Pitt WBB Adds Experienced Veteran Assistant to Coaching Staff

Pitt women’s basketball has officially added an experienced veteran assistant to its coaching staff.

Tory Verdi announced Friday morning that Pitt has hired Chipola College head coach John Marcum as its newest assistant. The veteran coach has 18 years of women’s basketball experience, making stops at Chipola, Syracuse, Butler, Grand Canyon, East Carolina, Indiana State, Cal Baptist and Oklahoma Baptist.

“I’m very excited about the addition of John Marcum to our staff,” Verdi said in a Pitt press release. “He will take over as our defensive coordinator, while being hands on in every aspect of the program. John brings a wealth of basketball experience and a ton of recruiting experience at this level. As recruiting coordinator at Syracuse, he helped secure two Top 10 recruiting classes. His experience on the court and in the recruiting space will be terrific assets for our program.”

Marcum most recently served as the head coach at Chipola College, leading the Indians to an FCSAA Tournament appearance. He’s had success as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at Syracuse (2020-22), Butler (2017-20) and Grand Canyon (2016-17), and he served as the associate head coach at ECU (2013-16).

Marcum was a key figure in landing two top-10 recruiting classes during his time at Syracuse. The 2020 class included the fifth-ranked recruit in the class and McDonald’s All-American Kamilla Cardoso, and she wasn’t the only McDonald’s All-American during his two seasons with the Orange.

He graduated from Oklahoma Baptist in 1997, earning a Bachelor’s in secondary education while playing on the men’s basketball team.

Marcum joins a coaching staff that includes Verdi at the helm, of course, and includes Ty Margenthaler, Candice Finley, LaKale Malone and Anthony Brammer.

Forward MaKayla Elmore is the first transfer portal addition this offseason, and Verdi, Marcum and the staff will have their work cut out in replacing losses. Pitt has lost forward Gabby Hutcherson, forward Rapuluchi Ayodele, All-ACC forward Liatu King and guard Jasmine Timmerson to the transfer portal.

Pitt is coming off an 8-24 (2-16 ACC) season, Verdi’s debut season with the Panthers, and there’s a lot of work to be done. Marcum will be a key piece in attempting to build the roster through the transfer portal — and from the prep level.