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Comparable Schools'
Athletics Grades:
Quick StatsAthletic Division
NCAA Division I
School Colors
Crimson and navy
Men Playing Varsity Sports
576 - 12 %
Women Playing Varsity Sports
321 - 6 %
College Prowler Take
One thing that sets Penn apart from other Ivy League schools is the pretty intense school spirit of the student body. Students usually support the Varsity teams, many of which are among the best in the league. Home football games are heavily attended, and some basketball fans wait in “the line” overnight to get season tickets for the men’s basketball team, which often competes in the NCAA tournament. One important tradition involves frenzied students tearing down the goal posts after a victorious championship football game and throwing them into the Schuylkill River. Penn has had many Ivy League Champion teams including men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, football, and men’s basketball. Intramural and club sports are participated in relatively widely. Students have the chance to compete in a wide selection of sports. Club sports are taken seriously by those involved, while intramural athletes, while often extremely competitive, tend to have a more laid-back practicing and training schedule. Anyone can start an intramural team simply by recruiting a specified number of people and registering the squad. And it’s hard to forget the Penn Relays, the largest track event in the world. This event attracts huge crowds of people from all over the country and top track stars from the nation’s high schools, colleges, and even the Olympic team. Penn athletics provides impressive facilities, most noticeably the Pottruck Fitness center, and ample opportunity for absolutely everyone to participate as both an athlete and a spirited fan. Students Speak Out
Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:
Anonymous says:  |
Varsity sports are huge. A lot of...
Varsity sports are huge. A lot of people get recruited to play on a varsity sports team, so it’s no wonder we have so much school spirit. It’s exciting to go to a football game or a basketball game because we always win. IM sports are very popular, too. People at Penn tend to be very athletic and well-rounded, so it’s not very hard to find a new sport to pick up and some worthy competition. |
Anonymous says: |
Varsity basketball and football...
Varsity basketball and football are probably the biggest sports. There are all sorts of IM recreational leagues, which are always a good time and decent competition. In addition, Penn offers club sports, which are more competitive than IMs and involve travel to other colleges to compete in games and tournaments. |
Anonymous says: |
There’s definitely school pride,...
There’s definitely school pride, especially against our rival, Princeton. In playoff games against them, students all over campus wear their ‘Puck Frinceton’ shirts. |
Anonymous says: |
I’d say that varsity sports are...
I’d say that varsity sports are moderate. Intramural (IM) sports are fairly non-existent, at least in my opinion. I’m sure that for people who are interested in sports, though, that it is available for them. I’m just not a sports person myself, and so I manage to stay away from it all at Penn. |
Anonymous says: |
Penn and Princeton are the best in...
Penn and Princeton are the best in the Ivy League when it comes to sports. The big sport on campus is basketball; we have a huge rivalry with Princeton. Depending on how their season goes, football can be big, too. Track is pretty big, especially around Penn Relays season. |
FactsMen's Varsity Sports
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross country
- Fencing
- Football
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Rowing (heavy and light)
- Soccer
- Sprint football
- Squash
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track
- Wrestling
Women's Varsity Sports
- Basketball
- Cross country
- Fencing
- Field hockey
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Lacrosse
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Squash
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track
- Volleyball
Intramurals
- Basketball
- Flag football
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Volleyball
Club Sports
- Aikido
- Badminton
- Baseball
- Basketball (women’s)
- Climbing
- Cricket
- Curling
- Cycling
- Equestrian
- Field hockey
- Figure skating
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Ice hockey (men’s, women's)
- Lacrosse (men’s, women’s)
- Ping-pong
- Roller hockey
- Rugby (men’s, women’s)
- Running
- Sailing
- Ski team
- Soccer (men’s and women’s)
- Squash
- Swimming (coed)
- Synchronized swimming
- Tae Kwon Do
- Tennis (men’s, women’s)
- Ultimate Frisbee (men’s, women’s)
- Volleyball (men’s, women’s)
- Water polo (men's, women's)
Gyms and Facilities
- Class of 1923 Ice Rink - If Penn had a varsity ice hockey team, this is probably where they would practice, but alas, such a team does not exist. As a result, the rink is used for social events and club ice hockey teams. There is a small fee for skating and skate rentals, but some students find a night of skating to be a fun alternative weekend activity.
- Hollenback Center and Annex - The Hollenback Center and the Hollenback Annex are home to the ROTC program and the track teams, respectively. In temperamental weather, the Annex can also be used as practice space for a slew of other teams forced to move their training indoors.
- Hutchinson Gymnasium - This facility includes the Ringe Squash Courts, a swimming pool, basketball and volleyball courts, sauna/steam rooms, dance studios, martial arts areas, and more. This gym has less to offer than Pottruck, but it can be a good place to avoid the crowds.
- Levy Indoor Tennis Pavilion - This facility provides eight air-conditioned tennis courts to both varsity athletes and amateurs alike, assuming you have a reservation and membership card, of course. This is one of the only facilities that requires quite an effort (and a bit of money) to use on a regular basis, so I assume it is most often used by serious tennis players.
- Lott Tennis Courts - The Lott Tennis Courts include six outdoor lighted courts in a convenient location in front of the Palestra and next to the David Rittenhouse Laboratory. However, reservations are necessary for court time here as well, and it may be tough to get court time during the varsity tennis season if you are not a member of the team.
- Pottruck Fitness Center - 115 enormous square feet make up the state-of-the-art facility that is the Pottruck Fitness Center. Membership, which includes access to four floors of weight and cardiovascular equipment, a climbing wall, multi-purpose rooms, a golf-simulator, spinning rooms, a pro-shop, a swimming pool, basketball courts, locker rooms, showers, a coed sauna, and a juice bar, is included in the tuition.
- The Palestra - According to Practical Penn, “The Palestra has hosted more games, more visiting teams, and more NCAA tournaments than any other facility in America today.” Penn’s basketball, volleyball, and wrestling teams compete in this legendary building.
- Weightman Hall and Gym - Within the bleacher walls of Franklin Field, Weightman Hall serves as an office for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. This is the source for Penn teams’ scores and statistics. The Hall also includes a gym and a ticket office.
Athletic Fields
Franklin Field, Hill Field (Hill Square), High Line Field, Murphy Field
Getting Tickets
Many games, including football, are free. Basketball is the most popular sport that requires ticket purchases. Individual tickets are about $5, but avid fans wait on “the line” to get first choice of season tickets at a discounted rate. The facilities for popular sports are big enough that they rarely, if ever, sell out, so you can always show up the night of the game and join in Quaker pride!
Most Popular Sports
For an Ivy League school, most of our teams are incredible. One of the best is the basketball team. Season tickets often sell out extremely quickly, and home games always draw high attendance. In recent years, men’s basketball is the only Penn sport whose team has reached the NCAA tournament. Additionally, Penn regularly, though not always, finishes first among the Ivy Leagues in basketball. The other most popular sport on campus is probably football. The first game of the season and the Homecoming game usually attract large crowds. However, team spirit is usually lacking beyond these two games. Students often wish that football were a bigger part of student spirit. Soccer, volleyball, tennis, and a slew of other sports are also present at Penn. In fact, Penn’s men’s soccer team became 2008 Ivy league champions.
Most Overlooked Teams
In fall 2002, men’s soccer beat Seton Hall in the NCAA tournament’s first round to earn a place as one of the top 20 soccer programs in the country. The team won the Ivy League championship outright last year, proving itself to be just as much, if not more, of a force as its more popular counterparts, basketball and football. With a growing fan base and no signs of slowing down as a emerging power in the near future, hopefully men’s soccer will attract the crowd that it deserves.
Best Place to Take a Walk
The Bio pond
Did You Know?Penn coach John Heisman is the name-sake for the Heisman Trophy.
Penn was the first team in the United States to use numbers on its jerseys.
Penn played in the first commercially-televised football game.
Penn was the first American college campus with an outdoor swimming pool.
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