Slackman selected Ivy Defensive Player of the Year
The fourth-year defensive lineman is Penn’s first conference Defensive Player of the Year since 2015.
Ray Priore, the George A. Munger Head Coach, (left), and defensive lineman Joey Slackman at the New York Athletic Club.
(Image: Penn Athletics)
Fourth-year defensive lineman Joey Slackman of the football team has been named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year.
A First-Team All-Ivy selection this season, Slackman, from Commack, New York, finished his final Penn campaign with 50 tackles (23 solo), 12.0 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 4 hurries, 1 pass breakup, and one blocked field goal. He is the first Quaker to be awarded conference Defensive Player of the Year since Tyler Drake in 2015.
“Thank you to the Penn coaching staff for taking a chance on me and believing in me from the beginning,” said Slackman on Monday at the New York Athletic Club. “Not only am I honored to be here, but I’m honored to be a part of this program. From where my career started to where I am now, I wouldn’t be on this podium if you didn’t give me a chance a couple years ago.”
As a second-year in 2021 (his first-year season was canceled by COVID), Slackman appeared in nine games and had 16 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. In his third-year season in 2022, he started all 10 games and was an All-Ivy honorable mention. He amassed 49 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 4 quarterback hurries.
“Ever since he joined the program, the leadership Joey has shown, in my opinion, is unparalleled,” said Ray Priore, the George A. Munger Head Coach. “It’s the stuff you look for in young men to represent you on and off the football field. Like a lot of our kids, they are talented, but do they really work and have those winning habits? You watch Joey and his thoughtfulness, his study of film to be the best that he can be. He’ll go up there with the rest of the greats that have gone through this program.”
Slackman has a year of eligibility remaining, although he cannot play at Penn. According to the Daily Pennsylvanian, he has received a host of offers from top programs, including Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Missouri, Louisville, Arizona, and USC.
Understanding order to disorder at the atomic scale opens possibilities for next-generation electronic devices
A Penn team has developed insight into the chemical and geometric mechanisms underlying the synthesis of new 2D materials, paving the way for next-gen devices, biomedical applications, and cleaner, quicker energy conversion and storage.
Exposure to air pollution worsens Alzheimer’s disease
New research from Penn Medicine finds living in areas with high concentration of air pollution is associated with increased buildup of amyloid and tau proteins in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, accelerating cognitive decline.
Penn buildings achieve LEED certifications, showcasing commitment to sustainability
Three recent building projects at the University of Pennsylvania have earned LEED Platinum, Gold, and Silver certifications, underscoring Penn’s ongoing commitment to sustainable design and construction.
What stiffening lung tissue reveals about the earliest stages of fibrosis
A Penn Engineering team has targeted the lung’s extracellular matrix to better understand early fibrosis by triggering the formation of special chemical bonds that increase tissue stiffness in specific locations, mimicking the first physical changes that may lead to lung fibrosis.
