Big Red junior Hannah Balleza recorded her first career hat trick, notching three goals in the game’s first 22 minutes.

Penn men’s tennis had a mixed start to the season over the weekend at the Princeton Invitational.

In Steve Dolan’s competitive debut as head coach, the men finished sixth out of 14 teams, while the women posted a second-place finish for the second consecutive year.

Penn got out to a sluggish start Friday night against George Mason, needing four sets to dispatch their lowly opponent. Saturday, the Quakers lost their final two matches to Radford and Rutgers.

Senior quarterback Billy Ragone threw three interceptions in the first quarter alone, all of which led to Leopard touchdowns. The Leopards scored all their points on Penn turnovers in a 28-21 victory.

Penn’s three senior running backs have kept alive the long tradition of the Quakers’ offensive rushing attack on the gridiron. They call themselves “The Stable.”

Cal associate head coach Patrick Baker was the head coach at Penn from 1994-98 and is responsible for building the then-fledgling program into what became an Ivy powerhouse for years to come.

In his freshman year, Alex Reddy joined the Penn soccer team poised to be a star. As he soon learned, however, expectations can be tempered quickly at the collegiate level.

If you haven’t checked out Shoemaker Green yet, do so whenever you get the chance. But if you were planning on checking it out at a football pregame tailgate, you may be out of luck.

For the third straight year, the Quakers open their season against the Leopards, marking the 89th meeting between the two programs.

Running back Lyle Marsh and wide receiver Conner Scott return from injury this fall but will need to prove themselves again in a Penn offense stocked with weapons.

Last season, Penn’s offensive line consisted of one returning star and four question marks. This year, the line returns four starters, all but eliminating the lack of game-time experience problem.

When integrating new players into the team, coach Al Bagnoli and the Penn coaching staff employ a system which allows freshmen to work their way into the lineup starting with special teams reps.

Ivy secondaries have struggled to defend a multiplicity of talented wide receivers. These pass-catchers will determine whether or not moving the ball through the air continues its upswing in the Ancient Eight.

The Quakers come into 2012 with unusual depth at offensive skill positions, lots of new names on defense, and a chip on shoulders all around.

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.