In the midst of an exciting basketball season, which has seen much success come the way of both the men’s and women’s teams, the accomplishments of athletes of other in-season sports can often go overlooked.
Here are a few impressive athletes who can make a big impact in their respective events this upcoming weekend.
Jordyn Mannino — Gymnastics
Sophomore Jordyn Mannino has put in consistent performances in events that yielded Penn’s top two combined scores in a tough loss to Yale. After only competing on the uneven bars twice in 2018, Mannino received a career high of 9.675 for her performance. She shined on the floor in the third rotation of the day, during which she earned a 9.800, the best score on the team and the third-best score at the meet.
“This year I’ve really started to trust myself more, but really, the thing that has helped the most is knowing that my team always has my back,” Mannino said.
For her efforts, she garnered the Eastern College Athletic Conference Coaches Choice Weekly Award on Jan. 23 and will be a key figure for the Quakers when they host Brown, Cornell, and Ursinus at the Palestra this weekend.
Anthony Artalona — Wrestling
Freshman Anthony Artalona’s ascent in the collegiate wrestling world came as no surprise to anyone, as InterMat ranked the grappler No. 20 in his class at the time of his commitment to Penn in 2017.
Now wrestling in the 149-pound category, he stormed to the title in his Penn debut at the Michigan State Open, finished third in the Keystone Classic, and is now 15-3 this season. Artalona’s stellar start hasn’t gone unnoticed nationally, as he is ranked No. 15 in the country by the NCAA Division I Coaches' Panel. He will continue to be a crucial point-scorer for the Quakers when they take on Brown and Harvard at the Palestra this weekend.
Carmen Ferrante — Wrestling
Another wrestling freshman who has been red hot is Carmen Ferrante.
Ferrante is ranked No. 27 in the country at 125 pounds by the Coaches' Panel and was a runner-up in his weight class in the Keystone Classic. He leads the team in wins with a 16-5 record and is undefeated in dual meets at 6-0. Alongside Artalona, Ferrante can make a huge impact on the Quakers’ Ivy League fortunes this weekend.
“They’ve both been extremely consistent, and have led the way on the mat and off the mat,” coach Roger Reina said. “They are young, so the potential to improve is endless; we need to stay focused and keep on improving.”
Marvin Morgan — Track
Sophomore sprinter Marvin Morgan broke the Penn program record for the 60-meter dash by blazing through the prelims in 6.75 seconds en route to winning the title at the Penn State National Open last weekend. Coach Steve Dolan gave props to Morgan for his consistency, as the sophomore also ran the second fastest time in program history just a week earlier at the Penn 8-Team Select, clocking in at 6.82, after only making his collegiate debut in this event last December. He will look to add more milestones to his tally, as Penn track will split up between three meets this weekend.
Anna Peyton Malizia — Track
Senior jumper Anna Peyton Malizia, or “AP”, as she is lovingly called by her teammates, added another feat to her storied career by bettering her personal record, and setting a program record, by clearing 1.81 meters to win the high jump at the PSU Open last weekend. Last year she was an Ivy League Heptagonal champion, both individual and team, and was heavily commended by Dolan.
“AP has so much grit, she lives for the tough moments," Dolan said. Last weekend it came down to an extra jump between her and another jumper, and she went out there and seized the moment,” he said.
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