Gerald Drumgoole becomes latest player to leave Pitt

Pitt small forward Gerald Drumgoole entered the transfer portal on Thursday, becoming the third player to leave the program in the last 16 days. Former Pitt point guard Xavier Johnson was the first, as he left on Feb. 24. Au’Diese Toney followed him out the door on Feb. 25.

Drumgoole announced the move Thursday afternoon on Instagram, bringing an end to a two-year stint in Pittsburgh during which he saw limited playing time off the bench. Pitt confirmed he would be leaving the program shortly after his announcement.

“Gerald has been an outstanding teammate and an important member of our program over the past two seasons,” Pitt head coach Jeff Capel said in a statement. “We are grateful for his commitment to the Pitt basketball program and supportive of his desire to seek other opportunities to continue to grow as a player. Gerald has a bright future, and we wish him nothing but the best on and off the court.”

The 6’6”, 200-pound small forward was a coveted recruit in the 2019 class and actually held a higher ranking than Justin Champagnie when he committed to the program. Rivals considered him a three-star prospect and the No. 28 recruit at his position, while the recruiting website ranked Champagnie as the No. 44 small forward. Drumgoole was also considered the No. 136 recruit in the nation.

However, at Pitt, Drumgoole was not given much of an opportunity to live up to his billing, as Champagnie seized a starting role as a freshman. That ensured that the former La Lumiere standout would come off the bench and play a minimal role on the team. As a result, Drumgoole started just two games in his Pitt career and averaged 1.4 points and 1.0 rebounds per game in 30 appearances for the Panthers, playing 7.8 minutes per game.

Back in 2019, Drumgoole chose Pitt over high-major programs such as Georgia, Maryland and South Carolina and held an offer from Buffalo near his hometown of Rochester, New York. But at this point, it is unclear where he plans to continue his collegiate career and when his next destination might be announced.