When conference play began last fall, senior special teams player Julien “Juice” Stokes was on top of the world.
After a slate of strong non-conference performances in the early season and as a result of the transfer portal exit of Malachi Hosley, Stokes was reintegrated into the lineup as a dual running back/wide receiver. By the beginning of October 2025, he led all NCAA subdivisions in all-purpose yards per game. He also became the first player in Penn history to start a season with three consecutive Ivy League athlete of the week honors.
However, just when it appeared that Stokes was in for a breakout season, disaster struck during the Quakers’ second conference matchup. In a victory against the Lions, a Columbia defender took Stokes out of commission during the third quarter. Stokes exited the game soon after with a broken fibula.
At the time of his injury, Stokes still hoped to come back later in the season. Unfortunately, he never made it back on the field. Despite the early end to his season, Stokes still earned first-team All-Ivy honors and the Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Year award.
Having exhausted his collegiate eligibility with the Quakers, Stokes declared for the NFL draft earlier this spring. After posting a highlight reel to his YouTube channel and attending a few pro days, the Newbury Park, Calif., native ultimately went undrafted.
A premature end to his promising season left Penn football fans wondering what could have been if Stokes had a full senior season.
Honorable mentions: Penn men’s squash loses in semifinals of the Collegiate Squash Association National Championships after winning back-to-back national titles in 2024 and 2025; senior guard/forward Ethan Roberts’ suffers concussion before Ivy Madness and March Madness play
Check out the rest of the end-of-year awards for the 2025-26 season here.
