Ivy League will be well-represented in upcoming Olympics

Last Friday, the U.S. field hockey team shocked Argentina in the finals of the Pan American games, officially qualifying for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Since women's field hockey was first instituted into the Pan Am games in 1987, Argentina had won all six titles, and the United States had finished second all but one time — that all changed this year. For the Argentines, their number one world ranking may be in jeopardy, while the U.S. may see a bump up from its current spot at 13.

Representing the Ivy League on the American roster are four players currently taking a leave of absence from Princeton, in addition to one Princeton alum. Katie Reinprecht, who would have been a senior this year for the Tigers, scored the Americans' first two goals of the tournament in an opening 5-0 thumper over host Mexico. Michelle Cesan, a rising junior, also scored in the team's 4-2 semifinal victory over Canada. The other Princetonians on the roster are Julia Reinprecht, a rising junior, Kathleen Sharkey, a rising senior, and Maren Ford '06.

Back in the States, the Orange and Black have, for the most part, been doing fine without their star players. This weekend, the Tigers look to clinch their seventh-straight Ivy title against the Quakers at Franklin Field. Penn has beaten Princeton only once in the last 17 years, but that win clinched them a share of the 2004 Ivy championship with Harvard. It was also the only year the Tigers did not win at least a share of the Ivy title since 1994.