Oakland Zoo (cheering section)
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 that are typically uniformly clad in gold t-shirts, and the Zoo student section is consistently sold out for Panthers home games. 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 has often used the title, "The Panther Pitt."
A small sampling of the Oakland Zoo in January 2008
"Tiger" Paul Auslander, an unofficial cheerleader for Pitt basketball in the 1970s and early 80s, was well known by fans for his sideline antics
The early minutes of a game against number one ranked UConn in 2009. A portion of the Oakland Zoo can be seen at the bottom. Pitt won the nationally televised game 70-60.
A student section or student cheering section is a group of student fans that supports its school's athletic teams at sporting events; they are known for being one of the most visible and vocal sections of a sports crowd as well as for their occasionally raucous behavior. They are most often associated with NCAA basketball and football games, but can be found in several sports in both college and high school. A student section is an important part of a school's fanbase and a significant contributor to home advantage.
Virginia Tech's Cassell Guard in 2019, one of the loudest student sections in all of college basketball.
Duke's Cameron Crazies, one of the most famous student sections in college basketball.
Student section at The Big House.