Oakland Zoo (cheering section)

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.

[2] 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.

"[3] In 2013, the Petersen Events Center, with specific mention of the Oakland Zoo, was ranked as the nation's second best game atmosphere arena by USA Today.

[4] Some members of the Oakland Zoo have been known to wear body paint, wigs, masks, or animal-themed costumes that have included, at various times, giraffes, moose, penguins, gorillas, bears, among other species.

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.

[17] 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.

The initial idea for the Zoo came from Matt Cohen and Zack Hale along with Steve Bruno III, during the January 6, 2001 basketball game against Syracuse where they determined the Pitt student section was too calm.

[22][23] Cohen and Hale rounded up eight of their fellow students from the university's Litchfield Towers dormitory[24] to initiate the club's first appearance at the January 13, 2001 victory over then 15th-ranked Seton Hall.

[22] 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".

Following Cohen and Bruno III, other Zoo Keepers include Andy Nagy (2005–2006), Ian Smith (2006–2007), David Jedlicka (2007–2009), Josh Frantz (2009–2010), Robert Hogan (2010–2011), Eric Haybarger (2011–2012), Joe Lassi (2012–2013), Jordan Shoup (2013–2014), Nick Brenner (2014–2015), Eric Floyd (2015–2016), Charlie Hansen (2016–2017), Madeleine Shelley (2017–2018), Hope Gast (2018–2020), Kyle Saxon (2021–2022), Austin Hogeboom (2022–2024), and Richie Donato (2024–Present).

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!".

[28] [29] 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.

(closest to Pitt's bench) 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.

[37] 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).

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.

For more high-profile games, Zoo members have camped overnight inside the large lobby of the Petersen Events Center, sometimes having pizza delivered to them by the basketball coaching staff.

After the first point of the game is scored by Pitt, the Zoo throws the discarded papers which in the meantime have been ripped into pieces, into the air to create a shower of confetti.

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.

[47] 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.