Category: Penn

Entering this season, Penn was looking to break its yearly cycle of finishing fourth in Ivy League women’s basketball.

Now, with the team off to an 0-3 start in league play for the first time since Mike McLaughlin’s first season as head coach in 2009-10, the Quakers look ahead to an uphill battle.

On Saturday, Penn (10-6, 0-3 Ivy) got off to a 10-0 start against Harvard (9-7, 2-1), relying on high energy and pressing defense to control the pace. Once the game settled, Penn’s offense flatlined, with the Quakers scoring only four total field goals through the second and third quarters — leading to a 53-42 Harvard victory.

“Great start,” McLaughlin said. “Really proud of the way we came out. Obviously, get out on that type of lead. We just struggled. Struggled to score the ball. Score in transition was probably our biggest challenge.”

Next up, Penn will host Dartmouth on Monday (2 p.m., ESPN+).

‘Not where anyone wants to be’

After finishing their nonconference games on a five-game winning streak, the Quakers then dropped three straight against Princeton, Brown, and Harvard to fall to the bottom of the Ivy League standings, alongside Yale and Dartmouth.

“Playing against Princeton in the beginning,” McLaughlin said. “A tough road trip to Brown and a good Harvard team. You know, I don’t want to say it’s just the opponent. I don’t think we’ve played well enough the last two times on the offensive side to beat whoever in our league. Coming in after league play, I was expecting us to come out of the gate a little bit faster, to be honest with you. This makes a lot of pressure on Monday to have some success here, for sure.”

Despite being three weeks into league play, Penn finds itself searching for a must win this week. A loss to the Big Green on Monday would cement Penn at the bottom of the Ivy League standings.

“Oh-and-three in the league is not where we wanted to be,” McLaughlin said. “It’s not where anyone wants to be, but this team’s got a lot of basketball to go. Monday’s really vital for this program to get where we need to go, and we’ll respond.”

Not enough help

During its three-game skid, Penn has been overly reliant on junior guard Mataya Gayle, who led the team with 16 points against Harvard.

McLaughlin is aware of his team’s top-heavy disposition on offense and hopes other guards will step up in the coming weeks to alleviate defensive attention from Gayle, who shot 39.2% from the field over this three-game stretch.

“Unfortunately, Mataya has taken some really difficult shots,” McLaughlin said. “I see it. You see it. Everyone sees it. But I think not having other kids that are able to make a play at times [and] pushes the ball back in her hands. That’s a tough hill to get over. With good players you’re playing against, they’re the type of shots you’re going to get, and I don’t like that for us to win.”

‘Playing to exhaustion’

Meanwhile, the 2025 Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Katie Collins, is carrying an even larger weight for the Quakers.

Ranked ninth in scoring, averaging 13.1 points, second in rebounds per game (6.4), and second in blocks per game (1.8) in the Ivy League, Collins, a sophomore, has excelled in a larger role after the departure of frontcourt partner Stina Almqvist.

“I do think Katie has definitely stepped up,” McLaughlin said. “I mean, this girl is, as you see her, she’s playing to exhaustion. She’s playing both ends of the floor at full pace. I think she’s taken that next step for sure.”

Collins also ranks third in total minutes (34.6 per game) in the Ivy League. Against Brown, Collins played 48 of 50 minutes in a double-overtime loss.

Collins transitioned from center to power forward in the offseason to fill Almqvist’s role in the lineup, which has left a gap at center. Tina Njike and Gabriella Kelley have filled that role, but with a lack of offensive production, McLaughlin has experimented with moving Collins back to center, while subbing in players like Brooke Suttle to boost the lineup.

“We need her,” McLaughlin said regarding Suttle. “She is going to be in the middle of the lane most of the possessions on both sides of the ball. But some opportunities around the rim, we need more out of her. She’s got to put the ball in the basket. She puts the ball in the basket there, things could change.”

Penn sprint football coach Jerry McConnell will not return next season, the school announced Wednesday in a release.

McConnell served as the program’s head coach since 2019 and posted a 17-18 career record. Penn finished 2-6 this season, losing all three contests in conference play. Penn failed to win a Collegiate Sprint Football League title during McConnell’s tenure.

In sprint football, players must weigh under 178 pounds to participate. The sport is played at nine colleges in the nation and has been at Penn since 1931.

“We are grateful for Jerry’s nearly two decades of service and dedication to our student-athletes in the Penn sprint football program, both as head coach and offensive coordinator,” Penn athletic director Alanna Wren said in the statement.

“This leadership change is an important step toward elevating the program’s competitive success and enhancing the overall experience for our student-athletes. We wish Jerry the very best in his next chapter.”

McConnell joined the sprint coaching staff in 2007, serving as the team’s offensive coordinator under longtime coach Bill Wagner. Penn won two CSFL championships during McConnell’s time as offensive coordinator.

New coach, new players, same result.

Penn took a familiar drive to Jadwin Gymnasium on Monday night, looking to open Ivy League play with a win against longtime rival Princeton. After taking a 14-point lead in the first half, the Quakers couldn’t keep pace with the hot-shooting Tigers in the second and fell, 78-76, after missing the final shot in Fran McCaffery’s first Ancient Eight game as head coach.

Princeton (5-11, 1-0 Ivy) has won 14 straight over Penn, which McCaffery and the players know well.

“You can’t worry about what happened six years ago,” McCaffery said. “What happened when Pete Carril was coaching, we all know what it was like. We played a game tonight. We lost to a good team, a really good coach, and, whether we won or lost, we are going to break the film down and try and get better.”

Next up, Penn (7-7, 0-1) will host Brown on Saturday (2 p.m., ESPN+).

Last-second chance

Penn made a late comeback and trailed by two after a 13-0 run, which included nine points from the free-throw line.

The final play, intended for Ethan Roberts, went awry, and point guard AJ Levine attempted to make a buzzer-beating three, which clanged off the rim.

“They did a good job switching it,” McCaffery said. “I thought [Roberts] should have kept going. He passed it. That’s hard because now you put your teammate in a position where there’s two seconds to go in the game and he’s at 26 feet.”

Roberts, the team’s leading scorer, missed the previous four games because of an injury he suffered against Villanova in the Big 5 Classic championship on Dec. 5.

The senior forward scored 19 points on 5-for-12 shooting in his return, but McCaffery believes Roberts has yet to return to full speed.

“He takes the pressure off TJ [Power] and Michael [Zanoni],” McCaffery said. “He just has to get back in rhythm. He missed five weeks. He’s trying to remember the plays; he’s trying to remember where he goes.”

Second-half collapse

Roberts and shooting guard Zanoni (13 points) led the charge in the first half, combining for 20 points to help secure a 32-24 lead. To open the second, the Tigers made 16 straight baskets in the first 11-plus minutes.

Penn suddenly found itself down, 63-51, with 8 minutes, 48 seconds to go. The Tigers made 21 of 27 shots (77.8%) from the field, including 5-for-7 from deep, in the second half.

McCaffery was asked whether he had seen a shooting performance like that before. “No,” he said. “Nothing else to say, no. It’s a good question.

“What do you do? Think about it. You can change personnel. You can change defenses. We did that, and really the only thing to work was press, and we waited too long.”

However, Penn did not miss from the free-throw line in the game, going 19-for-19.

Seeking redemption

Princeton had struggled to start the season, and coach Mitch Henderson attributed the Tigers’ strong performance against Penn to the return of Dalen Davis, who suffered a leg injury in November.

The junior shooting guard scored 19 points off the bench in 21 minutes. Sophomore guard Jack Stanton led the Tigers with 23 points.

“It’s not just the scoring,” Henderson said of Davis’ play. “That’s awesome, I did not know we made 16 in a row. That’s amazing, but it’s his defense — his ability to go with balls shows his competitiveness.”

Penn will face Princeton again on Feb. 7.

Ethan Roberts is back at Penn’s facilities but still isn’t practicing after colliding with a Villanova player in the Quakers’ loss to the Wildcats in the Big 5 Classic championship on Dec. 6. He was taken to the hospital after the game.

Penn (6-4) did not share Roberts’ timeline to return or injury details. The star guard is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 18 points in nine games.

“He’s around the team,” shooting guard Michael Zanoni said. “Just not playing.”

Without Roberts, the Quakers will have a tough task on the road against Rutgers on Saturday.

Zanoni, who’s third on the team in scoring with 10.5 points per game, believes his teammates can step up and take a scoring-by-committee approach.

“Our team morale is really good,” Zanoni said. “Obviously had some injuries, some guys out, but it’s a next-guy-up mentality. We have guys ready to step up. We got a big one coming Saturday, so we’re excited.”

Backup center Dalton Scantlebury has earned a larger role. He was named Ivy League and Big 5 Rookie of the Week in two of the last three weeks. Scantlebury’s emergence, alongside the rise of Zanoni and transfer forward TJ Power, has boosted the Quakers’ confidence heading into Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J.

“Any chance to play a high-major team is a great opportunity,” Scantlebury said. “I feel lucky to have played two major teams in Providence and Villanova, so there’s not the same sense of intimidation. We’re not going in there to compete; we’re going in there to win.”

Looking past the Scarlet Knights, the Quakers have their eyes on a larger prize: a win over Princeton on Jan. 5 to open Ivy League play.

The Quakers and Tigers have hosted one of the Ivy League’s most heated rivalries, which dates back to 1903. Penn held the series lead since 1905, but its 13-game losing streak since 2018 has allowed Princeton to catch up. The series is tied with 126 wins each.

“I think we treat nonconference play as getting our feet under us and figuring out rotations,” Zanoni said. “Now it’s real. So we’re all excited. The Princeton game, we’ve had marked as the first game, so obviously trying to win that one, big rivalry.”

The Quakers lost to Princeton twice last year, including a 61-59 heartbreaker on Feb. 7, but have a new coach in Fran McCaffery as well as transfer-portal reinforcements.

“The level of rivalry and the level of how much distaste there is for Princeton is still incredibly prevalent,” Scantlebury said. “We haven’t focused on them at all from an X’s and O’s standpoint, but I know once Jan. 5 comes, we’re going to be incredibly ready, very well-scouted, and not going to let it be 14 in a row.”

Said starting point guard AJ Levine: “We have everything we need to win that game. We have the mindset to win that game and the Ivy League.”

Penn introduced Rick Santos as its new football coach Tuesday after the departure of Ray Priore, who was with the program for 39 years.

After he earned three FCS playoff bids in five years at the helm of New Hampshire, Santos is hoping to bring Ivy League and national championships to Franklin Field. Penn athletic director Alanna Wren introduced Santos in front of players, alumni, and Penn football board members.

“I’m here to win championships,” Santos said. “That is the expectation, and we will deliver on that. To the players: I can’t wait to meet you. Understand, it’s all about you. It’s a player’s game. It always has been.”

Santos emphasized his passion for molding players on and off the field, deeming himself the “culture coordinator” while promising to lead “from the front.”

“Everybody talks about legacy and truly what it means,” Santos said. “That’s why Penn, that’s why now. The place, the people, the institution, the proud tradition of winning football, is why I’m humbled to be standing here in front of you today. I’m honored to be committed to restoring Penn football to a championship standard.”

Penn is interviewing candidates for the offensive and defensive coordinator positions, which means the program is likely moving away from Bob Benson, the Quakers’ defensive coordinator since 2015, and offensive coordinator Greg Chimera.

“The transition part of this profession is awful, and I hate it,” Santos said. “It’s an unbelievable job. It’s a tough profession at times. We’ll give them the opportunity to see if there’s some alignment. Can’t promise anything. I’m a loyal guy, and I wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for the staff members that I’ve worked with before. I know how they operate. … I have some really tough and challenging decisions to make.”

Santos led the Wildcats to a 37-24 record, going 28-12 in the Coastal Athletic Association, and finished his final season in New Hampshire with an 8-5 record. Santos was named CAA Coach of the Year in 2022, his first season at the helm. The Wildcats won five consecutive games before falling in the first round of the FCS playoffs to South Dakota State this season.

Wren said a hiring consulting company suggested Santos for the role at Penn. Wren noted that his passionate demeanor, along with his lengthy list of accolades as a player and coach, made him a top candidate. He was one of the best quarterbacks in FCS history at New Hampshire.

“Rick was somebody I had targeted in this process early,” Wren said. “It’s always nice when a plan comes together.”

As the wide receivers coach at UNH from 2013-15, Santos saw the Wildcats rise to No. 1 in the national rankings in Division I-AA. He joined former Penn coach Al Bagnoli at Columbia from 2016-18 as the Lions’ quarterback coach.

Bagnoli “has been influential in this process,” Santos said. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t get a chance to thank him and just what he’s meant to me as a coach, as a leader, as a friend, and someone that I could confide in going through it.”

Santos added that the Ivy League’s decision last year to participate in the FCS playoffs played a factor in his decision to take over the program: “I don’t think I’d be standing here today if it wasn’t for that,” he said.

The new coach will take over a roster that is losing 10 of 11 starters on offense, including standout receiver Jared Richardson, while bringing in a new playbook and staff. Santos is looking forward to connecting with the players.

“They didn’t choose me,” Santos said. “I know that. I understand that. So first and foremost, it’s my mission to put together a really good staff, elite teachers, great mentors, people that they’ll confide in and believe in.”

Penn has 12 recruiting spots to fill and will begin winter training in January. The Quakers will look to bounce back from a 6-4 season that saw a heartbreaking loss to Harvard end its chances for an Ivy League title. Penn last won a share of the Ivy crown in 2016.

Former New Hampshire head coach and standout quarterback Rick Santos will serve as the next head coach of Penn football, the university’s athletic department said Saturday in a release.

Santos will be introduced to the Penn community during a news conference at Franklin field on Tuesday — marking the start of a new era for Quakers football.

“I am incredibly excited and humbled by the opportunity to lead the football program at the University of Pennsylvania,” Santos said in a statement. “Penn represents excellence at the highest level — academically, athletically, and institutionally — and I am grateful for the trust placed in me to steward such a proud and prestigious program. … I cannot wait to begin this next chapter and fully embrace the Penn football community.”

Santos takes over for Ray Priore, who announced last month that he would be stepping down after 39 years with the program. Priore led the Quakers for over a decade as head coach, and was an associate head coach for a decade prior. He originally joined the staff in 1987 as the team’s assistant linebacker coach and was a part of 12 Ivy League championships, including two as head coach (2015, 2016).

In five seasons as head coach at New Hampshire, Santos led the team to a 37-24 overall record, going 28-12 in the Coastal Athletic Association en route to three FCS playoff bids.

In his first year as a full-time head coach in 2022, the Norwood, Mass., native earned the program a share of the CAA conference title while taking the team to the second round of the FCS playoffs — and earning the CAA Coach of the Year award after finishing the season ranked No. 15 in the nation.

“We are thrilled to welcome a high-energy, dynamic leader in Rick Santos as the next head coach of Penn Football,” said Alanna Wren, Penn’s Director of Athletics and Recreation. “He is a proven winner, taking New Hampshire to multiple NCAA FCS playoff appearances, and is considered one of the best players in FCS history as a former Walter Payton Award winner. I am confident Rick will have Penn competing for Ivy League championships and postseason appearances in the near future.”

Santos spent the majority of his coaching career at UNH, with the team rising to No. 1 in national rankings when Santos was the wide receivers coach from 2013-2015. From 2016-2018, he had a brief stint with Columbia under former Penn head coach Al Bagnoli before returning to UNH as an associate head coach in 2019.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the University of New Hampshire, a place that has truly been home to me in every sense of the word,” Santos said. “From my time as a student-athlete, to serving as an assistant coach, and ultimately having the honor of leading the program as head coach, UNH has shaped me both professionally and personally.”

As a player, Santos is “widely regarded as one of the greatest players in FCS history,” according to Penn’s announcement. A four-year starter from 2004-2007, Santos became a three-time all-American, two-time Atlantic 10 offensive player of the year, a CAA co-offensive player of the year, as well as a Walter Payton Award winner in 2006.

The former Wildcat led his team to four straight FCS playoff appearances with a 37-14 career record, winning an Atlantic 10 championship and finishing ranked No. 1 nationally in 2005. In 2007, Santos became the fourth ever Wildcat to see his jersey retired, finishing his career leading the program in passing yards (12,189), completions (1,024), and passing attempts (1,498).

He went undrafted in 2008 and had a short stint with the Kansas City Chiefs before playing in the Canadian Football League.

“I will forever be grateful to the Wildcat family — our players, staff, alumni, and supporters — for the unwavering support, trust, and belief they showed in me and my family,” Santos added. “The relationships built and the memories created in Durham will always hold a special place in my heart.”