Tory Verdi

Tory Verdi
Biographical details
EducationKeene State College (BA)
Hartford (MS)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2004–2005Columbia
2005–2010Nebraska (assistant)
2010–2012Kansas (assistant)
2012–2016Eastern Michigan
2016–2023UMass
2023–2026Pittsburgh
Head coaching record
Overall231–219 (.513)

Tory Verdi is an American women's basketball coach, having last coached with the Pittsburgh Panthers women's basketball team of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in the 2025-2026 season. He spent three years as the head coach at Pittsburgh, having been named to the position on April 6, 2023. He was fired on March 3, 2026 after amassing a 29-66 overall record across three seasons.

His termination came several weeks after six former players on the Pittsburgh women's basketball team filed a Title IX lawsuit against Verdi and Pittsburgh over allegations of abusive coaching methods and a failure to investigate the reports of abuse. The lawsuits allege abusive coaching methods, Title IX violations and a failure by the school to act after abuses were reported to university administrators, including then athletic director Heather Lyke.

Head coaching record

Record table
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Columbia Lions (Ivy League) (2004–2005)
2004–05 Columbia 3–73–76th
Columbia: 3–7 (.300)3–7 (.300)
Eastern Michigan Eagles (Mid-American Conference) (2012–2016)
2012–13 Eastern Michigan 8–226–119th
2013–14 Eastern Michigan 18–147–128thWBI Second Round
2014–15 Eastern Michigan 24–1311–7T- 2nd WestWNIT Third Round
2015–16 Eastern Michigan 22–1210–84th WestWNIT Second Round
Eastern Michigan: 72–61 (.541)34–38 (.472)
Massachusetts Minutewomen (Atlantic 10 Conference) (2017–2023)
2016–17 UMass 9–213–1313th
2017–18 UMass 14–166–1010th
2018–19 UMass 16–167–910th
2019–20 UMass 20–119–7T-4th
2020–21 UMass 16–87–57thWNIT First Round
2021–22 UMass 26–711–43rdNCAA First Round
2022–23 UMass 26–614–2T–1stWNIT Second Round
Massachusetts: 127–85 (.599)57–50 (.533)
Pittsburgh Panthers (Atlantic Coast Conference) (2023–2026)
2023–24 Pittsburgh 8–242–16T–14th
2024–25 Pittsburgh 13–195–1315th
2025–26 Pittsburgh 8–231–17T–17th
Pittsburgh: 29–66 (.305)8–46 (.148)
Total:231–219 (.513)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Personal

Verdi is from New Britain, Connecticut and graduated from Keene State College in New Hampshire in 1996 with a degree in elementary education. He earned a master's degree in computer technology from the University of Hartford.

References

  1. ↑ "UMass basketball: Tory Verdi leaving Minutewomen for Pittsburgh". www.gazettenet.com.
  2. ↑ Post-Gazette (TNS), Abby Schnable-Pittsburgh (March 3, 2026). "Pitt moves on from women's basketball coach Tory Verdi". LancasterOnline. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  3. ↑ "How Title IX plays a vital role in Pitt women's basketball players' lawsuits against coach Tory Verdi, university". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  4. ↑ Jennings, Chantel (February 10, 2026). "Six former Pitt players sue, alleging abusive coaching methods, 'hostile' environment". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 25, 2026.