Before embarking on a quest to regain their once-held status as volleyball champions of the Ivy League, the Quakers will need to defend a smaller honor this weekend at the Palestra.

Many recent Penn graduates have continued their athletic careers at a professional level by following ‘Plan A’ and fully committing to their dreams.

Last May, Tony Vecchione became the new senior director of athletics, after an announcement in early April. He was hired to replace Mary DiStanislao, who became executive vice president of Marquette in March.

Rider’s stifling defense kept the Red and Blue (3-2) out of goalkeeper Alicia Carthan’s cage altogether, putting an end to a streak of four games with two scores or more for the Quakers.

During the offseason, the women’s soccer team used an iPad to work on individual technique through an app called “Football Coach Plus HD.”

Penn, which has already scored 16 goals through four games, will host Rider at Franklin Field on Wednesday night and look to avenge last season’s 7-1 loss to the Broncs.

Men’s soccer coach Rudy Fuller described the relationship between the men’s and women’s teams at Penn as being “one program.” Perhaps no one knows this better than the newest men’s soccer assistant coach Pete Pososki, who previously served in the same role on the women’s side from 2005-10.

The only problem is my team is struggling. In fact, both my teams are struggling. Penn men’s soccer has been on the wrong side of four one-goal results, including three tough 2-1 defeats in a row at home.

Unlike some of its non-conference opponents, Penn does not provide athletic scholarships, putting the Quakers at a disadvantage.

Senior George Dickson III may never benefit from the vast improvement Penn hopes Steve Dolan will bring to the program, but the runner has still helped mentor freshmen and impressed coaches with his leadership.

In the offseason, junior defensive back Dan Wilk became a match to donate bone marrow through the football team’s annual “Be the Match” program.

But despite less-than-ideal conditions, Fink and her team have only prevailed. In 2011, Penn went 3-14 on the season. Four games into 2012, the Quakers have three wins and more goals than they had in their first 12 outings last year.

Senior Leslie Kovach finished second for the women while the men’s team had strong performances from its freshmen.

The Quakers fell short of achieving a team goal of beginning the year 4-0, but the 3-1 start is still the program’s best since 1997.

Playing against former teammates in the annual Alumni Game, the sprint football team was dealt a 20-0 shutout loss.

Facing tough competition, the Red and Blue returned from their West Coast road trip with a victory, going 1-2 in Berkeley, Calif.

A year after the Red and Blue registered 13 shutouts, Penn found itself on the other end of the goose egg, losing, 2-0, against Marist on Friday and falling, 1-0, at Drexel on Sunday.