Klitzman | Pardon the predictions

It's the Wednesday after Labor Day, which means two things: classes start and we here at the DP make sports predictions. So without further ado:

1. Football's drought will end. The last two football senior classes left Penn with an unwanted place in the record book: They were the only classes in coach Al Bagnoli's 17 years not to win at least one Ivy championship.

But with returning talent aplenty at the offensive skill positions, and some great playermakers on defense - not to mention arguably the best FCS kicker - the Class of 2010 might finally get a ring.

That's easier said than done, as Harvard was voted first in the Ivy League preseason media poll right above Penn. But the Crimson lost 12 starters, including last year's Ivy passing efficiency leader Chris Pizzotti. Penn's Nov. 14 game in Boston will be the deciding factor.

2. Penn will beat Cornell in M. Hoops. It's easy to forget that two years ago - the year Cornell went undefeated in the Ivy League - Penn lost by 13 in Ithaca, N.Y., only because Cornell pulled away late and lost by just two at the Palestra when a Tyler Bernardini three fell short at the buzzer.

While last year Penn regressed, including two double-digit losses to the Big Red, so too did Cornell, as it lost three Ivy games. Penn's woes partially resulted from the loss of two potential starters - Darren Smith and Andreas Schreiber - to season-ending injuries as well a Bernardini concussion that sidelined him for the Cornell-Columbia road trip yet again.

So if the Quakers can stay healthy, watch for them to take at least one from a Cornell team that could very well be complacent after winning two straight titles and returning its top six scorers.

That said, Cornell still will be the team to beat, and even if Penn beats the Big Red, it's easy to see Cornell going 11-3 and Penn going 10-4.

3. This is the year for W. Lax. They've been so close to winning the NCAA championship these past three years, losing in the semifinal twice and in the championship once to Northwestern.

The Wildcats still are going to be good, but they did lose key players (the NCAA all-time assists leader; the program's best goalie ever, etc). Meanwhile, Penn's senior class, led by four-year starter Ali DeLuca, is on a mission to finally finish the season atop the polls.

4. Wrestling will have national success again. The last two years have seen zero All-Americans after the team had 20 in the previous 11 years.

But with the return of former NCAA champion Matt Valenti - the last Quakers grappler to earn All-American honors - as an assistant coach, perhaps this is the year Penn will once again be represented on a final podium. Look for seniors Cesar Grajales and/or Rollie Peterkin to earn the honor.

5. It won't be all positive, as field hockey will continue to struggle, and neither soccer will win an Ivy title. Val Cloud hasn't led Field Hockey to an Ivy title since 2004, and that won't change this year. The Quakers lost their top three scorers plus their goalkeeper.

Meanwhile, it appears that for the first time in three years neither soccer team will be Ivy champs. The men lost 12 seniors including standout goalkeeper Drew Healy; the women must rebound from a fifth-place finish last year. They'll both finish in the top half of the league, but not first (if I had to say one, it'd be W. Soccer).

6. Ivy titles will be the same, but the Quakers will be more competitive in conference play. Last year three Penn teams won Ivy championships (M. Soccer, M. Fencing, W. Lax). The latter two should repeat and with football, Penn probably will win three again. (If not football, perhaps W. Squash?)

Meanwhile, baseball could win a weak Gehrig Division title after graduating just one player. M. Hoops won't be 6-8 in the Ivies and with wrestling performing better, Penn should eclipse last year's .489 Ivy winning percentage.

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