Back in my freshman year (which indeed calls for the past tense, I swear), Penn basketball hosted Villanova at the Palestra.

Not only did Nexxt Level train Penn sophomore point guard Jake Silpe, but they also worked with Villanova’s sophomore point guard Jalen Brunson. In fact, the two New Jersey natives met regularly for workout sessions over the summer at Nexxt Level’s training facility in South Jersey.

When Kris Jenkins hit a buzzer-beating three to defeat North Carolina and give Villanova the NCAA national championship, the entire city of Philadelphia celebrated. Fast forward eight months, and the Wildcats are 6-0, ranked No. 2 in the country and playing like a team poised for another title run. On Tuesday night, Penn basketball will be taking on the defending champions and Big 5 rival at the Palestra for the Quakers’ home opener. 

Welcome back from Thanksgiving break — here are some events to get you through the first week back.

First, I’d like to acknowledge that I was wrong. About a month ago, I published a column about what I called the lazy voting epidemic. People use gut-checks, self-identification and emotional appeals to dictate their vote, and that can cause real problems when it comes to the outcome of emotionally charged elections.

SHUN SAKAI is a College senior from Chestnut Hill, Mass.

“So how’s school going?” After the hello’s and how-are-you’s, those are probably the first words you hear from everybody you see when you go home for break.

Pennsylvania is the only state where candidates cannot initiate a direct recount request themselves. They have a few options available to them, including the courts.

Will Snow, senior sports editor-elect: My first instinct was to go with Penn football's Justin Watson — after all, he is up for the FCS Player of the Year award.

This incredible invention is "Piccolissimo," the world’s smallest self-powered controllable robot, its creator claims. 

Graduates have been calling, writing, and commenting on the university’s social media.

Caffé Bene, a South Korean chain, recently opened a location near Penn’s campus on 38th and Chestnut streets.

The American higher education system is radically changing, in part due to the increase in non-tenure-track appointments for faculty.

Penn swimming and diving has hit the ground running. Figuratively, at least. On Tuesday, just before the holiday break, the Quakers decided to build on their already strong start to the season, sweeping La Salle's men's and women's teams, 161-132 and 163-122, respectively.

It just keeps getting better. Just a few weeks removed from Penn sprint football's first outright Collegiate Sprint Football League title since 2000, senior quarterback Mike McCurdy was named league MVP for the second straight season.

When Nicole Vaiani first started learning how to fence, she would beat her older brother all the time.

I’m not sure if it was because of my general air-headedness, or a product of the post-election fallout, but for whatever reason, I completely forgot to sign up for courses by the end of advanced registration.