of the Oakland Zoo have been known to wear body paint, wigs, masks, or animal-themed costumes including, among other species, gorillas, bears, and wookies.
The Zoo has also been lauded by many notable visitors to the Pete including Dallas Maverick's
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
owner Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is an American business magnate and investor. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet....
and national college basketball pundits such as Jay Bilas
Jay Bilas
Jay Scot Bilas is an American lawyer and basketball analyst for ESPN and CBS Sports. He is also a former college basketball player.-Playing career:...
and Dick Vitale
Dick Vitale
Richard J. "Dick" Vitale , also known as "Dickie V", is an American basketball sportscaster. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, he is well-known as a college basketball broadcaster and for the enthusiastic and colorful remarks he makes during games. He is known for his...
who have described it as a "phenomenal" and one of the "top" college cheering sections giving a "tremendous home court advantage" with an atmosphere demonstrating "college hoops at its best".
The Zoo was an instrumental member of the Inspiring Pitt Pride Committee that won recognition for the University as being one of five institutions that received the Division I-A Athletic Directors Association's "Sportsmanship Recognition Award" in 2006.
Although credited by Pitt coaches, players and opponents alike for creating an intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams, the Oakland Zoo has also been noted for its ability to impress football
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
recruits during visits to Pitt basketball games. Elite high school running back prospect LeSean McCoy
LeSean McCoy
-Philadelphia Eagles:McCoy was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team on June 29, 2009....
credited the Zoo's warm reception for him during a 2007 visit in helping to cement his decision to sign the University of Pittsburgh. Gateway High School linebacker, Shayne Hale, also credited the Zoo with his recruiting. Hale attended a game with high school teammate and friend Cameron Saddler. To the cheers of the Zoo, Hale put on a Zoo shirt and joined the Zoo for a portion of the game.
History
The Oakland Zoo was independently formed by Pitt students in the winter of 2001. The initial idea for the Zoo came from Matt Cohen during the January 6, 2001 basketball game against SyracuseSyracuse Orange men's basketball
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
where he and fellow student Zach Hale determined the Pitt student section was too calm. Cohen and Hale, popularly regarded as the club's founders, rounded up eight of their fellow students from the university's Litchfield Towers
Litchfield Towers
Litchfield Towers, commonly referred to on campus as "Towers," is a complex of dormitories at the University of Pittsburgh's main campus in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
dormitory to initiate the club first appearance at the January 13, 2001 victory over then 15th-ranked Seton Hall
Seton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
. The name "Zoo" was meant to represent "a bunch of kids in a zoo acting crazy" whereas "Oakland" is the neighborhood of Pittsburgh in which the university resides. Students adopted gold t-shirts and eventually grew to consume the majority of the student section at the team's home court then inside Fitzgerald Field House
Fitzgerald Field House
Fitzgerald Field House is a 4,122-seat multi-purpose athletic venue on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Fitzgerald Field House is named for Rufus Fitzgerald, a past chancellor of the university....
. Originally, upon seeking official sponsorship from the University for the 2001-2002 season, the group was denied and the athletic department attempted to implement their own counterpart to their football student cheering section called the "Aero-Zone", named after then athletic department apparel sponsor Aéropostale
Aéropostale (clothing)
Aéropostale, Inc. is a mall-based, specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories, principally targeting 14-to-17-year-old young women and men through its Aéropostale stores and 7-to-12-year-old kids through its P.S. from Aéropostale stores...
, and issued free t-shirts to the students emblazoned with this name. However, the "Aero-Zone" failed to catch on while the Oakland Zoo continued to grow, transitioning into the Petersen Events Center when it was opened in 2002 and filling the larger student section of the "Pete". The group is now an officially recognized student group of the University, and with over 2,000 members, is the largest such group.
Following Cohen, other presidents of the Oakland Zoo include Andy Nagy (2005–2006), David Jedlicka (2006–2009), Josh Frantz (2009–2010), Robert Hogan (2010-2011), and Eric Haybarger (2011-present).
Predecessors
The history of specifically organized student sections and especially notable fans of the University of Pittsburgh basketball extend beyond the formation of the current iteration of the student cheering section named the Oakland Zoo.Tiger Paul
"Tiger" Paul Auslander served as an unofficial cheerleader at Pitt basketball games in the 1970s and early 1980s. At 5'4" and 181, the diminutive graduate of Peabody High School in Pittsburgh earned his nickname from his football coach who encouraged him to hit the blocking sled harder by instructing him to "Be a tiger!". Following high school he also coached amateur basketball teams in the city and his enthusiasm on the sideline caught the attention of Pitt head coach Tim GrgurichTim Grgurich
Tim Grgurich is an American basketball coach and native of the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania having attended Central Catholic High School in the city. He also served as the head basketball coach at UNLV for the first seven games of the 1994–95 season before abruptly...
who invited him to Fitzgerald Field House
Fitzgerald Field House
Fitzgerald Field House is a 4,122-seat multi-purpose athletic venue on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Fitzgerald Field House is named for Rufus Fitzgerald, a past chancellor of the university....
to liven up the crowd. Typically, his routine would involve dressing in outlandish outfits, sprint along the floor, and doing jumping jacks or push-ups. He was once ejected from a game at Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
for arguing with an official. Auslander drifted away from the basketball scene in the early 1980s and eventually moved to Nevada where he died in 1992.
Panther Paul
A fan and season ticket holder of the Pitt men's basketball team, Paul Hipp entertained crowds from the late 1980s through the early 1990s. During intermissions and time-outs, Panther Paul would get out of his seat and lead the crowd in cheers with a fist pumping motion. His exuberant nature combined with short stature and portly appearance made him a fan favorite.Field House Fanatics
In the late 1980s, the first organized band of students pulled their efforts and formed the first student cheer group at the University. The Field House Fanatics, deriving their name from Fitzgerald Field HouseFitzgerald Field House
Fitzgerald Field House is a 4,122-seat multi-purpose athletic venue on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Fitzgerald Field House is named for Rufus Fitzgerald, a past chancellor of the university....
that was the former home facility used by the university's basketball team, sat in one section of bleachers on the baseline behind the basket. The opponents losses were recorded on tombstone like cutouts containing the losing team's name that were hung on a beam overhead of the section, a tradition revived by the Oakland Zoo during the 2008-09 season. T-shirts were made up for the Field House Fanatics, however they lacked the overall coordination and status as an official student group that the current Oakland Zoo section enjoys. They creatively heckled opposing players and worked to distract them while shooting free-throws at the basket in front of the section, but the section slowly diminished in size and disappeared during a slump in basketball quality at Pitt during the mid to late 1990s.
T-shirts and merchandising
Students in the section wear gold T-shirtT-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
s with an "Oakland Zoo" logo, whose design is altered for each new season, printed on the front. In some iterations, the back of the shirt resembles a jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, with the name "Panthers" printed above a large number 6, which stands for the "Sixth Man in the Stands," the fans
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
. The designs for the 2004-05 to 2008-09 seasons were completed by Pitt graduate student and former Oakland Zoo President David Jedlicka, known as "the Bald Guy". Designs since the 2010-11 season have incorporated elements from the university seal, and on the backs, a depiction of the university's Cathedral of Learning
Cathedral of Learning
The Cathedral of Learning, a Pittsburgh landmark listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is the centerpiece of the University of Pittsburgh's main campus in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States...
. T-shirts are available for purchase by the general public in the official Pittsburgh Panthers Team Store. Other merchandise, including pink ladies Oakland Zoo t-shirts, hoodie
Hoodie
A hoodie is a sweatshirt with a hood. The characteristic design includes large frontal pockets, a hood, and a drawstring to adjust the hood opening. They are sometimes worn with sweatpants. Some hoodies have zippers on them to allow easy removal much like a jacket...
s, and polo shirts are also available.
In addition, the official team store sells limited edition plush animals outfitted with Oakland Zoo t-shirts. Individually numbered Oakland Zoo animals outfitted with 2006-2007 Oakland Zoo t-shirts that were produced in the first edition of the Oakland Zoo collection (with release date) included Corey the Giraffe (12-14-06), Romper the Monkey (1-7-2007), Francis the Polar Bear (1-27-2007), and Porter the Tiger (2-12-2007). The second edition of the Oakland Zoo collection with their release date are as follows: Cagney King of the Jungle (10-31-07), Corbin the Elephant (11-23-07), Hobart the Brown Bear (1-2-08), and Dandy the Duck (1-30-08). A third edition for 2008-09 includes the release of Kirby the Koala and Penelope the Penguin wearing Oakland Zoo VI t-shirts.
Legal issues
In 2003, Oakland Zoo founder Matt Cohen filed a trademark infringement suit, on behalf of the club, against a local t-shirt vendor Chuck Bonasorte. The Oakland Zoo wanted a percent of money for each t-shirt sold to be used to fund club related events for Zoo members. The judge ruled that there was no way to establish the trademark, and that the Bonasorte's business, The Pittsburgh Stop, was selling the shirts before the Zoo. However the Bonasorte did agree to pay royalties to the Zoo. The "Oakland Zoo" trademark was later registered by the University of Pittsburgh.In-game activities
During the playing of the national anthem, the Zoo members lock their arms around their neighbors shoulders in a sign of solidarity with the Pitt players who also lock arms during the national anthem.
Currently, Panther Fans sing two fight songs during each game, the "Pitt Victory Song
Pitt Victory Song
The Pitt Victory Song, one of the most popular and widely used fight songs of the University of Pittsburgh, is often played in conjunction with Hail to Pitt and the Panther Song. Few people know the rarely heard first portion of the song, before the chorus. Lyrics were by G. Norman Reis and...
" and "Hail to Pitt
Hail to Pitt
"Hail to Pitt" is the most traditional fight song of the University of Pittsburgh, which is commonly referred to as Pitt. The saying "Hail to Pitt!" is also the most traditional and commonly used slogan of the University of Pittsburgh and its athletics teams. The slogan is frequently used in...
". Oakland Zoo members are also known from dressing up, although some are known for their lack of dress and painted chests, with particular notoriety for costumes involving various animal themes including gorilla and bear costumes.
In 2006, the Oakland Zoo showed solidarity with the Duquesne University basketball team by wearing red ribbons to commemorate the five Duquesne basketball
Duquesne Dukes men's basketball
The Duquesne Dukes represent Duquesne University in college basketball. The team, which started in 1914, has only ever played in NCAA Division I and has had five appearances in the NCAA Tournament...
players who were shot earlier in the year.
In 2008 the Oakland Zoo wore ribbons again, however this time it was for Pink the Pete. During the Pitt vs. UConn women's game, the Oakland Zoo distributed pink ribbons to everyone in attendance to show support for breast cancer awareness. These ribbons were similar to the 2006 ribbons, but this time had the Oakland Zoo logo printed on them. The tradition was continued with a different pink shirt for the annual Pink the Pete games against Cincinnati in 2009, and against Louisville in 2010.
During the 2008-09 season, the Oakland Zoo revived the tradition, started with the Field House Fanatics, of hanging tombstones for each team defeated by the men's basketball team at the Petersen Events Center.
For the 2011-12 season, the Oakland Zoo, in collaboration with university's student radio station WPTS-FM
WPTS-FM
WPTS-FM is a non-commercial radio station owned by the University of Pittsburgh, and offers a mix of student-run programming, ranging from music programming to news and sports coverage. The station operates at 92.1 MHz with an ERP of 17 watts, and is licensed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, created The Oakland Zoo Show. Broadcast live locally on WPTS and streamed over the internet, the radio show starts 30 minutes before every Pitt men's basketball home game and is cohosted by the entire Oakland Zoo student section. During the broadcast of the game that follows, game stoppages also include live check-ins with the Zoo.
Student club
The Oakland Zoo also functions as an officially recognized student club by the University of Pittsburgh with over 2,000 members. The group helps participate with the Athletic Department in setting student ticket policy and was instrumental in bringing about a "loyalty points" program.The Oakland Zoo also holds an annual pre-season event, hosted by the current president of the organization, during which food is served and talks are given by Pitt's men's and women's head basketball coaches.