Josh Hirsch: For me, the DP did its job

When I was looking at colleges, a big factor in my 17-year-old head was sports. I saw one school's chancellor talk about how excited he is that his school no longer focuses on athletics. On a tour at another, I scoffed when the guide explained how while the school's teams are horrible, some students still cheer for them.

Josh Hirsch: Get used to the racket, because the Relays aren't going anywhere

As a freshman living in Hill, I remember waking up at about 8 a.m. one Friday morning in April to a sound that I cannot really describe. It was noise, and a lot of it. I looked out my window onto Walnut Street, and it was like I was in another country (probably Jamaica), with food carts, souvenir stands, people dressed up in all sorts of outfits and track uniforms and a general atmosphere that was a bit alien to Penn.

Sports Update: Baseball's aces trump Tigers

A year ago, this team may not have won these two games. But this season's baseball team is different. Andy Console came on for a tiring Jim Birmingham and struck out Adrian Turnham to snuff out a Princeton comeback, and Penn moved ever closer to its first Lou Gehrig Division title since 1997, sweeping the Tigers 11-1 and 6-4 Saturday afternoon.

With 15 hits, Quakers turn a road trip to Rider into batting practice

A day after an extra-inning thriller, Penn made things a little easier yesterday in Lawrenceville, N.J. The Quakers scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back, thrashing Rider 13-5. Junior Kyle Armeny led the offensive charge for Penn (17-14), with his team-leading seventh home run, a solo shot in the third, as well as an RBI groundout in the first.

With flying colors

Almost exactly a year ago, Glen Miller was just a name mentioned as a possible candidate for the Penn hoops coaching job, left vacant after longtime head man Fran Dunphy left for Temple a week earlier. He was the coach at Brown, and even said on April 15 that he was not interested in the Quakers job.

A big-time catch: Harvard reels in Amaker

For a program desperate for respect, Tommy Amaker is a match in more ways than one. Amaker, who has spent the last 13 years coaching big-time basketball at Michigan and Seton Hall, has accepted an offer to become the new head man at Harvard.

Josh Hirsch: The real issue facing Penn Athletics

This was no ordinary women's tennis match. About 100 cheering fans were holding or wearing free T-shirts and eating pizza as Penn battled Princeton Saturday afternoon at Lott Courts. Michael Dowd's team went out of its way to set up and market this event, publicizing it on Locust Walk, and spending mostly its own money to make it happen.

A tribute to the Greats

One hundred sixteen games, 79 wins and three Ivy League titles - that's a pretty impressive accomplishment for the senior class of Stephen Danley, Adam Franklin, Ibrahim Jaaber and Mark Zoller. But how do they stack up with the greats from Penn - and the rest of the League - who have graced Ivy gymnasiums over the past four years?

Josh Hirsch: Penn's lax marketing on display at Tourney

If you haven't had it happen to you yet, it's probably because you just haven't been around here long enough. It's a question I dread, even home in Penn-centric Long Island. "Where do you go to school?" Often, it takes a long time to explain what exactly the University of Pennsylvania is, and where it is located, and most importantly, that it is not the same place as the very large school in State College, Pa.

Aggies overcome Sosa for razor-thin win

LEXINGTON, Ky., March 17 - On Thursday, Acie Law and Texas A&M; had to reach back for a little extra to hold off an upset bid from 14th-seeded Penn in the first round. Saturday, it was even tougher for the third-seeded Aggies, playing what essentially was a road game in Rupp Arena against sixth-seeded Louisville.

M. Hoops Tournament Recap: Out of reach

LEXINGTON, Ky., March 15 - The clock at Rupp Arena showed 11 minutes and 42 seconds remaining in the game. Penn had gone on a 19-3 run to take its first lead of the afternoon at 39-37. On Texas A&M;'s next trip down the floor, senior guard Acie Law missed a runner, but Joseph Jones slammed home the rebound to tie the game. And A&M;'s next same play saw the same result: Law missed a runner and Jones dunked the follow.

Could Gus make it "HEART... BREAK... CITY" for A&M;?

LEXINGTON, Ky., March 14 - You've heard the call before. You've seen it replayed and probably watched in on YouTube. "OH, WHAT A GAME! WHAT A GAME! U-C-L-A! UNBELIEVABLE! AFTER BEING DOWN BY 17, HEART! BREAK! CITY!!" Last year's Sweet 16 thriller between UCLA and Gonzaga is just another in a long line of them called by CBS play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson since he began calling NCAA Tournament games in 1996.

NCAA Tournament: Nothing to lose

LEXINGTON, Ky., March 14 - Talk about consistency. In this era of college basketball, when teams move all over the Associated Press Top 25 poll from week to week, Texas A&M; has stayed in almost the same place. The Aggies began the season ranked 13th, and end it ranked 9th, having never fallen below 13th and never risen above 6th.

Penn falls to Texas A

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The clock at Rupp Arena showed 11 minutes and 42 seconds remained in the game. Penn had gone on a 19-3 run to take its first lead of the afternoon at 39-37. On Texas A&M;'s next trip down the floor after a media timeout, senior guard Acie Law IV missed a runner, but Joseph Jones slammed home the rebound to tie the game.

Top-tier matchups have spelled disaster for Ivies

LEXINGTON, Ky., March 14 - Thirty-four different players have suited up for Penn since the 1999-2000 season. Not one of them has been a part of a Quakers victory over a team in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Tasting home cooking at the Votel household

LEXINGTON, Ky., March 13 - When Penn's chartered plane landed here yesterday, it was probably the first time in the Bluegrass State for most of the passengers. "I don't know about Kentucky, I really don't," Ibrahim Jaaber admitted after the selection show Sunday.

Let's mess with Texas

It was a roller coaster affair Sunday evening at World Cafe Live - a far cry from the last two years, when Penn's seeding in the NCAA Tournament was quick and painless, over within a few minutes. This time, there were more than a few teams that Greg Gumbel called that got very different reactions from the assembled crowd, as the Quakers were among the last teams placed in the field of 65.

M. Hoops Ivy Notebook: No luck keeping up with this Jones for Yale

It should be a mighty fine Memorial Day or July 4 in the Jones house this year. All big brother James needed to have a shot at an Ivy League playoff for the second time in his eight seasons as Yale coach was a win over younger brother Joe's Columbia team. James was 6-1 all time against Joe, had never lost to him at home and had won five straight overall.

Ivy weekend preview: On the ropes, Big Red look for encore at Yale

With two weekends and a Penn-Princeton game left in the Ivy League season, three teams are mathematically out of the race, and at least one but most likely two more teams will be out after tonight. That leaves three huge non-Penn games this weekend plus three games for standing purposes only.

M. Hoops Notebook: Miller's offense finding success against zones

Last year, perhaps Penn's biggest weakness was zone defenses. This trend, which was largely started by then-Brown and current Quakers coach Glen Miller, continued early in this season. But lately, the Quakers have had some more success against the zone. In their 83-71 win Saturday night over Cornell, Penn had 40 offensive possessions against the Big Red's various zone defenses and scored 34 points.