5/18
Sports
First African American Olympic gold medalist was a Penn grad
John Baxter Taylor Jr. of Philadelphia, a superstar on Penn’s track & field team in the early 1900s, won gold at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
Two more Quakers competing in Tokyo Olympics
A former Quaker and an incoming Quaker are competing in the Olympics in Tokyo, giving Penn a total of eight athletes participating in the Games
Meet the Penn athletes competing in the Tokyo Olympics
Six Quakers are going for the gold in the Olympic Games, representing the United States, Canada, Jamaica, Bermuda, and Taiwan/Chinese Taipei.
Two Quakers selected in MLB Draft
Peter Matt and Josh Hood became the 15th and 16th Quakers in the last 20 years to be selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Alexis Borden’s perfect game
The 2015 alumna, the most decorated pitcher in Penn softball history, threw the first perfect game in school history in May of 2012.
Alumna Alyssa Baron lifts Israel to FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup 2021
The 2014 graduate came up big in the qualifying round against Switzerland and was one of the top scorers in the women’s category.
Penn Athletics prepared to support student-athletes regarding Name, Image, and Likeness
Staff at Penn Athletics has been working for months to prepare for the new legislation, and the Division is well-positioned to meet the needs of Penn student-athletes regarding NIL.
Alumnus Sam Mattis punches ticket to Tokyo
The 2016 grad earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team by finishing third in the discus at the Olympic Trials over the weekend.
Going yard with Leah Allen
The 2017 alumna, the softball team’s all-time home run leader, discusses her record-setting career in the Red & Blue.
Penn in the Track & Field U.S. Olympic Team Trials
Past and present track & field athletes are vying for a chance to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.
In the News
These Penn Relays will have more prestige in the track world, and more prize money for stars
This year’s Penn Relays again will have a set of races with big international stars on Saturday, and though exact numbers weren’t provided, the increase in prize money more than doubles what it was before.
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She graduated from Penn in 2023. Now, she’s the Quakers’ director of football operations
Jordyn Hall is Penn’s director of football operations, a role she’s had since last spring when she was a fourth-year student.
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After a back injury, this Penn senior’s record-breaking track success is ‘a long time coming’
Penn fourth-year Isabella Whittaker has set multiple program and Ivy League records this season and has Olympic hopes.
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For Penn’s wrestling team, an ‘innovative’ succession plan from one program legend to another
Matt Valenti will take over the Penn wrestling program in 2025-26, when longtime coach Roger Reina will move into an emeritus role for one season before retiring from coaching.
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The success of women’s college basketball is more than just Caitlin Clark
Kenneth Shropshire of the Wharton School says that women’s college basketball needs to cultivate more superstars and superstar matchups like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese to keep investors bought in and fans engaged.
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