Star Penn football sophomore running back Malachi Hosley will enter the transfer portal, he announced on social media Saturday.
Hosley, whose 1,192 rushing yards and nine touchdowns led the Ivy League this season, made the decision hours after Penn’s season-ending 20-17 loss to Princeton. Hosley foreshadowed the decision before the game with a post to his Instagram story, calling the contest his “Last Dance.” Hosley enters the portal with two years of collegiate eligibility remaining.
Penn Athletics declined to comment on behalf of coach Ray Priore, while Hosley could not be reached directly for comment at the time of publication.
Despite being considered undersized at his position, his game is anything but. Known for his unique combination of speed, agility, and elusiveness, Hosley has been among the most productive members of the Quakers’ offense over the past two seasons.
In his first season, Hosley racked up 723 yards on the ground — good for second in the Ivy League — off of 121 carries along with seven rushing touchdowns en route to one of the most dominant rookie campaigns in program history. Hosley broke the 100-yard mark in three of the 10 games he featured in as a rookie, collecting five Ivy League Rookie of the Week awards, smashing former wide receiver Justin Watson’s record for career weekly awards.
The highlight of the season came in his 261-yard performance against Cornell on Nov. 4, 2023, which is the third most in a single game in program history and the most in a single game for a freshman. His second touchdown of the game was a 96-yard rip, which broke a century-long record for the longest offensive play in program history. The performance earned him FedEx Ground FCS Freshman of the Week honors.
Hosley’s performances as a rookie earned him Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors — Penn’s first since wide receiver Miles Macik in 1993. Hosley was also the only rookie to make an appearance on the first team All-Ivy list. He was also one of 22 players recognized as a Jerry Rice Award Finalist for FCS Freshman of the Year.
This season, Hosley picked up right where he left off in 2023, establishing himself as the Ancient Eight’s most dominant force on the ground. After posting 176 rushing yards in Penn’s season opener at Delaware, Hosley went on to average nearly 120 rushing yards per game and 6.2 yards per attempt for the campaign.
Hosley’s decision is the latest chapter in the saga that has seen a wave of athletes have transferred from Penn to seek opportunities elsewhere. Though Hosley has yet to announce his destination for next season, his days donning the Red and Blue are through.
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