After solid spring break trip to Florida, Penn softball ready for more
After a successful spring break trip to Clearwater, Florida, Penn softball’s season has officially started, and the Quakers are ready to make their mark in the Ivy League.
After a successful spring break trip to Clearwater, Florida, Penn softball’s season has officially started, and the Quakers are ready to make their mark in the Ivy League.
Led by established veterans Mike Reitcheck and Jake Cousins, Penn’s starting pitchers are among the most experienced in the Ivy League. Those two now-seniors have been mainstays in the rotation since their sophomore seasons — when they each finished in the conference’s top three in earned run average. And in their final Quaker campaigns, Cousins and Reitcheck have set their sights on something that has eluded them during their first three seasons: an Ivy championship.
Penn baseball’s Tim Graul burst onto the scene last year, posting career numbers and earning Ivy League Player of the Year honors while being one of the top defensive catchers in the league. But if you want to watch Graul this season, you better bring some binoculars — the senior will regularly be playing outfield for the Red and Blue instead of his familiar position behind the plate.
This has gone on long enough for Penn baseball. After three straight second-place finishes, the challenge is clear for coach John Yurkow's squad: it’s time to end the drought and finally bring home a ring.
Led by established veterans Mike Reitcheck and Jake Cousins, Penn’s starting pitchers are among the most experienced in the Ivy League. Those two now-seniors have been mainstays in the rotation since their sophomore seasons — when they each finished in the conference’s top three in earned run average. And in their final Quaker campaigns, Cousins and Reitcheck have set their sights on something that has eluded them during their first three seasons: an Ivy championship.
Penn baseball’s Tim Graul burst onto the scene last year, posting career numbers and earning Ivy League Player of the Year honors while being one of the top defensive catchers in the league. But if you want to watch Graul this season, you better bring some binoculars — the senior will regularly be playing outfield for the Red and Blue instead of his familiar position behind the plate.
Penn baseball was just happy to be playing at all this weekend. When the games finally took place, the Quakers failed to improve on their spring break trip to Florida, losing the three-game series, 2-1.
There really is no denying it, Penn women’s tennis is on a roll. Saturday, the Red and Blue (7-6) hosted and promptly dismissed St. John’s (10-3), winning the afternoon contest 6-1. With the win, Penn secured its third straight victory as it heads into conference play in two weeks.
Another season has come and gone for Penn gymnastics. The Red and Blue wrapped up the year yesterday with a sixth-place finish up in Providence at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships.
After a dominant performance helped lead No.12 Penn to victory over No. 16 Duke, this week’s Penn Athletics Weekend MVP goes to women’s lacrosse senior Emily Rodgers-Healion.
Penn wrestling officially finished their 2016-2017 season this past St. Patrick’s day weekend, with five of the team’s top wrestlers taking on the nation’s best at the Scottrade Center in St.
Penn’s current team certainly delivered a display worthy of a particularly historic Alumni Day. The No. 12 Quakers beat No.16 Duke at Franklin Field by a score of 16-6. The ten goal deficit represents the largest margin of victory for Penn (6-1) so far in the 2017 campaign and is indicative of an offense that has ramped up significantly over the past month.
No. 12 Penn led by 21 points with nine minutes to go. But in March Madness, no lead is safe. No. 5 Texas A&M huffed, puffed, and blew Penn’s California dreams away in the final minute to complete the largest comeback in NCAA Women’s Tournament history. They ended the game on a 26-3 run, and stole victory right out of the Quakers’ hands.
The rain wasn’t the only thing putting a damper on Penn men’s lacrosse’s Alumni Day. After blitzing the No. 19 Quakers with a 7-1 run to open up the game, No. 15 Princeton proceeded to dominate the rest of the contest as well en route to a 17-8 victory.
It doesn’t get worse than this. There’s no sugarcoating what we just saw; Penn women’s basketball choked. And as much as it pains me to say it both as a journalist and a fan, that’s the evidence that coach Mike McLaughlin’s program isn’t quite at the next level yet.
It all comes down to this. For Penn wrestling, the entire season culminates in St. Louis when five Quakers will travel to the Scottrade Center for the NCAA Tournament. The Quakers are hoping for a third all-American in the last four years.
Penn softball will host Rider on Saturday in a doubleheader, assuming weather permits the games to be played. The Quakers (4-6) were supposed to have their home opener this Wednesday against Lafayette, but that doubleheader was postponed because of inclement weather. The makeup date has not yet been announced.
This Saturday has long been marked on the calendar, as No. 12 Quakers (5-1, 0-1 Ivy) will be welcoming both their own alumni and No. 16 Duke to Franklin Field. Additionally, now marking a full decade, they will be celebrating the in-conference-undefeated 2007 team, who pulled off an incredible NCAA tournament run culminating in a Final Four appearance.
Following a successful Spring Break trip, the Quakers are looking to stay hot this weekend against St. John’s (10-2). On that trip, the Red and Blue (6-6, 0-0 Ivy) went 3-1, including a dominant 5-2 victory against No. 36 Florida State.
On Wednesday, Penn was set to host its home opener against crosstown rivals Villanova. Instead, with Meikeljohn Stadium blanketed with snow, the game was postponed, and is likely to be rescheduled sometime next month. The home opener is now scheduled to be against Lehigh next Wednesday.