Nicknames have long been synonymous with sports. In Philadelphia alone, mantras such as “The Answer,” “Weapon X,” “The Big Piece,” “The Process,” and a non-newspaper-friendly nickname for Nick Foles have exploded, taking on a life of their own. This phenomenon is ever so present throughout Penn athletics, as many players’ nicknames are just as well known as what is on their birth certificates.
Chloe “Stretch” Lesko
Freshman softball infielder Chloe Lesko may have just arrived at Penn, but she enters her college career with an iconic nickname given to her around the time that she first put on a glove. Lesko was first given the nickname “Stretch” due to her ability to fully extend — sometimes into a split — to get her opponents out at first base.
“When I was first starting to play softball, [the nickname] just stuck because I said it before, but I’m not the tallest first baseman," Lesko said. “But I hit the splits one time. And all of a sudden, my nickname is ‘Stretch’”.
Lesko's nickname followed her all the way to college, kept alive by her unorthodox style of play, and many new teammates would at first only get to know her as such.
“When we were younger, some people would not even know my real name,” Lesko said. “Because everyone was calling me ‘Stretch,’ these people would genuinely think that I’m ‘Stretch Lesko.’”
For Lesko, being called “Stretch” is the ultimate sign of respect. To herself, it shows that other people have taken notice of her unique athletic feats on the field — feats that she notes are not “super typical of an athlete.”
Lesko has already made big waves on campus — she is the only freshman on this list — and it is not a “stretch” to predict that her impact will continue to grow in her years to come at Penn.
Sam “The Beacon” Sullivan
Standing at 6-foot-5, junior First Team All-American heavyweight rower Sam Sullivan towers over his competition — but his height is not his most defining physical quality. Sullivan rocks a beautiful, flowing blond afro that he proudly shows off at every regatta. The combination of his height and hair landed Sullivan the very appropriate nickname of “The Beacon,” as he is impossible to miss.
“You see me, especially, on the water while we are racing,” Sam joked. “We kind of all look the same, but if you see my boat, you can tell it's my boat.” For the heavyweight rowing team, nicknames are a way to joke around while also establishing a way for people to make personal connections within their team culture.
While Sullivan and his teammates relish in the opportunity to create monikers for one another, he has also heard other less flattering terms thrown around for himself by non-Penn rowers, such as “Albert Einstein.”
Sullivan personally enjoys rival nicknames, as they are all in good fun, but clarifies that none will ever live up to “The Beacon.”
Ryan “Drombo / Dropbombski / Lion Man” Dromboski
Penn baseball’s resident stud and junior pitcher Ryan Dromboski flaunts a personality that is larger than life, and it is only fitting that his nicknames should follow suit. He is principally known as “Drombo,” an affectionate shortening of his last name that has tagged alongside Ryan’s athletic career from high school to college — much to his surprise.
“Yeah, I got on Penn’s campus thinking that there’s no way I’m gonna get called ‘Drombo’ here. I’m just ‘Ryan’ now,” Dromboski said. The nickname itself may not seem too out of the ordinary, but it's the way that people say it, with much gusto and a drawn out "o" that drives home the type of presence Dromboski brings to the table.
Dromboski’s predication could not have been more incorrect, as his new teammates quickly clung to “Drombo” and have yet to let go. He remains open to the possibility of wearing his nickname on the back of a jersey, should the right cards fall into place.
“I know that the Savannah Bananas have gotten a lot of attention. And if I were to play for them, I would definitely have ‘Drumbo’ on the back,” Dromboski said.
On top of “Drombo,” Ryan was also given the nickname “Dropbombski” as a freshman in high school, when he was known for his hitting as well as his pitching.
“The seniors called me ‘Dropbombski,’” Dromboski explained. “I used to swing the stick, which was awesome.”
Many professional athletes are also given nicknames by the media due to their salient emotions on the field, furthering the connection between athletes and fans. In a profile written by The Daily Pennsylvanian, Ryan was gifted his most recent epithet, “The Lion Man” — a name he embraces fully.
“I play with a lot of emotion on the mound, and I’m always, I guess, ‘roaring,’” Dromboski admitted. “Letting it all hang out. You know, heart on my sleeve.”
Julien “Juice” Stokes
Penn football senior wide receiver and all-Ivy return specialist Julien Stokes rarely answers to his government name.
“A lot of my coaches don’t even know my first name,” he said. “Some of my teachers here, they call me ‘Juice.’”
The nickname has been so integral to his life that Stokes had to phone his father to verify the full story of its origins.
“Juice” is derived from Stokes’s first nickname, “Juju.” The “Ju” sound was later morphed by his father into “Juice” due to his play style being "as cool as ice.”
“Every time I got the ball, I would hit the edge and just dart out. I was like electric, dynamic, and there was a certain type of energy when I had the ball in my hands,” Stokes said. “One day, my dad just called me ‘Juice,’ and from there, it just stuck.”
“Juice” has also taken on a life of its own off the field. Everything from Stokes’ social media handles to his custom-made “Got Juice?” hoodies showcase the nickname. Being addressed as anything else is rare.
“When I hear ‘Julien,’ it kind of catches me off guard,” Stokes said.
After year of being sidelined due to injury, Stokes has been grinding to return to the field with the same speed and intensity that forever named him “Juice.”
“A few of my buddies that I played high school ball with are getting ready for the draft right now. That was sort of like a reality check,” Stokes explained. “Like, yo, if you’re going to do this thing, go all out. I’ve been going harder ever since. That’s the ultimate goal. I’m trying to go to the League.”
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