PITTSBURGH—The Pittsburgh Men’s Soccer team earned its first national and regional ranking of the 2003 season after its 1-0 victory over defending Big East Champion Boston College, ranked No. 13 at the time, on Saturday at Founders Field in Indianola, Pa..

The Panthers climbed into the No. 18 spot in the Soccer America national poll and made their first Middle Atlantic regional ranking appearance at the No. 4 position in the Sept. 1 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll.

The national rankings are the first since Sept. 16 of last season, when the Panthers were ranked No. 18 in the NSCAA national poll.

With the No. 18 ranking, the Panthers join four other Big East schools giving the conference a total of five of its 13 teams ranked among the nation’s top 25 by Soccer America.

The Panthers travel to the Mayors Cup tournament Sept. 6 match-up with No. 17 Hartwick College in the opening game of the tournament hosted by Oneonta State University.