If the current economic crisis reinforces one lesson, it is that what comes up must go down. But don't tell that to the players on the Penn softball team.
The program, which in recent years has maintained a steady upward trend in wins, has emerged as one of the most formidable threats in the Ivy League - and it hopes to stick around for awhile.
Once a perennial conference doormat, the Quakers hope that eight returning starters and a solid pitching rotation will help them improve even further from a 26-20 (10-10 Ivy) campaign last season.
"It is a winning culture," coach Leslie King said. "Every year we get better players. When we step onto the field we expect to win."
Despite returning a vast majority of the starting lineup, the squad is relatively young. Of the 18 players officially listed on their roster, just two are juniors and two are seniors.
Yet the Quakers do not see their youth as a problem because many of their current sophomores received a substantial amount of playing time last year. The sophomore class is led by 2008 Ivy League Rookie of the Year, left-handed pitcher Jessie Lupardus, whose 20-8 record was the best performance ever from a Quakers pitcher.
"It doesn't matter that we have a lot of underclassman," senior captain and right-handed pitcher Emily Denstedt said. "On the field, we don't differentiate."
In addition to a large sophomore class, the roster features six freshmen who hope to have an immediate impact.
Two of those freshmen - Jamie Boccanfuso and Cailyn Hennessy - played together at The Peddie School (N.J.), so they will have a step up on the others in terms of familiarity with their teammates.
"The freshmen have been showing good stuff so far," senior outfielder Anna Puglisi said. "Although they are freshmen, they still have a lot of experience from high-school and junior leagues."
One of the biggest uncertainties heading into the season is the Quakers' offensive firepower. The team will need to replace the prolific hitting of Christina Khosravi and Annie Kinsey who graduated in 2008.
The outstanding play of Khosravi and Kinsey was a large factor in the program's revival in recent years. The two are the only Quakers ever to post more than 100 runs batted in and 20 home runs in a career.
"Based on what we've seen this preseason our pitching is our biggest strength," King said. "Our upcoming games will give us a better idea of how we will be hitting. As of right now, our offense is largely untested."
Last season, the Quakers were hindered by injuries, a problem that they hope to avoid this year. During the offseason, Denstedt underwent knee surgery. According to King, if she has a healthy year she could have a critical impact on the success of the pitching rotation.
"Our biggest obstacle right now is injuries." King said. "About half a dozen players are not fully fit right now."
In order to avoid the dreaded "sophomore slump," the Quakers will have their work cut out for them. Yet they hope to benefit from the confidence that comes with recent success.
"We have had three years of breaking school records for wins," Denstedt said. "This year, we definitely want to win the Ivies."
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