The rebuilding process has officially begun, and it sure isn't pretty. In fact, the first several weeks of this season could get very ugly, especially when the Tar Heels come to town. But I'm not ready to write the Quakers off just yet. Since the men's basketball team has enjoyed so much success over the past several years, the Penn faithful has almost started to take winning Ivy titles and getting to the NCAA tournament for granted.

After a six-year absence from the NCAA College Cup, what was another half hour of waiting? Crammed into the men's basketball locker room at the Palestra, the Penn women's soccer team gathered in front of a television to find out its NCAA College Cup matchup and location on ESPNews' selection show at 8 p.m. last night.

Drexel rarely wins at the Palestra. Coach Bruiser Flint is 3-11 at "College Basketball's Most Historic Gym" since taking over the Dragons in 2001. But he's not completely savoring the most recent victory, a 67-59 overtime victory over Penn on Friday. In fact, he wishes it had come at his own DaskalakisAthletic Center.

When the University purchased 24 acres of postal lands on the eastern edge of campus and launched a $3.5-billion fundraising drive in October, Athletic Director Steve Bilsky saw the opportunity to finally revamp his department's facilities. "This is our best and maybe our last shot at getting this," he said. "Athletics has never been considered one of the priorities, but this time it is."

BOSTON, Nov. 10 - The game wasn't lost when Penn gave up a 20-yard touchdown pass to Corey Mazza at the end of the first half. It wasn't lost when the Crimson scored 10 points in four minutes to open the third quarter. No, the deciding play in Penn's 23-7 loss at Harvard Stadium on Saturday took place on the first snap.

In the season opener for both the women's and men's swimming teams on Saturday, the freshman women stole the show. The combination of youth and experience proved successful, as the Penn women defeated Lehigh 227-66 and Rider 195-104, while the men beat Lehigh 182-111 and Rider 166-133.

Already out of Ivy League title contention, the Quakers traveled to No. 15 Harvard on its Senior Day trying to come out with something positive to build on. After 90 minutes of rough play, all they had to lean on was another loss - this time, by 2 goals to 1.

His team down two points with 4.4 seconds left in regulation, Penn's Mike Kach stepped to the foul line for one critical shot. All eyes weren't on him. A few were on coach Glen Miller, who had ventured on to the court waving his arms and yelling "MISS IT!" Penn needed two points.

BOSTON, Nov. 10 - There is only one game left in the football season, but the pieces have yet to come together for Penn's offense. The Quakers went a staggering 0-for-14 on third down in the second half of its 23-7 loss at Harvard on Saturday, and struggled to find the end zone despite fantastic field position.

BALTIMORE, Nov. 11 - Penn coach Glen Miller was expecting some growing pains. But these really hurt. There's no doubt the Quakers are especially sore after yesterday's loss 89-68 to Loyola Maryland. "It was just a disappointing effort from our standpoint," Miller said.

Wrestling produces 2 champs at tourney Penn's wrestling team initiated the season with some promising performances. The Binghamton Open held Saturday in Johnson City, N.Y. was the first trial for the relatively young and inexperienced No. 23 Penn team. Andrew Gold and Cesar Grajales highlighted Penn's performance with a pair of championships.

How's this to cap off a career day? Carrie Biemer hit a turnaround jumper at the last seconds of the Quakers' game against Elon Friday, securing a 56-54 victory. Biemer put up a career-high 28 points in the game and was named most valuable player of the contest.

In taming the Princeton Tigers last Saturday at Rhodes Field, the Penn women's soccer team secured an automatic bid to the NCAA College Cup and clinched a share of the Ivy crown. For this year's squad, that wasn't quite enough. The Quakers overcame what their coach deemed an early week "celebratory hangover" to outlast the Crimson 1-0 Saturday afternoon in Cambridge, Mass.

Down 37-24 to Drexel by halftime, every Penn fan's fears about the upcoming season were starting to be realized. The Quakers were not only shooting a dreadful 31 percent from the floor, but allowing Drexel to drain wide open three after wide open three, six in all, on the other end.

Loss at Yale takes V-ball out of title race The Penn volleyball team knew coming into the weekend that just one loss would eliminate it from Ivy League title contention. So down two games against Yale on Friday night, the Quakers rallied back to win the third 30-26.

The men's basketball team doesn't have an organized hazing ritual for incoming freshmen, but 6-foot-8 power-forward Jack Eggleston had a unique initiation onto his new team. "Brennan [Votel] broke my nose on the first day of classes," Eggleston said. "I had to sit out a couple of weeks . but other than that nothing too intense.

By Brian Finkel Staff Writer finkel@wharton.upenn.edu Just don't lose. A draw is all it will take for the women's soccer team to finally have the Ivy League title all to itself. After clinching a share of the Ivy League championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA postseason with a win over Princeton last Saturday night, the Quakers prepare to wrap up their regular season slate tomorrow with a match at Harvard (10-5-1, 3-3-0 Ivy).