Men’s Basketball — Lucas Monroe
Through consistency and confidence, team captain Lucas Monroe established himself as an integral part of the Quakers’ roster. The 6-foot-6 guard starred in all 30 of Penn’s games this season and racked up 147 points. But he contributed beyond just scoring, and with a total of 179 rebounds, 18 blocks, and 19 steals, Monroe served as an offensive and defensive weapon the Red and Blue could rely on.
Though he’s slated to become a Big 5 rival after announcing his graduate transfer to Drexel for the upcoming season, Monroe’s impact for Penn men’s basketball as a leader on and off the court will always be remembered.
Women’s Basketball — Kayla Padilla
Possibly one of the most talented Quakers to don the Red and Blue, Kayla Padilla’s time at Penn is one for the books — record books, that is. From her rookie season to her final game, Padilla’s presence every time she stepped foot on the court has fell nothing short of dominant. She was named first-team All-Ivy three times and set new program records in three-pointers made in a game, season, and career — despite a full season lost to COVID-19 cancellations.
The soon-to-be graduate announced her commitment to USC as a graduate transfer last month, a homecoming tale for the Torrance, Calif. native. Serving as a serious threat beyond the arc and equipped with skilled ball movement, Padilla’s excellence will surely take the Trojan team to new heights.
Men’s Fencing — Enzo Bergamo
Enzo Bergamo’s contributions through the seasons, and this year in particular, has helped guide Penn fencing to historic campaigns year after year. Winning 26 of 43 bouts this season, Bergamo finishes his time in Red and Blue with a .518 career winning percentage. The sabrist also picked up a trio of 3-0 finishes this season against Haverford on Jan. 15, Hunter on Jan. 29, and Johns Hopkins on Feb. 26.
Though the team will only say goodbye to a relatively small graduating class of three seniors, Bergamo’s are big shoes to fill if the Quakers wish to top the success it found this season.
Women’s Fencing — Jessica Liang
From her rookie season — where she was named first-team All-America, first-team All-Region, and second-team All-Ivy — to her final season where she qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time in her career, Jessica Liang has made major impacts as a part of Penn women’s fencing roster.
Boasting a .653 winning percentage during the regular season this year certainly set Liang up for the success she saw at the NCAAs. Winning 10 of her bouts, the epeeist came in 14th place and helped push Penn to its best finish at the tournament in 19 years. Her success will be a difficult one to replicate by the up-and-coming Quakers on the roster.
Wrestling — Doug Zapf
Given his steady improvement through the years, it is no surprise that Doug Zapf ends his career with the Quakers as one of the best the program has ever seen.
Zapf was one of only two Quakers to advance and earn a win on the second day of the NCAA Championships this season. After opening the season with a sweep at the Journeyman Collegiate Classic, he finished the year with a 24-9 overall record and an NWCA Scholar All-American recognition. Zapf’s name is certainly one that will be long remembered within the program.
Men’s Swimming & Diving — Jack Hamilton
Among a field of talented senior swimmers, Jack Hamilton’s name shines the brightest on Penn men’s swimming and diving roster. Overcoming a double vertebrae fracture he suffered his freshman year, Hamilton has made the most of his limited competition time.
The swimmer posted a season-best and NCAA B-Cut time of 47.60 in the 100-yard backstroke during the Ivy Championship preliminary rounds last season, improving to a 44.81 time in the 100y free in this year’s competition. Embodying resilience and determination, Hamilton’s story will serve as an inspiration for generations of Quakers to come.
Women’s Swimming & Diving — Anna Kalandadze
A two-time first-team All-Ivy winner, second-team All-American recipient, and Penn’s sole representation at this year’s NCAA Championships, freestyle swimmer Anna Kalandadze has undoubtedly set herself apart from the rest of Penn’s women’s swimming and diving senior class.
The senior picked up two Ivy titles this past season in the 500y and 1,650y free, including an Ivy League record-breaking time of 15:53.88 in the latter. Showing major improvement from last season’s competition, Kalandadze jumped from 42nd to 10th in the 1,650y free at the NCAAs, and 49th to 25th in the 500y free. Entering the Red and Blue squad her sophomore season — which was canceled as a result of COVID-19 — as a transfer from UC Berkeley, Kalandadze has achieved more in two years than most can in four.
Gymnastics — McCaleigh Marr
Through a career filled with ups and downs, McCaleigh Marr’s time at Penn has surely left a lasting impact.
Marr reached a program record on the beam last season with a score of 9.95 and qualified for the NCAA Regional Championships. She then went on to notch a 9.925 on bars — tied for second best in program history. This year, achieved another 9.95 to share the beam record with her sister, Campbell, before going on to earn a GEC Co-Specialist of the Year recognition. Marr now turns to Michigan, where she looks to spend her fifth year of eligibility at and continue her history-making success.
Men’s Squash — Dillon Huang
Penn men’s squash roster hosts a number of great contributors, but Dillon Huang claims the top spot. This past season, Huang became the fifth Quaker in program history to win 50 matches, finishing team competition with an undefeated record of 15-0 — including an untarnished 5-0 against Ivy competition.
Huang’s success carried into the playoffs too, as he went 4-0 during the CSA Individuals to finish the season 19-0, with a career winning percentage nearing 87%. His impressive season earned him a second-team All-America honor — capping off a stellar Penn career in style.
Women’s Squash — Ashley Manning
Two-year team captain Ashley Manning has done more than acquire individual success during her time in Red and Blue. She’s also helped lead her team of fellow Quakers to several impressive seasons, and the program to new heights.
Manning concludes her Penn career with a pair of Howe Cup victories, a Kurtz Cup, and several CSA Individual match wins. From Penn Squash rookie of the year to one of the more memorable names on a star-studded roster, Manning’s impact and guidance through the years has set up Penn women’s squash for even greater success next season.
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