Though Penn men’s basketball lost narrowly to Columbia University on Saturday, the annual “Greeks at the Palestra” event helped keep spirits up at halftime.
This year, the Panhellenic Council raised $2,800 by selling basketball tickets to the Greek community. Panhel will donate $2,500 to the Rena Rowan Foundation, which runs a breast cancer center at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. The remaining $300 will be donated to the Interfraternity Council’s “Hoops for Haiti” three-on-three charity basketball tournament, which took place Saturday night.
The event name was changed from “Panhel at the Palestra” to “Greeks at the Palestra” in order to make the event more inclusive to the entire Greek community, Panhel President and College junior Darby Nelson said.
Decibel levels at the Palestra peaked at halftime as sorority girls cheered for their new members during the annual “Tug-O-War Challenge.” Each of the eight Panhel chapters selected 10 members from their new pledge class to participate in the tournament.
After two rounds of close competition, Alpha Chi Omega and Delta Delta Delta emerged as the strongest teams. AXO’s strategy helped them to emerge as champions.
“We psyched ourselves up,” College freshman and AXO new member Emily Roberts said. “The key is to pull first to get your bearings, then stay low.” Of the 10 people on her team, many were Penn athletes.
According to AXO President and College junior Atlee Melillo, the sorority won the Tug-O-War tournament two years ago and has been excited to win the title back ever since. Members of the winning team received gift coupons from Chili’s restaurant and the Naked Chocolate Cafe.
College freshman Lauren Lubetsky, who competed on Sigma Delta Tau’s team, said the Tug-O-War contest was a bonding experience for her pledge class.
“When 10 of you are working together you definitely feel a bond,” she said. “I didn’t realize how fun it is to cheer and get motivated.”
Self-professed Penn Basketball fanatic and Wharton freshman Matt Cocci said “it was fun to watch the sorority girls get into the Tug-O-War. It was the first sound they made all night.”
Quaker mascot and Wharton senior William Haddad added that “attendance has been pretty low in the past years. It’s a great way to incorporate students into the game.”
