Pitt’s Filip Mirkovic and Jackson Gillman earn Top 100 Preseason Players recognition

Pitt men’s soccer senior midfielder Filip Mirkovic and sophomore defender Jackson Gillman received honors that place them as some of the best players in the country.

TopDrawerSoccer placed both of them in their Top 100 Men’s Players to Watch ahead of the upcoming season on Tuesday. Mirkovic placed at No. 16 and Gillman at No. 46. This is the second time Mirkovic has earned this honor, coming in at No. 7 last season and the first for Gillman. TopDrawerSoccer also put Mirkovic on their Preseason Best XI Second Team. 

Mirkovic, who is also on the ACC Preseason Watch List and United Soccer Coaches Midfielder to Watch List, is one of the best midfielders in the country, especially with his ability to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. He made 12 assists in 2022, a program record of a Panthers in a single season, and his .60 assists per game finished as No. 7 in the nation.

He placed on the First Team All-ACC and All-South Region Team thanks to his great play last season.

Mirkovic played a large role in helping Pitt reach their third straight Elite Eight and their second ever College Cup appearance. He has made 59 appearances and 55 starts in his Pitt career, making 19 assists and scoring nine goals. Those 19 assists and his 0.32 assists per game are both fourth best in program history.

Gillman served as one of the best centre-backs on the team, as well as one of the best first-year players in the country. He started every game for the Panthers, third most minutes on the team, and helped to  record eight shutouts, tied for fourth most in a season, and the lowest average goals allowed per game in program history at 1.02.

Gillman, Mirkovic and Pitt start their season Thursday night at 7 p.m. against rival Penn State at Ambrose Urbanic Field.