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Pitt’s Landy Mertz and Katie Zailski earn spot on United Soccer Coaches All Region Team

Photo courtesy Pitt Athletics

Pitt women’s soccer duo of senior midfielder Landy Mertz and first-year defender Katie Zailski made the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women’s All-Atlantic Region Teams on Thursday.

Mertz earned a spot on the Second Team, while Zailski made the Third Team. Both of them earned preseason accolades, with Mertz making the All-ACC Third Team and Zailski earning a spot to the All-ACC Freshman Team. The duo played a big part in the program making it to their first ever NCAA Tournament in 2022 under fifth-year coach Randy Waldrum.

An Upper St. Clair alum, Mertz started her collegiate career at Dayton before transferring to Pitt for the 2020-21 season. She started 14 of 15 games last season and then started all 22 games in 2022, one of five Pitt players to do so . She finished tied third on the team in goals and assists, with six and five, respectively. Four of those goals came as game winners as well.

Zailski played in all 22 games and started 20 of them in her first year with the Panthers. She ranked at No. 26 amongst all first-years and No. 7 amongst defenders to TopDrawerSoccer’s Freshman Top 100 players.

Zailski scored four goals as well, including the go-ahead goal, 2-1, vs. the Georgetown Hoyas in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament to put the Panthers into the Sweet 16.

Mertz and Zailski should return next season and provide great play for Pitt and continue to improve the program.

Glory on the Grass

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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