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(05/16/97 9:00am)
As a student journalist, I've written hundreds of column inches on subjects ranging from women's gymnastics to NCAA basketball tournament seedings. As a college soccer player and prototypical benchwarmer I've also logged countless minutes on benches from North Carolina to Boston. These two disparate experiences have contributed many of my fondest memories of college and given me the opportunity to meet some truly incredible individuals. For example, as a goalie, I've been fortunate enough to train with Bob Rigby, the goalie coach for the men's and women's soccer programs. As a professional soccer player in the '70s, Rigby starred for both the U.S. National Team and played with Pele on the New York Cosmos. To this day, he remains the only soccer player ever to featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Through journalism, I've gotten the opportunity to interview and observe scores of amazing athletes and coaches like Fran Dunphy and others. Without question, having spent so much time writing about sports added context to my athletic experience, allowing me to appreciate just being on a team despite seeing action so sporadically. It was actually quite ironic when during this soccer season, the writer covering the men's soccer team twice mis-reported the facts of my role in games against Cornell and St. Joseph's. For the first time, I had to personally deal with the annoyance of being incorrectly misrepresented in print. Having defended slip-shod writing which has appeared on the sports page of the DP, I found the shoe to be on the other foot. However, being on the receiving end of one DP Sports' notorious blunders in reporting didn't make me feel any different about the paper. The fact of the matter is that just as athletes are imperfect and have off days, so too are DP Sports writers and editors. Yes, DP Sports writers are journalists, but let's be honest, they're by no means professionals and do not portray themselves as such. Just as an athlete spends hours developing his conditioning and mastering the fundamentals of his sport, commitment which fans at a game will never see, DP staffers are a remarkably committed bunch as well. Athletes chafe at the DP's coverage when it is either factually incorrect or they perceive it to be overly critical, as evidenced by reaction to Miles Cohen's column on Jamie Lyren this year. Though I don't believe adding the prefix student to journalism is an excuse for poor reporting, I do feel DP Sports writers get too hard a rap for their miscues given how much they contribute to the Penn athletic program. The DP Sports writer is the best friend an athlete here can have. Writers commitment to their beats helps athletes stand out from the crowd at a school where students have to be pretty special just to gain admission. Sure, as an athlete, it bothers me when I read an article highlighting a less-than-stellar performance by a Penn athlete, because I know how dedicated Quakers athletes are to their respective sports. The attention an athlete gets in the pages of the DP through game coverage and features frequently far outweighs what he gets from fans, whose attendance is often sparse, whether the sport be fencing or football. Having transferred to Penn from a school where most athletes are on scholarship, I understand the immense sacrifice athletes make when choosing to enter Penn's non-scholarship athletic program. I enjoyed playing a sport at Penn largely because of the mystique being an Ivy League student-athlete, a quality which I suppose attracts many top notch recruits to chose Penn over schools with strong academic reputations which do offer athletic scholarships like Stanford, Georgetown and Boston College. No one organization on campus, including the Athletic Department, purveys the mystique with more fervor than the DP sports section, which probably has something to do with how it earned its nickname: DPOSTM (The Daily Pennsylvanian's Only Staff That Matters.)
(02/13/97 10:00am)
The season-long tribute to Penn basketball's centennial will culminate this weekend with a number of festivities planned for the Yale game Saturday night, February 15. Penn played Yale in the last game of its inaugural season 100 years ago, losing 32-10 in the first five-on-five game ever played. The game marked the dawn of the modern era of basketball. In commemoration of this historic anniversary, the top 10 scorers in Penn history have been asked to toss an honorary tip-off prior to the start of each home Ivy League game. Friday night's game versus Brown will feature Ron Haigler, who starred for the Quakers from 1972-75, amassing 1,522 career points -- earning him the No. 3 spot on the school's all-time scoring list. Saturday night's matchup against Yale will feature a pair of '70s Penn greats, as Bob Morse and Tony Price return to the Palestra. A prolific shooter, Morse was the leading scorer for three years on teams which compiled records of 25-2, 28-1 and 25-3. Morse's senior season, Penn finished ranked as the No. 2 team in the nation. "I'm privileged to be a part of this occasion," Morse said. "It is a real privilege to share this moment with so many great players." While Morse starred on the teams of the early '70s, Price bookended the decade, leading Penn to the 1979 NCAA Final Four, where the Quakers eventually succumbed to a Magic Johnson-led, and eventual champion, Michigan State team. For his part, Price was the tournament's leading scorer, tallying 142 points during the tournament, surpassing the numbers put up by future NBA greats Johnson, Larry Bird and Mark Aguirre. On Saturday night, fans will be treated to a number special promotions to commemorate the season-long centennial celebration Fans will receive a free souvenir centennial poster, featuring Penn basketball greats such as Ernie Beck, who holds the school's single-game scoring record, and Dick Harter who played for the Quakers in the early '50s and coached the 1970-71 team to a No. 3 ranking in the final Associated Press national poll. Traditional keepsake pennants will also be given away with the price of admission, which will only be 25 cents for children 12-and-under accompanied by a paying adult. Fans will also be treated to throw-back prices on concessions, which include soft drinks, hot dogs and Cracker Jacks. Penn basketball-history buffs will also have the opportunity to view Penn basketball memorabilia, jerseys and photographs at a reception preceding the game.
(02/13/97 10:00am)
On March 20, 1897, the Penn Red and Blue lost a 32-10 basketball game to Yale. One hundred years later, the memories are unforgettable. One hundred years ago, a group of basketball pioneers boarded a Brooklyn-bound train to play Adelphi in what would be the first intercollegiate basketball game in Penn history. Clad in uniforms borrowed from the football team (shoulder and elbow pads were optional) on that December evening, the Quakers also recorded the first win for the fledgling program by the score of 14-9. That much has changed since that inaugural season a century is to be expected. What's surprising is how much the Penn has stayed the same over that period. There have been many common threads which have sewn together generations of Quakers basketball teams. Among them are a tradition of both academic and athletic excellence, a history of great coaching, the team's Big 5 and Ivy League rivalries and, of course, the Palestra. Great Coaches One of the most instrumental factors to the consistent success of Quakers basketball teams year in and year out since the turn of the century has been the coaches who have stood at the program's helm. Since the earliest days of basketball at the University, Penn coaches have had to use all their wiles to recruit players who could juggle both the heavy academic and athletic expectations the school brought to bear. One of the first greats was Lon Jordet, who coached between 1915 and 1943, credited with implementing basketball's first zone defense. Following Jordet in the 1950s was Howie Dallmer, the first of many great recruiters to prowl the sidelines of the Palestra. Dallmer's biggest success came when he recruited 6-foot-3 center Ernie Beck out Philadelphia's West Catholic High in 1953. He managed to woo Beck to Penn with a financial aid package too attractive to pass up. The value of Beck's scholarship -- $1,000, with $700 covering tuition and $300 for room and board. Beck sighted his respect for Dallmer as one the decisive factors in his choice of Penn over other Ivy and Big 5 suitors. Other greats to follow included such names as Dick Harter, Bob Weinhauer and Chuck Daly, all of whom would use Penn as a springboard to NBA coaching careers. Also instrumental in helping the Quakers build arguably the school's best squad in 1971 and inaugurating Penn's most successful decade of basketball, was an assistant by the name of Digger Phelps. "Digger Phelps was the one who first exposed me to Penn," said David "Corky" Calhoun, an NBA first-round draft pick in 1972 who helped lead the Quakers to the No. 2 spot on the Associated Press college basketball poll in 1972. Success On and Off the Court Perhaps the most unique aspect of the basketball program at Penn has been the combination of athletic and academic achievement it has always offered players. "Penn does a tremendous job of bringing in players with high character," said Ron Haigler, the first ever recipient of the Ivy League Player of the Year award in 1974-75. "That's been a very consistent feature of the program for many years." John Wideman, who captained the team in both 1961 and 1962 stands out as one of the best examples of the program's multi-disciplinary approach. Wideman graduated Phi Beta Kappa, was selected as a Rhodes Scholar and went on to win the prestigious Faulkner Award for literature twice, in 1984 and 1991. "The type of player Penn gets is a special person, a good student and good athlete," said Bob Morse, a teammate of Calhoun's. Morse himself was no stranger to success on and off the court. The leading scorer on the great Penn teams of the early 1970s he received the Class of 1915 award as the member of the student body who, "most closely approaches the ideal University of Pennsylvania student-athlete." Penn's dual appeal of academic excellence and athletic competitiveness has been the unifying link for generations of Penn basketball players. "I was impressed by Coach Dunphy and his staff as well as the reputation Penn had both academically and basketball wise," said current freshman guard Mike Koller, a second-generation Quaker whose father, John, played with both Calhoun and Morse. The Rivalries The most defining moments of the Penn basketball mystique have spawned from the team's traditional rivalries amongst other Ivy and the Big 5 schools. From the era of Ernie Beck to that of Steve Bilsky and on to Jerome Allen, games against archrivals like Villanova and, especially, Princeton, have come to define the essence of college basketball. Bilsky, currently Penn's athletic director, will forever be remembered by the Penn faithful for his instrumental role in an improbable victory over Villanova in 1969. At the time, the Quakers were 6-6 and coming of a dismal season which saw them finish sixth in the Ivy League. Facing the then seventh-ranked Wildcats at the Palestra, Penn had a lot to prove. It was a 25-footer by Bilsky with three seconds left to play in the face of All-American Howard Porter that lifted Penn to 32-30 upset. "That shot was my best memory of Penn, but not for the reason most people would think," said Bilsky. "[That shot] signaled that Penn was a winner. Prior to that, it had sort of been the Big 4 and Penn." Bilsky's shot announced a changing of the guard in the Big 5, as the Quakers amassed 78 wins and only six losses in the three seasons to follow and dominated Big 5 play throughout the '70s. Penn capped its most successful decade with a trip to the NCAA Final Four in 1979. Penn's Ivy League grudge matches date back to that inaugural season a century ago, when the Quakers squared off against Yale. Beck, who still holds the Quakers single game scoring record of 47, recalls his own teams battles with it Ivy opponents as the fondest of his playing days. "The greatest memory I have was defeating Princeton at Princeton and Columbia at Columbia in the same year," said Beck. "For us, the biggest games were Ivy League games." The Palestra Though the basketball program turns 100 this year, one could argue that basketball at Penn was truly born when the Palestra opened its doors in 1927. Since then, hosting countless Quakers home games and Big 5 doubleheaders, the building has become the Mecca of college basketball. Its aura is unmistakable, and has been so since day one. "When you come to Penn and the crowd starts getting into it, you can't help but get the chills," said freshman guard Matt Langel, who admitted it was the arena's atmosphere that convinced him Penn was the right choice. Bilsky too admits being attracted to Penn after experiencing the Palestra on a pre-college visit to campus. It's difficult to pinpoint what exactly has made the Palestra the quintessential shrine to college basketball. Beck credits its singular use as a basketball arena for its staying power, while other current and former players sight the "magical" atmosphere it lends a game. "The first impression I had of Penn was of the Palestra being such a historic, great place to play," said Morse. "Every time I step foot in the Palestra, there's a special feeling." Indeed, what better monument could there be to a basketball program such as Penn's which itself represents such a powerful institution?
(06/30/96 9:00am)
Jordan, Langel andJordan, Langel andOwens hope to lead PennJordan, Langel andOwens hope to lead Pennback to NCAA tournament Maple Glen, PA Thought it was all over, didn't you? That loss to Princeton in the one-game playoff for the Ivy League's NCAA tournament bid sealed the demise of the great Quakers basketball dynasty, right? Wrong. Well, at least if Michael Jordan gets his way. No, the Chicago Bulls star won't be coming to West Philadelphia to finish out the college eligibility he left behind when he left North Carolina as an underclassman. Starting next year, though, Penn will have its own Michael Jordan in the backcourt. The Quakers' answer to His Airness, a six-foot high school senior from Abington Friends in suburban Philadelphia, leads a talented trio of incoming freshman who have verbally committed to join coach Fran Dunphy's program. Filling out the threesome are 6-foot-4 guard Matt Langel and 6-foot-11 center Geoff Owens, both of whom hail from South Jersey. Ivy League rules have prohibited Dunphy from publicly commenting on the incoming players. Of course, that doesn't mean others can't talk about the group's potential. The mere mention of their names to each of their respective high school coaches throws open the floodgates of praise, with the words "immediate impact" seeming to be the common thread among the three recruits. While the players themselves are remaining low key about what they might accomplish individually on the hardwood next winter, they have very definite plans for the team as a whole. "I think the main goal is to win the Ivy League crown and get back to the NCAA tournament," Jordan said. And if the Quakers are to return to the top of the Ancient Eight basketball ladder over the next four years, Jordan's skills will be a key asset. With all of the impressive numbers he has put up in high school, including an average of 24 points and 6.2 assists per game as a junior, perhaps the greatest skill he brings to the table is his ability to motivate his teammates. In high school, his leadership skills helped lead Abington Friends to the Friends School League title in each of his three years there. At Penn, his intangibles should be in a high demand as he joins a squad which will lose its three leading scorers to graduation in May. "One of the best things about him is his leadership and aggressive style of play," Abington Friend's coach Steve Chadwin said. "His best attribute is that he makes his teammates better." Joining Jordan in the Penn backcourt of the future will be Moorestown High School's Langel, whose size and versatility has many drawing comparisons between him and another South Jersey phenom named Matt who met with a fair amount of success in a Quakers uniform -- 1995 Ivy Player of the Year Matt Maloney. Langel, like Maloney in 1990, was named first-team all-South Jersey. That achievement places Langel in the company of players who have signed with programs such as Louisville, Temple and Villanova. Langel himself turned down a number of offers from Atlantic 10 and Big East schools, focusing much of his attention on Ivy League suitors, according to his coach at Moorestown, Steve McGair. "Matt is a Division I player by every count," said McGair. "[6-foot-4] is a big-time size for guard." Although he made a name for himself as a scorer in high school, racking up 1,497 points during his career, McGair sights Langel's unheralded passing ability as the key to his future success on the collegiate level. Playing practically down the road from Langel is the big man, Owens, who came into his own this year for Bishop Eustace. In Owens, Penn gets an exceptional athlete for a near-seven-footer size. His high school coach, Bill Lange, says Owens feels as comfortable playing behind the three-point line, where he shot 44 percent this year, as he does down on the blocks with his back to the basket. In fact, much of what drew Owens to the Quakers program was the freedom Dunphy traditionally gives to his centers. "I really respect what he's done," Owens said of his future coach. "I'm really excited to have the opportunity to be playing for him." Despite his imposing height, Owens tips the scales at only 180 pounds, only about 15 pounds more than Jordan, who stands almost a full foot shorter. His somewhat lithe frame contributes to Owens's status as the rawest of this year's recruits. Still, as Lange attests, the potential is most certainly there. "He's the most skilled big man I've ever seen in the state," Lange said. "He's not a guy who has white man's disease. "He can change the complexion of what another team does away from the basket. His range makes him very difficult to guard. I think people at the Palestra are going to love him." Indeed, if Owens, along with Jordan and Langel, can restore the Quakers to their perch atop the Ivy League, there's no doubt that many people at the Palestra will be pleased.
(04/11/96 9:00am)
Jordan, Langel andJordan, Langel andOwens hope to leadJordan, Langel andOwens hope to leadPenn back to NCAAs Thought it was all over, didn't you? That loss to Princeton in the one-game playoff for the Ivy League's NCAA tournament bid sealed the demise of the great Quakers basketball dynasty, right? Wrong. Well, at least if Michael Jordan gets his way. No, the Chicago Bulls star won't be coming to West Philadelphia to finish out the college eligibility he left behind when he left North Carolina as an underclassman. Starting next year, though, Penn will have its own Michael Jordan in the backcourt. The Quakers' answer to His Airness, a six-foot high school senior from Abington Friends in suburban Philadelphia, leads a talented trio of incoming freshman who have verbally committed to join coach Fran Dunphy's program. Filling out the threesome are 6-foot-4 guard Matt Langel and 6-foot-11 center Geoff Owens, both of whom hail from South Jersey. For those of you wary of the 'verbal commitment' moniker after the Rob Hodgson debacle, all three of these players have already been accepted early admission and will be on campus next fall. The rest of the recruits the Penn coaching staff is pursuing will not make their decisions known until later this month. Ivy League rules , however, preclude Dunphy from commenting publicly on the incoming recruits because they have yet to matriculate. Of course, that doesn't mean others can't talk about the group's potential. The mere mention of their names to each of their respective high school coaches throws open the floodgates of praise, with the words "immediate impact" seeming to be the common thread among the three recruits. While the players themselves are remaining low key about what they might accomplish individually on the hardwood next winter, they have very definite plans for the team as a whole. "I think the main goal is to win the Ivy League crown and get back to the NCAA tournament," Jordan said. And if the Quakers are to return to the top of the Ancient Eight basketball ladder over the next four years, Jordan's skills will be a key asset. With all of the impressive numbers he has put up in high school, including an average of 24 points and 6.2 assists per game as a junior, perhaps the greatest skill he brings to the table is his ability to motivate his teammates. In high school, his leadership skills helped lead Abington Friends to the Friends School League title in each of his three years there. At Penn, his intangibles should be in a high demand as he joins a squad which will lose its three leading scorers to graduation in May. "One of the best things about him is his leadership and aggressive style of play," Abington Friend's coach Steve Chadwin said. "His best attribute is that he makes his teammates better." Joining Jordan in the Penn backcourt of the future will be Moorestown High School's Langel, whose size and versatility has many drawing comparisons between him and another South Jersey phenom named Matt who met with a fair amount of success in a Quakers uniform -- 1995 Ivy Player of the Year Matt Maloney. Langel, like Maloney in 1990, was named first-team all-South Jersey. That achievement places Langel in the company of players who have signed with programs such as Louisville, Temple and Villanova. Langel himself turned down a number of offers from Atlantic 10 and Big East schools, focusing much of his attention on Ivy League suitors, according to his coach at Moorestown, Steve McGair. "Matt is a Division I player by every count," said McGair. "[6-foot-4] is a big-time size for guard." Although he made a name for himself as a scorer in high school, racking up 1,497 points during his career, McGair sights Langel's unheralded passing ability as the key to his future success on the collegiate level. Playing practically down the road from Langel is the big man, Owens, who came into his own this year for Bishop Eustace. In Owens, Penn gets an exceptional athlete for a near-seven-footer size. His high school coach, Bill Lange, says Owens feels as comfortable playing behind the three-point line, where he shot 44 percent this year, as he does down on the blocks with his back to the basket. In fact, much of what drew Owens to the Quakers program was the freedom Dunphy traditionally gives to his centers. "I really respect what he's done," Owens said of his future coach. "I'm really excited to have the opportunity to be playing for him." Despite his imposing height, Owens tips the scales at only 180 pounds, only about 15 pounds more than Jordan, who stands almost a full foot shorter. His somewhat lithe frame contributes to Owens's status as the rawest of this year's recruits. Still, as Lange attests, the potential is most certainly there. "He's the most skilled big man I've ever seen in the state," Lange said. "He's not a guy who has white man's disease. "He can change the complexion of what another team does away from the basket. His range makes him very difficult to guard. I think people at the Palestra are going to love him." Indeed, if Owens, along with Jordan and Langel, can restore the Quakers to their perch atop the Ivy League, there's no doubt that many people at the Palestra will be pleased.
(03/07/96 10:00am)
Penn alum is notPenn alum is notsoured by injury Jerome Allen squints to adjust his eyes to the illumination before returning to his spot on the Timberwolves' bench as the Spectrum's lights turn back on after having darkened for player introductions. Tonight, as his teammates take on the Philadelphia 76ers, his uniform consists of tan slacks and a cardigan sweater-vest, the prescribed garb for a player lingering on Minnesota's injured list with an ailing knee. Although this game is in Philadelphia, Allen's hometown, there is not much that differentiates it from the almost 60 games that had preceded this one. Getting into the city after 2 a.m. Wednesday morning -- just the third time he's been in Philly since the season began -- Allen only got a few hours to spend with family and friends yesterday. Of course, after the game ends, it's right back on the plane to the next NBA destination. Such is life during the rookie season of the highest-paid Wharton graduate of the class of 1995. While traveling from city to city almost every night has been tiring, Allen would not have it any other way. "What else could I ask for?" Allen asked. "I'm living my dream." It's a dream which he has been living since November 3, when he first stepped foot onto a basketball court in an NBA uniform. For the two-time Ivy League Player of the Year, reaching the highest of basketball plateaus represents the fulfillment of lifelong quest. But the achievement has not come without its share of tumult, as playing for a 19-40 ball club can. Since the beginning of the season, Allen -- who is averaging 3.1 points and 1.4 assists per game -- has stood witness to the revolving door of NBA life, watching numerous players come and go. Most significantly though, he's weathered the firing of coach Bill Blair, a move Allen dismisses as part of the "business side" of sports. Since Blair's replacement Phil "Flip" Saunders has taken over, Allen has seen his playing time of nearly 15 minutes a game cut in half. Saunders has attempted to convert Allen, a natural shooting guard, to the point. "Jerome came into the league as a forward or two guard, and now he's had to adjust to playing point guard," Saunders said. "He's going through the process of what it's like to be an NBA guard, learning what it takes to lead a team and doing what's necessary to be a leader." Although he enjoyed higher on-court productivity prior to Saunders's ascendency to the helm, Allen embraces the challenge of cultivating his game. "[This season] has been rough. It's had its ups and downs," Allen said. "But I've got to make sure to keep improving, not just as a player, but as a person. You never want to regress. I want to become the best player I can. "Sometimes it's easy to forget you're among the elite, playing against the best players in the world. This game is so demanding, between practices and games, you really never have a day off." Allen's dedication to improvement began the day he signed with the Timberwolves after being picked 49th in the NBA draft. The Timberwolves were surprised they could snap him up so late in the second round. "We didn't think he'd be available at that point [in the draft], so we felt good about him being there," Saunders said. "Teams look for their first rounders to make an immediate impact, and people didn't see that from Jerome at the small forward spot which probably caused his stock to slip." Ironically, Allen -- the first Ivy Leaguer to be drafted since Dartmouth's Walter Palmer in 1990 -- was picked by Minnesota in the round after the Timberwolves selected 19-year-old Kevin Garnett out of Farragut Academy High School in Chicago. The hoopla surrounding Garnett's entry into the league has helped Allen slip almost unnoticed into the pro ranks, making the adjustment that much easier. More importantly, Allen attributes his ability to adapt to the NBA to the coaches who have molded him along the way, namely Fran Dunphy and the Penn coaching staff. Despite the excellent preparation he received during his four years as a Quaker, Allen knows only hard work and perseverance will help him complete the transition. Saunders is relying on this realization to drive Allen to work hard over the summer and help him blossom into the team's floor general of the future. "We look for Jerome to be a good young point guard in this league," Saunders said. "Obviously we think he has a bright future with the Timberwolves. That the team will guarantee his contract through the end of the season I think shows a commitment to his future with us." Earlier this season -- and prior to the date when teams were obliged pay released players through the end of the season -- rumors swirled on Philadelphia sports-talk radio that Allen might be sent packing by the Timberwolves and picked up by the Sixers. But the innuendoes have since faded. For the rest of the season, Allen can concentrate on molding himself into an NBA force, helping to further advance his professional basketball career down a path which has lead him from mere dream to reality.
(02/20/96 10:00am)
Penn Athletic Director Steve Bilsky hopes to turnPenn Athletic Director Steve Bilsky hopes to turnthe Palestra into a college basketball hall of famePenn Athletic Director Steve Bilsky hopes to turnthe Palestra into a college basketball hall of fameand museum as the Big 5 faces an uncertain future The Big 5 is dead. Long live the Palestra. At first glance, such a statement might sound more than a little paradoxical, as the Palestra has been the Big 5's home since 1955. But with the relative disintegration of the City Series round-robin format from four games to two per school in 1991, the Philadelphia basketball consortium comprising the Big 5 has lost its luster. For its part, the Palestra has no intention becoming a relic. To ensure its staying power, the Palestra will undergo some major changes of both a physical and operational nature. Plans include a complete overhaul at the playing level of the arena in the short term, with the possibility of creating of a basketball museum and hall of fame further down the road. Also look for the return of men's college basketball doubleheaders, an increasingly rare commodity in the years since 1986 when official City Series doubleheaders moved to the CoreStates Spectrum, with head to head matchups played at the school's respective gymnasiums. "There is an excellent chance that [Palestra double headers] might be resurrected," Big 5 Executive Secretary Dan Baker said. "There have already been talks about a series of doubleheaders with Penn, La Salle, Drexel and St. Joseph's." Such a realignment comes in the wake of Villanova and Temple's desire to play their games either at their on-campus facilities or in the Spectrum. Furthermore, Temple plans to open its own 10,000–plus spectator venue, The Apollo of Temple. The Apollo is expected to be ready for the 1997-98 basketball season, after which the Owls will most likely play all their home games there, according to Baker. Its completion will make it the third major on-campus basketball arena in the Big 5, along with the Palestra and Villanova's duPont Pavilion. However, that still leaves three city Division I schools without a major on-campus arena. "Drexel, La Salle and St. Joseph's, for the obvious reason that they don't have an on-campus facility the size of the Palestra, are interested, but it's not as if the four schools have gotten together and tried to figure out some sort of mini-plan," Penn Athletic Director Steve Bilsky said. Of course, the Palestra hardly represents unfamiliar territory for La Salle and St. Joe's, who elect to play many of their important non-City Series games there. Drexel, though, would be especially warm to idea of having the chance to play more than the occasional game there. "If there's an opportunity to play in [the Palestra], why not?" Drexel Athletic Director Lou Marciani said. "Our view is that Drexel University has arrived. We here feel that we would like to be involved with more playing opportunities with schools in Philadelphia." Marciani also hopes that inclusion in future Palestra doubleheaders could lead to the possible ignition of a Drexel-Penn matchup on the basketball court and hopefully the invitation for membership to the Big 5 for the Dragons. Bilsky noted that any additional traffic in the Palestra won't just come from heightened Division I men's basketball activity, but an increase in the number of special events it hosts. These include high school basketball championships as well as exhibitions, such as a game featuring the U.S. women's national team this spring. To accommodate all this extra activity, the Palestra will undergo a series of major renovations in the near future, a project which the class of '71 has decided to sponsor in honor of its 25th reunion. Foremost among the arena's upgrades will be the construction of a new hospitality suite and a media room to replace the current makeshift press room set-up behind the visiting bleachers during games. The players' locker rooms will also be refurbished as part of the overhaul. "The things we're doing to the Palestra are necessary to make sure that as we go into the next century it continues to be what I consider to be the best college basketball arena in the country," Bilsky said. "For an eight or nine thousand seat arena, there's nothing like it." The initial renovations to be carried out represent what Bilsky calls the first phase of an "ambitious" project. The second phase of the Palestra's revamping will focus on preserving the athletic legacy the stadium has witnessed over its lifetime. "The second level is really a creative idea that hopefully we'll be able to do, and that is to make the Palestra a combination museum/hall of fame/basketball facility," Bilsky said. Bilsky envisions this aspect of the project in the mold of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Such an atmosphere would be created by the lining the arena's walls with various sorts of basketball memorabilia and dedicating its various wings to different aspects of Big 5 lore. According to Bilsky, among other benefits, such an addition could serve to help attract perspective students as part of the campus tour. However, he warns, this part of the plan is in the very early planning stages and will require the attainment of major funding before it can become a reality.
(02/09/96 10:00am)
Wins over Crimson, BigWins over Crimson, BigGreen will tie Penn withWins over Crimson, BigGreen will tie Penn withUCLA at 50 consecutiveWins over Crimson, BigGreen will tie Penn withUCLA at 50 consecutiveconference victories For 27 years, John Wooden prowled the sidelines for the UCLA Bruins, amassing 620 wins and 10 national championships. Those milestones, among others, earned him the title "The Wizard of Westwood." This weekend Penn coach Fran Dunphy has the chance to go one up on the legendary Wooden, as Dunphy's team goes for its 50th consecutive win in conference play. Wins over Dartmouth tonight at the Leede Arena and Harvard on Saturday, would tie the record UCLA set from 1970 to 1974 in the Pacific 10 and allow for the coronation of Dunphy as "The Wizard of West Philly." Despite the fanfare surrounding the team's current 48-game winning streak, Dunphy has remained characteristically low-key about the possibility of surpassing the great Bruins teams of the '70s in the record books. "I haven't thought about anything but the fact that this is going to be a real challenging weekend," Dunphy said. "We never even talk about it with the team. We only have control over when we go to Dartmouth on Friday night and Harvard on Saturday night. That's what we're thinking about right now." Whether or not Dunphy and his charges choose to ignore the hype surrounding the winning streak, those outside the Penn basketball program have certainly taken notice. The quest, which began with a win over Cornell in the last game of the 1991-92 season, has generated interest from the Ivy League offices on up to those of the NCAA. Although the NCAA does not currently list consecutive conference victories in its book of official records, its head statistician, Gary Johnson, has vowed to create such a designation should the Quakers' run role past the half-century mark. What makes Penn's assault on the record books all the more impressive is that every game the team plays in the Ivy League bears incredible importance, as the Ancient Eight has no postseason conference tournament to decide the its representative to the NCAA championships. Each game in which Penn has stepped on the court in the past four seasons against an Ivy foe has had serious ramifications for the team's NCAA tournament ambitions. "One of the truly impressive things about their streak is that with no conference tournament, the pressure to win is more intense than any other league," said Jeff Orleans, executive director of the Ivy Group, the governing body of Ivy League sports. Orleans hailed this year's team's accomplishments as especially noteworthy, considering the loss of last year's five starting players. "Losing the kind of talent and cohesion Penn had, as well as the depletions of the past few weeks, I hope people realize what an exceptional group this is, both on and off the court," Orleans said. Streak or no streak, this year's team understands that the two games they it play this weekend mean just as much, if not more, than any of those which preceded them. "Right now, we're concerned about winning games, and if the streak just happens to coincide with that, that's great," Quakers co-captain Tim Krug said. "We have to win these next two Ivy League games, not to set a record, not for the streak, but to get to our final goal, which is to get to the NCAA tournament." Without a doubt, this weekend will provide the sternest challenge to the Quaker's Ivy supremacy, with last year's league runner-up Dartmouth anxiously awaiting a rematch on its home floor. This year's version of Big Green basketball boasts some impressive talent, including scoring phenom Sea Lonergan and seven-foot center Brian Gilpin, who last year exploded for a career-high 22 points against Penn at the Palestra. Dartmouth's dynamic duo has picked up right where it left off last season. Lonergan is again leading the Ivies in scoring, averaging 18.5 points a game, while Gilpin has been a force in the paint, blocking more than two shots a game. However, if those two were all the Quakers had to fear as they headed into New Hampshire, they would have a vastly easier time. Among the other players who could give Penn fits are sophomore guard P.J. Halas and junior pointman Kenny Mitchell. If left unchecked defensively, Halas has the range to make it a very long night for the Quakers. On the other side of its Ivy League double dip, Penn will march into Harvard's Briggs Athletic Center. That is the same gym in which Penn narrowly escaped with a victory two seasons ago, when Krug blocked a last-second potential game-winning Harvard drive to the hoop. Facing some of the Ivy League's top individual performers, does not seem to have the Quakers rattled, though. "We don't make changes for anybody. We let other people worry about what we do," Krug said. "If we play like we've been playing the last seven or eight games, I think we'll be fine."
(01/31/96 10:00am)
After transfering from Rice, George Mboya waits patiently until he is eligible nexy year At first glance, George Mboya doesn't stand out much at practice. He goes through the same drills as the other men's basketball players, diligently working through his paces. However, when taking a closer look, something seems different about him. During every team gathering on the court, Mboya often finds himself on the periphery of the huddle, looking almost as if he were eavesdropping on a conversation. When the team lines up for wind sprints, Mboya inevitably drifts to the far end of the hardwood. As a transfer from Rice University in Houston, NCAA rules stipulate Mboya, a sophomore, must sit out this season. Officially, he is listed as a redshirt, which means he will have three years of eligibility remaining, starting next season. Still considered a member of the Quakers' squad, he participates in practice everyday, regardless of the fact he is not allowed to suit up for games. "The toughest thing is that I come out every day, and it's just practice, not a game," said Mboya. "I don't have the same incentives the other guys on the team have. Sometimes you can feel like you're not a part of [the team]." "The biggest thing for me was being so far away from home," said Mboya. "I was in a situation where I didn't think I'd be comfortable for four years." In Penn, which recruited him as senior out of Landon Prep in Bethesda, Md., Mboya found the ideal environment to continue his collegiate career. Like Rice, Penn offered him an excellent academic opportunity. Here, though, Mboya also saw the chance to achieve his long coveted athletic goals -- an NCAA tournament bid. "I'm almost envious of the seniors here," Mboya said. "They don't know what it's like not be in the tournament. At Rice, I didn't think we'd ever get there." Of course the graduation of this year's team captains, Ira Bowman and Tim Krug, will make reaching his goal of a tournament a great deal of work -- work Mboya has shown he's willing to do so far. His dedication at practice has already made quite an impression on his teammates. "George expects a lot of himself and, working as hard as he has, he has really demonstrated his determination," Bowman said. As a transfer from Providence in 1992, Bowman is quite familiar with what he described as "the feeling helplessness" a player undergoes while waiting to become eligible for competition. He has helped Mboya deal with his year away from game action by encouraging him to give his all at practice. According to the senior swingman, the key factor in Mboya's being able to overcome the travails of this year is for him to maintain a strong mental focus on improving his game. Mboya credits Bowman's guidance with helping him to keep his aim of making a contribution to the Penn basketball program in focus. The general consensus is that the size of this contribution will be directly linked to the amount of work Mboya does to improve his game this year. "So much of what George will be will depend on how bad he wants it," said Willis Wilson, Mboya's coach at Rice. As a freshman, Mboya's aggressive play drew attention to his game, making him a factor each time he stepped on the court. Wilson reserves his highest praise for Mboya's athleticism, quite a compliment considering he played in the Southwest Conference, the same league which produced both Hakeem Olajuwan and Clyde Drexler and is known for the breakneck pace of its games. While the talent level in the SWC may be a cut above the Ivy League, Penn fans must remember it is neither the Southeastern Conference nor the Big East, the former stomping grounds of transfer phenoms Matt Maloney and Bowman, respectively. Comparisons to those players are as dangerous as they are tempting, according to Penn coach Fran Dunphy, labeling such expectations both ridiculous and unfair. Nonetheless, the Quakers coaching staff already has high hopes for Mboya next season, when he will primarily see action at the power forward spot. "He'll get the opportunity to compete for a staring spot and play upwards of 30 minutes a game," Dunphy said. Looking ahead to next year, Mboya's versatility should be his most significant contribution to a team which figures to be hit hard by the graduation of Bowman and Krug. If players who left the team this year, like junior forward Nat Graham, do not return, Mboya's presence under the hoop could prove all the more valuable. "He has the ability to come into a game and do all the physical things a coach can't teach," Wilson said. "He can really create a lot of mismatches." Right now, though, next season looks to be light years away for Mboya, who admits he is still getting acclimated to life at Penn. Besides, after dealing with the stress of his decision to transfer, the anxiety of being on the outside of the Quakers program looking in, doesn't seem so daunting.
(01/24/96 10:00am)
A compromise that would add two newA compromise that would add two newassistants to the program would allow theA compromise that would add two newassistants to the program would allow thewomen's crew coach to retain her position In sports, nothing breeds discontent as much as unfilled expectations. For the Penn women's crew team, the spector of facing another disappointing season proved so daunting that on November 14, they approached Athletic Director Steve Bilsky demanding the resignation of seven-year head coach Carol Bower. Under Bower, the team has finished no higher than fifth out of fifteen boats at the regional championships. Since that meeting, the athletic department has been seeking to reach a compromise acceptable to the team, which would keep Bower, a 1984 Olympic gold medalist, at the helm. With the team scheduled to return to practice on the Schuylkill River in just a few weeks, an acceptable agreement appears to be in place, according to Senior Associate Athletic Director Carolyn Femovich. "Our goal is to provide an enjoyable and successful experience for our athletes," said Femovich, who has been dealing with the situation on behalf of the athletic department. "However, we do not make personnel decisions based on student athletes demands." Presenting a united front, the team threatened not to row during the spring season if its ultimatum for change was not met. During the winter recess, the varsity squad demonstrated its solidarity by boycotting a team training trip to Tampa, Fla., opting to pay their own way to workout independently in Miami. "The team was not happy with how they were coached and felt they weren't reaching their potential under [Bower]," Femovich said. In response to the women's demands, the athletic department has agreed to allow Andy Metcalf, a part-time assistant for the men's crew team, to help out with the team's training. The department also plans to hire an additional part-time assistant to work solely with the women's team, bringing the number of women's crew coaches to four, including novice coach Angie Herron. Most importantly, under the university's proposal, Bower will remain as head coach, although she has agreed to accept more input from her assistants. "The immediate way of resolving this is through coaching structure," Bower said. "We're going be using a lot more input from assistant coaches." Women's crew members refused to offer comment on the athletic department's proposal. According to Penn alumnus Janice Englesbe, who was a member of the team from 1988 to 1991, the situation between the varsity team and Bower has been deeply fractured since at least November. At a very emotional meeting with a group of alumni just before Thanksgiving, the current varsity members explained their differences with Bower. "They felt Carol couldn't take them where they want to go," Englesbe said of that meeting. "They felt they wanted more than she had to offer." While Englesbe agreed that some of the team's complaints may be legitimate, she disagrees with their effort to obtain Bower's resignation. "I think they were very naive to walk into the athletic department and say 'We don't like our coach, we want a new one,' " Englesbe said. In a statement released December 10, the team accused Bower of being an ineffective coach and not allowing the team to reach its full potential. Bower conceded that she had been distracted by her involvement with Penn's Title IX proceedings and was not able to devote the enthusiasm she had in the past to the team. From 1992 to 1995, she served as the spokesperson for Penn's female coaches on all issues related to Title IX, the NCAA's initiative to institute gender equity in collegiate athletics. "I was feeling a burden?and I think it had an effect" Bower said about her responsibilities relating to Title IX. "Sometimes, when you look to the long run, you neglect the immediate." However, Bower emphasized that the strife between her and the varsity rowers has given her a new found excitement for the sport. Bower hopes to channel the energy the team has demonstrated throughout this admittedly painful ordeal into better team results. Although the past few months have been difficult for her personally, she has been impressed with the team's resolve. "It's going to take a while for the lines of communication to open up," said Bower. "If this program can train through the pain, we'll all have become stronger."
(10/09/95 9:00am)
When it first received this year's schedule, Penn's field hockey team could only have seen this past weekend as a big lemon. With two games in 24 hours, one on the road against an Ivy League rival and another versus a national powerhouse, the Quakers may well have been in for a very sour experience. Instead, the Red and Blue chose to make lemonade, knocking off Harvard 1-0 Saturday afternoon in Boston, then hopping a flight back to Philadelphia to send William & Mary, ranked No. 20 in the country, packing by the same count. With the sweep, Penn ran its record to a strong 8-2, 2-0 in Ivy competition. Penn coach Val Cloud attributed the success to the team's frame of mind coming into the weekend. "We prepared the team mentally, more than anything else, which wasn't very hard with this team," she said. "For us, it was easy getting up for these games." That exuberance was severely tested when the Quakers boarded a 7 a.m. flight to Harvard Saturday morning, only to play on a rain-soaked bog of a field in Cambridge, Mass. Indeed, the game's play mimicked the sluggish conditions as the loan goal, pounded home unassisted by Penn senior Marla Maiorano, proved to be enough to paste a loss on the Crimson for the third year in a row. Although they may have liked a more sizable cushion, the Quakers did not have much time to reflect on the result, as they hurried back to Philadelphia for their meeting with William & Mary. In stark contrast to the Crimson, William & Mary forced Penn to play at feverish pace on a Franklin Field turf drenched only by the mid-day sun. From the outset, Penn showed the visiting Tribe it could pick its level of play up a notch, raining 28 shots on William & Mary goalie Trish Griffith, many of which came on resets from the corner. The Quakers seemed to have their way throughout much of the first half, setting up camp outside the William & Mary goal mouth. The constant Quakers pounding finally proved to be too much as senior Sue Quinn broke a scoreless deadlock, crushing a shot into the lower left corner. The blast, which came with just under 13 minutes left in the opening frame, proved to be the game winner. "We were dominating throughout the first half, although not scoring was frustrating," Quinn said. "It just got to the point where we had to put one away." With the offense clicking on all cylinders, it was easy to overlook the fact the defense was in the midst of putting together probably its finest outing of the season. Coming into the game, Penn knew any real chance it had of pulling the upset would rest upon the containment of the Tribe's Dutch scoring phenom, Saskin Bensdorp. Coming into yesterday's game, the sophomore was leading the nation in scoring with 19 goals. The responsibility of shutting her down fell to senior back Jessica Gilhorn. By flanking her all afternoon, Gilhorn gave Bensdorp little room to maneuver, and even less of a chance to make anything happen. "It was really tough marking her, but I dug in because I knew it was my main job," said Gilhorn of her unenviable defensive assignment. "The rest of the defense really helped me out, which gave me a chance to recover a few times." As the game wore on, not only did the Quakers rely on their teamwork to carry them through, but the energy of the a huge crowd of local field hockey fans on hand to see the following game between the United States and Ireland. "Seeing the crowd, gave us extra motivation. We all just said, 'We're not going to lose this,' " Gilhorn said. "All the people in the stands just gave us that much more drive to win." The Quakers now have a few days to rest before they face Temple on the road Wednesday afternoon.
(04/19/95 9:00am)
Each year, as the final bars of One Shining Moment fade into the spring air, taking all the excitement of another NCAA Tournament gone by with them, it seems the media and college sports fans' passion for that great event shifts to the debate of one singularly perplexing issue: that of underclassmen making themselves eligible for the year's professional draft. The NFL entry draft, which follows on the heels of the NCAA Tourney, only serves to fuel these flames. In recent years, the subject has deteriorated in controversy, as the the remittance of that last one, two or -- in some cases -- three years of eligibility becomes the norm. After all these years, the argument fodder has become predictable enough. The idealists, rebuffed by the scores of hypocrites who purport to care for the plight of the soon-to-be-drafted, defend the sanctity of the college diploma. Taking the contrary stance are the pragmatists, defending the lure of the immediate riches awaiting underclassmen who shove the books aside prematurely. The only reality more certain than the fact that representatives of both sides of the issue will surface annually is the ignorance of these respective combatants. The forum for much of the exchange in this debate is the public media outlets -- the sports pages and local talk radio shows. In truth though, there could be no more appropriate stage for such discussion than among university students themselves. My glorification of this topic may sound more than a little sanctimonious, but perhaps by looking a little closer at these prima donna athletes to whom we, the everyday college students, cannot often directly relate, we can gain some insight into their decisions, as well as our own choice to matriculate at Penn. For myself, the decision was quite simple. Attending this school looked as if it would give me the best opportunity to pursue my career of choice. While I'll never sign a multi-million dollar contract to display my athletic prowess in front of a stadium full of spectators, I can't imagine that the rationale behind, say, Corliss Williamson's college selection, was all that different. When an athlete who has a legitimate chance to one day trade his services for cash picks a school, the career he has in mind has nothing to do with a degree. His concern may focus more on what he has to do to develop his game to reach the next level. That doesn't sound far from the attitude of the aspiring intellectual, who enters college focusing on what he must do to develop his mind to achieve his goals at the next level. The only difference --Ea degree. The student needs that precious diploma to justify his success, while the athlete's skills do his talking. College prepares both for their lives outside university walls. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not advocating leaving school the minute greener pastures enter eye shot. Just the opposite. There are a few things as valuable as a college diploma, and for all those who leave campus early, not returning to finish up would be more than regrettable. However, the bottom line may well be that what we covet most about college is that which it affords after we've finished. Simply because that period of time is abbreviated for some of the nation's elite young athletes, those of us who stick around for the full hitch need not shake our heads in disapproval. Hanan Fishman is a Wharton sophomore from Maple Glen and a sports writer for The Daily Pennsylvanian.
(04/17/95 9:00am)
Amazing what a little confidence can do. In posting a very strong showing versus Princeton, the defending national champs, last Wednesday, the Penn women's lacrosse team captured a feeling in defeat they weren't able to muster in three earlier victories -- a feeling of supreme confidence. This discovery carried a rejuvenated Penn squad north to Providence, R.I., Saturday, where the team had the opportunity to test its new outlook. At Brown Stadium, it didn't take the Red and Blue very long to realize just how far this infusion of spirit would take them. They pounced on the Bears from the outset, scoring three goals in the first six-and-a-half minutes of the afternoon affair. The Quakers rode the wave of that torrid start to victory, defeating Brown 8-5 for their first Ivy League win of the season in what was the team's Ancient Eight finale for the '95 campaign. With the win, Penn improves its record to 3-6 on the year, 1-5 in the Ivy League, while Brown falls to 5-4 and 0-4 in Ivy play. In the scoring flurry that marked the game's start, attacker Lori Frutkin tallied a trifecta of assists. However, it wasn't until Brown retaliated with a goal that Frutkin really caught fire. To put the contest out of the home team's reach, Frutkin racked up three goals of her own. While Frutkin's individual effort stands out impressively, the Red and Blue's first Ivy win of the year was a true team effort. The defense, anchored by netminder Alexis Seth's 12 saves, allowed fewer goals -- five -- than it has against any opponent this season. Prior to Saturday, the team hadn't even been able to keep rival squads from reaching double digits in scoring. The defense's stinginess against Brown stands as testament to the team effort the Quakers were able to put together en route to the victory. With the defense rock solid and the offense clicking on all cylinders, the secret to this triumph may very well have laid in the midfield, which was orchestrated by Emmy Hansel, who managed a goal and two assists, and Jessica Gilhorn, who scored off Frutkin's second assist of the day. For the Quakers, this win came at a very opportune time in the season. After surviving a killer schedule, which pitted them against eight of the top 10 teams in the country to open the year, this victory will enable a deftly talented side to make the transition to the soft underbelly of games remaining on the docket. From here on in, Penn will actually have the chance to enter games as the favorite. With only three outings remaining, a hot streak could enable the team to finish with a .500 record, a more than respectable feat considering the competition it has been forced to endure all year.
(04/13/95 9:00am)
In a stunned silence, more than 70 students marched somberly down Locust Walk and clustered at the Peace Sign on College Green last night to eulogize Alisa Flatow, the Brandeis University student who died Monday of wounds sustained in a terrorist attack in the Gaza Strip. Flatow, who had been studying in Israel for the semester, was on her way to a resort community in the Gaza Strip when a terrorist's van filled with explosives intentionally collided with the bus she was riding in. The 20-year old from West Orange, N.J. never regained consciousness after the blast. The militant Palestinian group Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for the attack. The procession, which was sponsored by Hillel, began at the Compass at the corner of 37th Street and Locust Walk and continued to the Green. There, the mourners listened to speeches by two of their fellow students who had known the murdered student. Engineering junior Michael Kasdan and College junior Chad Haller, both of whom went to high school with Flatow -- presented moving eulogies. During much of the vigil, College sophomore Evan Weiner, who had helped Conservative Jewish Community leader Hal Luria organize the ceremony, busied himself making a memorial video that Hillel plans to send to Flatow's family. While Flatow's death leaves her Orthodox Jewish family grieving during the upcoming Passover holiday, her legacy will serve to enrich the lives of at least three other families in Israel. On Monday, Flatow's father decided to take her off life support and chose to donate her heart, lungs, liver and pancreas to six needy Israelis. The Associate Press contributed to this article.
(04/03/95 9:00am)
Throughout much of its matchup against Yale, the No. 12 team in the country, last Saturday, the sun was shining on the women's lacrosse team both literally and figuratively. As the sun drenched Franklin Field, the Quakers were busy raining shots on the Elis' net. As the middle of the second frame approached, the upset Penn coach Anne Sage had predicted two days earlier looked to be taking shape, as Penn held a 5-4 advantage. The Red and Blue played with a great deal of confidence, beating Yale players to loose balls and controlling the pace of the game. All the while, though, they had to know that a giant such as the visiting Elis would not remain dormant forever. And when that awakening finally came, it arrived in the rudest of manners. Yale went on an eight-goal tear that went unanswered by the beleaguered Quakers. Only the game's expiration could end the barrage, which went into the books as a 12-5 victory for the less-than-sportsmanlike squad from New Haven. "[Yale] scored a lot of uncontested goals. They simply got stronger as the game went on," Sage said. After knotting the game at five, the visitors seemed to snap into top form, repeatedly knifing through the Quakers' defense and taking aim at helpless goalie Alexis Seth. To their credit, the Quakers did not just roll over and die as the powerful Elis steamrolled down the warpath. The offense, led by Amy Shapiro and Amy Tarr, made its way up the field without much difficulty. It was penetrating the crease that proved troublesome. When Penn's attackers got near the net they would be met by a hard-hitting Yale defender or the foreboding presence of goalie Joan Sullivan, who managed to turn back many would-be Penn goals. "[Sullivan] may have made the difference today," Sage said. Indeed, her performance stifled much more than the Quakers' offense -- it hurt their team morale also, as many well-orchestrated offensive thrusts went for naught. For Penn's players, absorbing the loss wasn't as difficult as hearing from the boarish Yale stickhandlers throughout the match. Afterward, numerous members of the home side could be heard discussing not Yale's lacrosse prowess, which now stands undeniable given its 5-0 record, but its lack of class. Throughout the game, Yale players verbally berated their hosts and the referees. To cap it all off, the team continued its push to score, notching a final goal with one tick left on the clock. Following that tally, the Elis' bench stormed the field, celebrating as if they had just won the World Cup final. So as the memories of this latest loss fade into oblivion for the Quakers (1-5, 0-3 Ivy League), they can take heart in the strong showing they gave for much of the contest. While she didn't get her promised upset, Sage nonetheless found a number of positives. "I saw progress. We played a well for a long time today," she said. At this point, progress is really all Sage can ask for as her team comes off a particularly grueling stretch of the young season. Penn will look to regroup as it heads deeper into spring and hits the stretch run.
(03/31/95 10:00am)
After 22 years in the business, women's lacrosse coach Anne Sage is being pulled in two vastly different directions by tomorrow's 11 a.m. game against Yale at Franklin Field. Experience tells her not to expect any miracles against the Elis, who are currently ranked No. 12 in the country. On the other hand, she can't keep her heart from sending another message to her team -- upset. "[Saturday] will be a big win. We're going to upset them," Sage boldly predicted. Indeed, if ever the Quakers needed a boost, it's now, as the squad has gotten out of the gate at 1-4. Unfortunately for the Red and Blue, they won't be able to sneak up on their visitors. If Yale's memory is as good as its stick handling, the Elis should be fired up to avenge their defeat by the Quakers last year in New Haven. In Penn's quest to gain a win on the Franklin Field carpet tomorrow, goalie Alexis Seth looks to figure prominently. In the team's last outing, a 12-1 shellacking at the hands of Temple, Seth was one of the lone bright spots, making 24 saves. However, if Penn is to turn things around, it will need more than just another super effort from its keeper. "Right now [Alexis] is playing well. This game is a matter of our whole team playing well though," Sage said. With the team's record standing where it does, this game could prove more important than just another Ivy League matchup. Sure, the Quakers need a win to erase the bagel that currently rests in the win column for their Ancient Eight competition this season, but more importantly they "just need to win," as Sage said. In the early stages of a season, team morale can be as fragile as a leaf in late November. While another poor outing against Yale won't make this team crumble, it might prove quite damaging. And if anyone understands the game's ramifications, it's Sage. She sees the Yale game as the next step in the path to consistent play, a plateau the Quakers will have to reach to approach replicating the No. 14 ranking they held at season's end last year. And after over two decades in the coaching world, Sage certainly understands the key ingredient to getting a slumping team on track is a solid effort.
(03/28/95 10:00am)
"The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed, if not for the courage of the fearless crew, the Minnow would be lost." Indeed, it seems no other words sum up the gymnastics team's season better than these immortal lyrics from the Gilligan's Island theme song. Substitute team for ship and season for Minnow, and you have the Quakers' year in, for lack of a better word, a nutshell. In February, a snow storm forced Penn's biggest dual meet of the season, at Yale, to be canceled. When they finally got to take on the Elis at the Ivy Classic, Yale bounced Penn from its Ivy championship pedestal. Alas, this group of determined gymnasts stuck together and sought to turn around their season. After a heartbreaking loss to Rutgers during which the Quakers performed as well as they had all season, it looked as if they just might. Unfortunately, as this marathon-like campaign drew to a close this weekend at the ECAC's consolation championship in Springfield, Mass., the little engine that has been driving this gritty bunch simply became the one that couldn't any longer, as the Quakers finished fifth in a field of six. The Bridgeport Purple Knights owned the day, scoring 185.1 points to win the meet, while Penn managed 177.25 points, good enough only to finish in front of a West Chester squad it had shellacked on two earlier occasions this season. Rounding out the rest the field were Vermont in second, followed by Southern Connecticut in third and Springfield in fourth. Penn coach Tom Kovic really didn't have much to say about his team's swan song. "Unfortunately, we had a bad performance," he said. On a brighter note, a number of individuals stood out prominently amidst the debacle in the Bay State. As usual, this group of top performers was led by senior co-captain Monique Burton, who garnered fifth place in the floor exercises and on the balance beam, scoring 9.45 and 9.375 respectively. Two of her classmates also made solid contributions to the cause. Staci Standen picked up fifth place on the vault with a score of 9.2. Co-captain Nicole LeBrasseur stood out on the balance beam, a sore spot for Penn all day, netting a score of 9.2. LeBrasseur and some of her teammates didn't have as much luck on the floor exercises, as the Quakers wilted somewhat under the searing heat applied by the meet's stringent judges. "The judges were incredibly rough on us," LeBrasseur said. Ever the optimist, LeBrasseur did manage to find a silver lining in the day's events. "Whatever happened doesn't really matter because we went out as a team. If the judges didn't agree, there's nothing we can do about it," she said. While the more than three-month tour that was the Quakers' season has finally come to a close, the desire the team has exhibited all season will now serve to ease the pain over the disappointment of its last time out.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
In the realm of word association, Penn's gymnastics team and rap group Cypress Hill aren't likely to fall too near to one another. But this weekend, that may all change as the Quakers take the show on the road to the ECAC consolation championship in Springfield, Mass., in what will be the season finale. Coming off a poor performance last weekend, the team's four seniors have made a very Cypress-like vow -- "We ain't goin' out like that." Indeed, after giving Penn coach Tom Kovic four stellar years, this group has accomplished too much -- foremost of which was the Ivy Championship last year -- to quietly close out their careers. The exit they would like to make runs more along the lines of a bang. Leading the charge is senior Staci Standen. "We have a good chance of winning," she predicted. "We've seen just about all the teams there, and they're all beatable." The upperclassmen, though, aren't the only ones looking forward to tomorrow's showdown. Meredith Daly spoke on behalf of the team's talented freshman core, saying, "We're just excited to compete because this is our first ECACs." The fact that the team stands so united in its focus to excel this weekend is a true testament to its collective character. When the season began in January, Kovic stated one of the team's primary goals would be to qualify for the true ECAC championships in Pittsburgh, the postseason competition for the conference's elite. Alas, as the grueling season began to wind down, it became clear the Quakers would fall short of this objective. Despite this disappointment, Kovic should have no problem stoking the competitive fire as he prepares his charges for the ECAC's consolation championship. "I look at this meet as one more chance for my team to hit their best performances," Kovic said. This is the last chance the Quakers will get. After this weekend, the curtain comes down on the gymnasts' season. The Quakers are seeded fourth in the field of six, below, among others, top-ranked Bridgeport, the team they fell to last weekend. This low placement will help the Quakers sneak up on the unsuspecting competition, which includes two schools, Springfield and Southern Connecticut, that Penn has defeated this season but are nonetheless seeded higher. Although it would appear Penn may have been slighted in its placement within this field, the Quakers don't seem to be overly concerned. "We have a good chance to go in and do well," senior co-captain Nicole LeBrasseur said. For LeBrasseur and her three other senior teammates, winning the last meet of their collegiate careers means much more than any ranking could anyway.
(03/20/95 10:00am)
Quakers suffer disappointing loss at Bridgeport After falling to a very talented Rutgers squad before spring break, the Penn gymnastics team had a week to relax and forget about the Scarlet Knights. Unfortunately, upon their return to action this weekend, the Quakers got a roundtrip ticket to Connecticut to take on Bridgeport's Purple Knights. Despite adding a shade of blue to their opponent, the Quakers were unable to muster any luck, falling 186.9 to 179.55 Saturday afternoon, ending its dual meet season with a very respectable 8-5 record. "We started off really well," Penn coach Tom Kovic said after his squad roared out of the gates, setting the uneven bars on fire behind Shilpa Rao's 9.375. After that opening rotation, the Quakers had to like their chances of stealing the meet, given that the bars have been the squad's Achilles' heel all season. Soon afterward, however, the Quakers' prospects darkened, as two falls on the vault brought the team's demise. Despite the comedy of errors on the vault, senior co-captain Nicole LeBrasseur was able to score 9.2 points in the event and then lead the team with a 9.425 on the beam. It was that apparatus, the beam, that gave Penn the most trouble against Bridgeport. Kovic called his team's performance on the beam "the most disappointing one of the year." The Quakers scored only 43.9 points, significantly less than the 46 they're used to. As it moved into the last rotation, Penn's earlier blunders had put the meet out of reach. No worry for co-captain Monique Burton though. The senior rose to the occasion, as she has so many time before this season in the floor exercises, taking second with a score of 9.55. While Penn did go on to lose to the Purple Knights, the squad can take solace in the fact it lost to a strong foe. Kovic lauded his team's opponents. "They have a great team. They deserved to win," he said. However, Penn can pull some positives from this performance. Burton's performance in the all-around competition, in which she scored 36.3 points, will aid in her campaign to make the field for the NCAA regional competition at Kent State. More importantly though, while this squad won't have anymore dual meets this year, it will have another chance to strut its stuff next week when it heads to the ECAC's consolation postseason invitational in Springfield, Mass. On this score, Kovic concurred. "The beauty of the season is that there's always a next time out," he said.
(03/17/95 10:00am)
After having a week off for break, the Penn gymnastics team returned to University City to some bad news. Despite pouring their collective hearts out in their last outing before the spring recess against Rutgers, the Quakers (8-4) learned Monday they wouldn't be making the trip to Pittsburgh for the ECAC's premier postseason championship. However, if this team has learned anything this year, it's that life goes on. After finishing a disappointing second in the Ivy Classic, the Quakers bounced back with their strongest meet of the season against Rutgers. This weekend, Penn will once again be looking to pick up the pieces and move on, this time against a very competitive Bridgeport squad that notched 185 points in its last effort. When the Quakers visit Bridgeport tomorrow, it will be business as usual. "We would really like to win," Penn coach Tom Kovic said. Regardless of what may have happened earlier this season, this is still a fiercely competitive team that seeks to prove something every time out. Senior co-captain Nicole LeBrasseur predicted a very tight affair saying, "Bridgeport is very close to our level so it should be a very close meet." While the teams compete on a similar plateau, they aren't very familiar with one another. They haven't even competed on the same floor in two years, when they clashed at the George Washington Invitational. With the disheartening news about their postseason plans eclipsing some team goals, the Quakers still have two gymnasts looking to move forward individually. Both freshman Kathleen Gunn and senior co-captain Monique Burton have a solid chance at making the NCAA regional meet in the all-around competition. So far this year, Burton has averaged 36.4 points in the all-around and Gunn 36.6. With the end of the season rapidly approaching, these two are somewhat in the dark about their chances of reaching Kent State, the sight of this year's Northeast Regional. Burton admitted, "I have no idea if I'll make it." The top seven all-around performers in the region receive invites. Kovic's best guess is both of his gymnasts are somewhere in the top 10 as of now. So as the collegiate gymnastics season comes down the home stretch, the Quakers will look to shake off the rust and finish their regular season in strong fashion before they go to the ECAC's consolation championship in Springfield, Mass., a week from today.
