Back to School 2023: The numbers behind Penn sports

With a new school year approaching, so too is a new season for Penn sports. The University fields dozens —exact number to come later — of varsity teams, with hundreds of athletes proudly donning Red and Blue. Whether you’re a freshman new to campus (in which case, welcome) or a senior looking to catch a few games before graduation, here’s most of what you need to know in order to get up to speed. 

8: Schools in the Ivy League

With a few exceptions, Penn teams compete in the Ivy League, sometimes referred to as the Ancient Eight. Apart from Penn, the conference is made up of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, Cornell, and Dartmouth — a collection of academically formidable institutions. Many of these schools had competed against each other in numerous sports going back to the 1800s, but the conference was officially formed in 1954. There are certain quirks that come with competing in the Ivy League which are important to know. Most importantly, Ivy League schools do not give out athletic scholarships. But also, graduate students aren’t allowed to compete, and the conference doesn’t participate in certain forms of postseason play, most notably the football FCS playoffs. 

5 (sort of): Teams in the Big 5

One of the most important intercollegiate organizations Penn participates in is the Big 5. This group has historically included five Philadelphia Division I schools — Penn, Drexel, Villanova, Temple, and St. Joe's — which would compete in a round-robin men’s basketball tournament during the regular season. Big 5 games often bring extra pageantry and bragging rights, and can serve as a key indicator of a team’s strengths and weaknesses before conference play begins. But starting this year, the Big 5 tournament is undergoing a shake-up. Firstly, Drexel will now take part as the sixth school (everything is still called the Big 5). Additionally, schools will now only have two set opponents, before a triple-header in early December at the the Wells Fargo Center will determine a champion. 

12: Sports with NCAA competition last year

During the 2022-23 season, the Quakers gained plenty of national recognition. After conquering the Ivy League, four teams — baseball, men’s soccer, women’s lacrosse, and women’s golf — proceeded to NCAA Tournament play. Of particular note, baseball nearly became the first Ivy school to advance to an NCAA Super-Regional. Beyond that, eight more teams had athletes competing in NCAA national competition: the men’s and women’s teams for cross country, fencing, and track and field, in addition to wrestling and women’s swimming. Quakers on many of these teams earned All-American honors while representing the Red and Blue. 

31: Varsity teams

All in all, 31 varsity programs represent Penn in Red and Blue. This includes plenty of traditional sports — such as football, basketball, baseball, and track & field — but also some that aren’t as common everywhere. For example, the Quakers are one of a handful of schools that still fields a sprint football team. The game’s rules are essentially the same as football, but all players must weigh under 178 pounds to compete. The sport has a rich history, dating back to before World War II, but the Quakers are currently just one of eight teams remaining in the Collegiate Sprint Football League, and one of two Ivy League schools, alongside Cornell. 

39: Miles Between Penn and Princeton

Penn’s biggest rival wears orange and black, is from central New Jersey, and has a feline mascot: Pr***eton. The two schools share a fierce rivalry in many sports, but few are bigger than basketball. Currently, the men’s team has a 126-122 all-time record against That Team Up North, but the women are just 29-68 all-time versus the Tigers. Last season, the two teams went a combined 0-6 — including a pair of losses in the Ivy League Tournament — which ended the Quaker squads’ conference seasons. But, other teams fared better last season. Football ended its season with a 20-19 win, which lost the Tigers an Ivy title, men’s soccer clinched its own conference title with a 3-0 win against them, and baseball pounded Princeton with a 16-3 vanquishing in the Ivy League Tournament. 

127: Runnings of Penn Relays

One of the most world-famous events Penn hosts every year is Penn Relays, a three-day track & field meet that attracts thousands of fans and hundreds of elite professional, college, and high school athletes competing in dozens of events. The event is largely held at Franklin Field, and typically occurs during reading days in the spring semester — providing an ideal opportunity for a finals study break. The event was first conceived of in 1893, and the first running of the Relays took place in 1895. This first running featured high schools and colleges competing in just one event: the 4x440-yard relay. After a few years, more schools joined, and more events were added, such as sprints, hurdles, and throws. More recently, Olympians including Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, and Allyson Felix have competed at the Relays. Last year, Penn students received free admission to the first two days of events and discounted admission for the Relays conclusion.

315: Receiving yards from Justin Watson

Penn plays in the pros, everyone. Last season, Justin Watson played in 17 games for the Kansas City Chiefs, racking up 15 receptions and two touchdowns, en route to a Super Bowl win. In the Super Bowl, Watson had two catches for 18 yards. Watson was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018 following his record-setting career in Red and Blue. Watson isn’t the only Quaker in the NFL, either. Defensive lineman Prince Emili spent most of last year with the Buffalo Bills, and is currently in training camp with the New Orleans Saints. Offensive lineman Greg Van Roten — an eight-year NFL veteran — is currently with the Las Vegas Raiders. And Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski once donned the Red and Blue, before he traded in his cleats for a headset at the next level. 

8,722: Seats in the Palestra

One of the most historic venues in all of college basketball is on 33rd Street: the Palestra. Affectionately known as the Cathedral of College Basketball, the venue opened in 1927, and has hosted more visiting teams, regular season and postseason games, and NCAA Tournament games than any other. Beyond being the home arena for Penn’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, the Palestra regularly hosts other games, such as Penn State vs. Purdue last season. Additionally, many NBA stars have graced its hallowed hardwood, including LeBron James (twice), Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony. Beyond just basketball, other Penn programs call the Palestra home, including wrestling, volleyball, and gymnastics.