Students rally around basketball team

It was "PENNdemonium" one last time. Hundreds of cheering fans gathered at the Peace Symbol on College Green yesterday at noon to thank and congratulate the Ivy League champion Quaker basketball team, who finished their season with a loss in the NCAA tournament Saturday. The rally, which lasted approximately 20 minutes, was sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for University Life. "We welcome you to the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, we welcome you to the first day of spring and we welcome you to the celebration of the Penn Quakers basketball team," said acting VPUL Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, who led the rally. The Quakers defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 90-80, on Thursday in the first round of the tournament. On Saturday, they lost to the Florida Gators, 70-58. Interim President Claire Fagin, men's basketball coach Fran Dunphy, senior forward Andy Baratta and UA Chairperson Seth Hamalian -- acting as a student representative --also made brief speeches. In addition, the Penn Marching Band and 10 members of the basketball team were in attendance. Fagin offered her congratulations to "all of us," and commented on the "wonderful things our athletics have done this year." She added that the football, field hockey, women's fencing, wrestling and men's basketball teams have all won Ivy championships this year. Baratta thanked the fans for their support, and said the team benefitted from the vast number of Quaker fans in attendance at the two tournament games in Uniondale, N.Y. "The games in the tournament felt like home games to be honest with you because it was tremendously loud," he said. "The gratification and support that we get from the student body and the alumni and everybody else makes it all worthwhile." Dunphy echoed Baratta's statements, and added that he felt the Quakers' support at the tournament games "was the best of all eight teams that were there." "This is a great opportunity for us as a basketball team and a basketball program to say thanks to all the people at Penn," he said. "These guys are appreciative of every ounce of energy that you provide for them -- we can't do it alone." After the rally, as the Penn Band played "The Red and Blue," the basketball players and members of the Student Planning and Events Committee tossed soft Penn basketballs to the outstretched hands of fans in attendance. McCoullum said after the rally that she was pleased with the turnout. She added that the basketball team brought a needed community atmosphere to the campus. "[This] is a single moment in time when every member of the community really focuses on one wonderful moment and thinks fantastic thoughts," she said. "This was our time together." Dunphy, who promised the fans another exciting season next year, said after the rally that this season was almost "as good as you can get." "It was really a terrific season," he said. "Obviously we would have liked to have won against Florida, but the effort was there and that's all we can ever ask for."