“Obviously I’m biased, but I would take those three over anybody in the league,” coach Steve Donahue said. “I feel strongly that they’re going to be really productive players in this league.”

Anna Ross and Michelle Nwokedi aren’t exactly conventional stars. Yet the pair of seniors has risen up to become the unmistakable face of Penn women’s basketball.

While most Penn students eat large meals and gather to watch football on Thanksgiving, both of Penn’s basketball teams will spend their breaks on the hardwood.

It was quite the accomplishment: before ever playing his first game in a Penn uniform, Matt MacDonald was already one of the team’s captains.

The event, which was hosted at Penn's Palestra, looks like it is here to stay, thanks in part to the riveting games that were played. The tournament featured one overtime game, one game decided by a single basket, and several of the Ancient Eight's marquee rivalries. But what exactly is the future of the Ivy League basketball tournament?

It turns out that the insanely tall guy you stared at the other day saw you looking, and for the record, he wants you to know that he’s 7-foot-3.

After a breakout sophomore season in 2015-16 that saw her become a key piece of the Quakers' starting lineup, Lauren Whitlatch entered her junior season expecting to be a key piece for a Penn women's basketball team which hadn't lost a single rotation member to graduation the year before. But the Quakers' plan of having the same starting lineup for two seasons straight was derailed in January, when Whitlatch tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in practice. 

The seniors on Penn men’s basketball have faced their fair share of adversity during their four years in University City. Losing records, a coaching change and transfers are not easy hurdles to clear. But three years later, senior point guard Darnell Foreman and the rest of the class of 2018 lead a team that is a legitimate contender in the Ivy League.

After facing a temporary academic suspension that kept him off the court from January of 2016 until the conclusion of this past season, Woods has been back at Penn taking classes since last spring and is now ready — and academically eligible — to help the Quakers return to the Ivy League Tournament. 

The Penn women’s basketball freshmen are eager to add to the winning formula that has produced back-to-back Ivy League titles for the Quakers the past two seasons.

Whether one sees Penn as the little brother to the Harvard-Yale-Princeton triumvirate or not, though, one thing is undeniable — the Ivy League is improving, and fast. 

As the Quakers graduated one of their all-time great centers in Sydney Stipanovich, the 6’4” freshman from Charlotte, N.C. will be stepping into a big void. Given her raw talent and knack for learning the game, coach Mike McLaughlin sees her as worthy of earning the starting-five nod to kick off the season.

The freshman four — Jarrod Simmons, Jelani Williams, Eddie Scott, and Mark Jackson — complement each other well and are looking to make an immediate impact on the program.

Another Penn football win, another DP Sports’ Player of the Week award for senior star receiver Justin Watson. 

The five seniors – Liz Mata, Alexa Hoover, Gina Guccione, Jasmine Li, and Rachel Huang – are captains, four-year starters, skillful scorers, record-breakers, defensive walls, and, above all, leaders. On Saturday, they will play Princeton in what will be their final game together.

By day, Khaw serves as a sabre for Penn women’s fencing, but by night, the junior participates in numerous intramural sports.

Red and blue jersey, knee pads, and court sneakers are the usual attire for a Penn volleyball player. Yet, standing before me is outside hitter Raven Sulaimon, clad in a chicken suit.