Since Drexel University’s Men’s Basketball’s schedule for the 2022-23 season was released, one game stood out more prominently than the rest: Drexel vs. University of Pennsylvania, Nov 15. Referred to as The Battle of 33rd Street, it is the closest rivalry, in terms of distance, in all of collegiate sports.  Theres just four blocks separating the home courts for the Dragons and the Quakers. This storied rivalry dates all the way back to 1920, with 27 such matchups between the two teams. Since 2007, Drexel has owned Penn, winning six out of the last eight clashes. Unfortunately, the Dragons could not find the same success on Tuesday as they fell to the Quakers in dramatic fashion. 

The game began inauspiciously for Drexel. Outside of the star center, Amari Williams, it appeared as if there were a lid on top of the Dragons basket. Williams, who is undoubtedly one of the best players in the Colonial Athletic Conference, used his size and strength advantage to repeatedly bully Penn’s starting center Nick Spinoso in the paint. Had it not been for Williams’ strong first half, The Dragons chances at victory would have been dead early on. As a team, Drexel shot 30% from the field, 20% from beyond-the-arc, and an abysmal 44% from the free throw line. Penn performed up to the characteristics of their usual squad, hitting all of their first half free throws and sinking 42% of their field goals. Ultimately, the half ended with a turnover from Drexel’s freshman point guard, Justin Moore, that led to an emphatic buzzer-beating dunk by Penn’s Lucas Monroe to put the Quakers up by 11. 

In the second half, the Dragons clawed their way back into the game. A huge reason for this was the stellar performances of three bench players for Drexel, Luke House, Jamie Bergens and Garfield Turner. Bergens came off the bench to play 27 minutes while scoring nine points and dishing two assists. He also served as one of the primary defenders of Penn’s most dangerous offensive weapon, Jordan Dingle, in the second half. House, who saw limited action in the past, has played major minutes for the Dragons thus far in the season. He rose to the moment in this game, hitting three three-pointers in the second half. With each deep three that House drained, the packed crowd in the Daskalakis Athletic Center erupted as they brought Drexel closer on the scoreboard. 

Throughout the final seven minutes of the game, Drexel whittled away Penn’s lead from 11 all the way down to just two points with a minute-and-a-half remaining. Unfortunately, Penn’s guard, Clark Slajchert, responded with a dagger three-pointer that effectively sealed the game for the Quakers. 

The major difference in the game was the disparity in free throws. While Penn sank 13 of their 14 free throw attempts, Drexel only managed to convert nine of their 20 shots from the charity stripe. Making free throws is often something that can be remedied in practice, a sentiment that was echoed by Coach Spiker in the post game press conference. 

“The effort is there, we just need to hit a few more of our free throws. We can control that, and we will…It was a significant difference.” 

While overall the Dragons fell flat in this rivalry game, there were many positives to take away. This team is in the midst of a lot of turnover and is still trying to find itself in many ways. Justin Moore, while still performing well, is still growing as a young player. Lamar Oden Jr. and Mate Okros are statistically some of the best three point shooters in the CAA, however,  they have not performed to that standard this season. If the starters surrounding Williams can find their shooting stroke, the Dragons can be very dangerous. 

Perhaps the most positive aspect of this game did not happen on the court Tuesday, but instead happened all around it. The DAC was filled to the rafters with 2,324 people in attendance. At one point, fans were not being allowed inside the DAC because it was at capacity. This is a massive success for Drexel Athletics, as improving attendance was a major focal point for this season and the future. The atmosphere was raucous. Head Coach Spiker sang  the praises of the student section for making the DAC deafening, even going so far as to credit the fans for a crucial shot clock violation committed by Penn in the final minutes of the game.

“The atmosphere was incredible. I think our fans really showed out, they did a great job. I encourage them to come back and stick with this team…I hope the result doesn’t discourage them from coming back because they made a difference…we need them to continue being a factor in games.” Drexel figures to bounce back on Friday when they take on Arcadia, a Division III opponent, at 6 P.M. at The DAC.

If you are passionate about competitive swimming but are unable to make a full-time commitment to it, there is a solution for you! Drexel University’s club swim team is the remedy to cure your cravings. 

Erin Valle, 4th year breaststroke swimmer and the team’s treasurer gave insight into how the team operates, what the co-ed teammate bond is like and how the atmosphere feels at swim meets.

“Our team atmosphere is very relaxed… We’re all pretty good friends with each other, we like to josh around with each other and it’s mostly more social than we are competitive… Since we’re not on the D1 team, we’re mostly just there because we all love to swim and just want to keep doing it,” Valle states. 

She also mentions the coach, Coach Max, is a student and the practices are run by all of them-the coach and the team collectively. When asked if there has been any notable contributions to the team this year, Valle states, “We have an entirely new E-board…our president, Ian, is very much the organized one. [He is] making sure we all have our heads on straight.” 

The breaststroker also shared how the club swim team coach contributes to the team in many different ways. “He mostly watches everybody swim, he’ll time you on his phone to make sure you get an accurate time and to see if you qualify for a national meet,” Valle said. 

She also mentions the club swim coach, who is their invaluable asset, that goes above and beyond to locate weaknesses within each player to perfect their techniques.

There is more to the team than just swimming, this team is tightly bonded with each other. During meets, practices or huddles, the team is proud to not only call each other teammates, but friends as well. 

“We did a Halloween get together at one of our members’ houses and we just kind of hung out, talked, got all dressed up in costumes and had a nice time together. We also did an outing to Linvilla Orchards back in October to go apple picking and get apple cider donuts together… Sometimes after practice, maybe the girls and the guys—all of us together will go to insomnia cookies or we’ll go and get Ed’s [pizza] or we’ll go to Coco’s [Creamery],” Valle shared. 

She also describes what the team support looks like at a meet. 

“The team itself, we are all very supportive of each other so if one person is swimming, there’s usually someone at the end of the lane cheering them on, and the entire team is always on the sidelines of the pool cheering you on as well.”

On a final note, Valle acknowledges how covid had an impact on the team and how they’re overcoming the unavoidable setback— lack of bonding for incoming classes. 

Valle mentions, “Our secretary, Hannah, she is really into team bonding and making sure our social media is up to date, making sure that we are all doing things that are not just swim related so that we can all get out and have the freshman and sophomores, who are on the team who weren’t really able to get out because of covid, be just as bonded as the juniors and seniors are.”

If this team filled with support, bond and activities seems like the fit for you, consider becoming affiliated with the club sport. Also, you can go  show your support for the club swim team as they travel to Villanova’s Jake Nevin Fieldhouse Pool for a date with the Wildcats on Nov. 19 at 12:30 p.m.

World Cup season is here— but who is going to be crowned the King of the World this time around? as the tournament kicks off in Qatar, Football is often described as a sport with a strict hierarchy, and that concept can be explicitly seen at the FIFA World Cup. After 21 editions, only eight nations from two continents have ever won it; those teams being Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, France, Uruguay, England and Spain. It takes a lot to win the World Cup;  each nation that has won it usually has a large population, a huge fan culture and a powerful domestic league. Thus meaning that the World Cup hegemony will always be hard to break. That is not to say that new teams haven’t tried, recently, teams like the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium and even Turkey have made it as far as the semifinals or the final add adjective. Croatia even made it to the last World Cup Final in 2018. Then historically, Hungary, Sweden, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Chile have all flirted with success.However, all these teams at some stage before they could reach glory. In fact, the last time a new team won was Spain in 2010 and that was hardly a surprise given that Spain were perennial underachievers until the late 2000s when they finally fulfilled their potential. So, heading into Qatar 2022 and with a lot of the big teams in shaky form, is it possible for a new team to finally win the World Cup? Let’s take a look at the most possible contenders this time around. 

Senegal

Pele once said that an African nation will win the World Cup before the year 2000. Well, it’s 2022 and an African team hasn’t even made the semifinals, which just goes to show the strength of Europe and South America. However, if an African team were to win in 2022, it would no doubt be Senegal’s. The reigning African Cup of Nations Champions, Senegal have a solid squad headlined by truly world-class players like Sadio Mane, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy. Even more importantly, Senegal is built upon a strong team collective which is what brought them so much success in recent years. There are some drawbacks though, Senegal has injury problems with their starting fullbacks, not to mention that Mane himself picked up a knock, though he looks like he will still feature. Koulibaly and Mendy aren’t in the best form either. Senegal are in a really tough group so the odds are against them, but Senegal has surprised before at the World Cup; in particular, the  run to the quarter-finals in 2002.

Netherlands

Out of all the teams to never win the World Cup, the Netherlands have been  the closest, making the World Cup Final on three separate occasions, losing all three times, most recently in 2010. Besides making the final, the Netherlands have gone far numerous times but still have nothing to show for it. But after surprisingly missing the 2018 World Cup, the Netherlands are back in 2022 and are serious contenders. The strongest part of this team is the defense, boasting center-backs like Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake and Daley Blind. It’s so strong that Stefan de Vrij and Matthijs de Ligt are relegated to the bench. This defense is also backed up by a creative midfield and while the attack is a bit lacking in comparison, it’s still nothing to glance over. Recent form also favors the Dutch as they are unbeaten in their last 15 games. If they top their group, their path to the final gets extremely hard with likely matchups against Brazil and Argentina, the two favorites. If not for that fact, I would’ve said the Netherlands are the strongest candidate to win their first World Cup.

Denmark

The meteoric rise of the Danish National Team is one that should not be overlooked. Denmark had a respectable Round of 16 exit four years ago but they really made their mark with their magical run to the semifinals at Euro 2020. And since the Euros, they’ve gotten even better with the return of Christian Eriksen. Similar to Senegal, there are talented individuals in this team such as Kasper Schmeichel, Simon Kjaer, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Mikkel Damsgaard, but what makes Denmark so good, is the powerful team collective. However, Denmark also plays with an energetic, dynamic and thrilling style of play which has scalped many big teams as of late. For example, the Danes convincingly beat the reigning champions, France, twice this year. Denmark’s problem is that their squad is not particularly deep though and one feels that a major injury or bad run of form could derail the whole team. Still, if Denmark top their group, they have a reasonable path to the semifinals. This would require Denmark getting the better of France a third time though—in the group stage. It would be crazy to see Denmark actually win the World Cup but it’s not completely unrealistic given their shock victory at Euro 1992. Hopefully, Philadelphia Union’s own Mikael Uhre gets a call-up.

Belgium

If there was one team that was to break the World Cup hegemony in 2018, it should’ve been Belgium, it almost seemed written in the stars. The Belgians were in the midst of a golden generation with most of their players hitting their peak around that time. Unfortunately for them, they fell short. While they did win bronze, they can’t help but feel they could’ve done more. Since the 2018 World Cup, this team has started to decline. Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen who were the spine of this Belgian defense and at one point two of the best defenders in the world, are now on the wrong side of 30 and not playing at a top level anymore. Meanwhile, Eden Hazard, who was once a top-five best player in the world, is now lucky to play a single game for Real Madrid after he has been ravaged by injury. It almost seems that the time for Belgium has passed. That being said, they still possess some of the absolute best players in the world in Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku as well as some new talent like Charles De Ketelaere. If these players have a tournament to remember, Belgium’s fading golden generation could go out with a bang.

Croatia

Four years ago, the small nation of Croatia came painstakingly close to an unprecedented World Cup victory, losing only to France in the final. In fact, I would argue they actually were the better team in that match but were simply unlucky. Can they go a step further in 2022? Well, it certainly would be much tougher. Many of the veterans who dragged Croatia to the final in 2018 are no longer there with many of them retiring. Even the ones who stayed such as Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic and Domagoj Vida are visibly older, albeit, still very talented. On the other hand, Croatia has recently seen several current players reach their prime as well as a few new names in the fray meaning they will remain a very strong team. However, these replacements do not match the quality of those who left in 2018 like Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Rakitic and Danijel Subasic. But who knows? Maybe lightning will strike twice.

Portugal

For nearly the last 16 years, Portugal was a team that could be described as Cristiano Ronaldo and ten others. All success would be found through Ronaldo. And truthfully, this wasn’t the absolute worst system given that Ronaldo is easily the best player of his generation alongside Lionel Messi. And with Portugal’s astonishing Euro 2016 win, it did produce a trophy. Nowadays, this is no longer the case. Whether it be Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo at the back, Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes in the midfield or Rafael Leao and Joao Felix up top, Portugal actually have a team to support Ronaldo. Judging solely by player quality, Portugal are right up there with Brazil, Argentina and France in terms of the best squad of the tournament. What ultimately holds them back, is their manager, Fernando Santos. Portugal owes a lot to Santos as he led them to their only two trophies in the nation’s history. However, it must be said that this squad filled with world-class attacking talent has moved past Santos’ pragmatic and defensive style. Although recently, Santos’ hand has been forced and he did switch things up a bit. You also can’t forget that deep World Cup campaigns are often led by heavy emotion and players hitting form at the right time, regardless of tactics. When Portugal won Euro 2016, it certainly wasn’t pretty, as they continuously hobbled over the finish line in each match. This goes to show that you don’t necessarily need to play the best football to win a tournament. And while he’s much older and not having the best time at Manchester United, you still can’t look past Ronaldo and his ability to win games on his own accord. While Portugal definitely has many obstacles in their way, they are still, in my opinion, the most likely of any nation to win their first World Cup at Qatar 2022.

Conclusion

When it comes to the most likely winners of the 2022 World Cup, most people are saying Argentina or Brazil given their incredibly talented squads and current winning streaks. Despite their wobbly form, the defending champions, France, are right on their tails as well as other European giants like England, Spain and Germany. But is there any room for a new nation to finally win the World Cup and spoil the party of the elite? While maybe not probable, it is definitely possible and within a World Cup that is already unique in many regards, the future is wide open.

Two wins. That’s what separated the Philadelphia Phillies from a World Series Championship and them pulling off one of the greatest upsets in baseball history. Now, another grueling 162-game regular season awaits them in 2023 and with a taste of a deep playoff run that left a nasty after taste, there are going to be a few changes in order to arrive at the final destination.

Most of the team will be returning, especially in the lineup with sluggers like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos and J.T Realmuto all locked in for the long haul. Aaron Nola’s option was picked up as he will join Zack Wheeler and Ranger Suarez back in the rotation.

As far as the other two option-based decisions, Zach Eflin declined his side of a mutual option for another year at $15 million. The Phillies also elected to decline the $17 million team option on Jean Segura, which may be the end of his four-year tenure in Philadelphia.

After years of being many pieces away, the Phillies are only a couple pieces away from a championship. So, how can they build that perfect championship roster? Here is what my ideal offseason would look like for the Phightins.

Sign a premier shortstop

By now, most Philly fans have heard the rumors about the Phillies going after a superstar shortstop, with this year’s market featuring Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson. On paper, I would say there’s no need to pay top dollar for a premier shortstop with all the offensive firepower they already have. However, the Phillies lineup features a lot of streaky hitters and it would be ideal to add another slugger that can keep the offense going when some other guys are struggling. The hot stove rumors have indicated that the likelihood of Trea Turner or Xander Bogaerts coming to Philly is very realistic. If the Phillies fail to sign a premier shortstop, Bryson Stott needs to be back at shortstop. Stott was a rookie shortstop on a team that went to the World Series. That isn’t common and nothing to scoff at. As far as second base goes, if Plan A doesn’t happen, I would like to see Jean Segura return to the Phillies. Segura has delivered time after time in clutch spots, while being a good, reliable defender for a team that struggles defensively. A one-year deal with an option for a second year around $12 million a year would suffice from the Phillies standpoint and if he accepts it, this situation can be revisited next year.

Sign Quintana, not Rodon

The rotation will look different on the back end next year. Three of the five will be returning with Nola, Wheeler and Suarez. Realistically, it’ll probably take at least another year before we see Andrew Painter or Mick Abel make a significant big league impact—if we see them at all. The name fans are calling for is Carlos Rodon, but I don’t think the biggest name in the market (after Jacob deGrom) is the right choice for the Phillies. Rodon has been one of the league’s best pitchers, holding a 2.67 ERA over the last two years. However, Rodon might not translate well into Citizens Bank Park. Rodon, who pitched for the San Francisco Giants last season, benefitted from pitching mostly in a pitcher’s park, as Oracle Park was 27th in the home runs given up. You might be saying, “Well Rodon pitched for the White Sox, who’s home field is a hitter’s ballpark.” You’re right, as Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox and where Rodon pitched in 2021, gave up the second most homers back in 2021. However, Rodon’s metrics indicate that it might not be sustainable. His fly ball rate in 2022 was 29.5 percent, above the league average 23.1 percent, and his ground ball rate was 35.3 percent, below the league average 44.9 percent. He also finds barrels at about a league average rate, as his barrel rate was 6.5 percent compared to a league average 6.7 percent. Also, Rodon has now spent an entire season in the National League. Of course, information and film is always available on a pitcher, but now the senior circuit has the information on how Rodon attacks their specific team and players.

So, who should the Phillies add to the rotation because they definitely don’t have the resources to fill out the starting staff internally? The answer is Jose Quintana, the 33-year old lefty who split 2022 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals. Yes, he is 33 years old but that means he’ll cost a little less and can be signed to a shorter, and therefore, safer short-term deal. He’s coming off by far his best year with a 2.93 ERA in 23 starts. The metrics paint Quintana to be a similar pitcher to Suarez. He’s not going to blow it by guys, but Quintana misses barrels with a 5.5 percent barrel rate. His ground ball rate is 47 percent with a fly ball rate at 20.8 percent. Quintana seems like the better fit at a lower cost than Rodon. 

Bring Back Eflin

Nola, Wheeler, Suarez, Quintana and one more talented player  to wrap out the rotation. The answer is clear cut but the situation is complicated. Zach Eflin is the guy to fill out this rotation. A starting staff with Nola, Wheeler, Suarez, Quintana and Eflin would be projected as one of the best rotations in baseball. Eflin’s injury history complicates things, but when healthy he pitches like a number three. If they can agree to a contract in the $12 million range, I’d love to see him back in pinstripes. I’m not even opposed to adding a second year or a mutual option for a second year to give Eflin some contract security, something he most likely is looking for this offseason.

Upgrade the pen

Bullpens are tricky to construct, however of course Phillies fans don’t need to be told that. Jose Alvarado, Seranthony Dominguez, Sam Coonrod, Connor Brogdon, Nick Nelson, Andrew Bellatti and Bailey Falter are the guys still on contract and most likely returning to the roster. That leaves about two, maybe three if Coonrod does not make the team out of spring training, spots to fill in the bullpen. With Brad Hand becoming a free agent, they need a lefty reliever and Andrew Chafin is that guy, delivering a 2.83 ERA last year with the Detroit Tigers. Second arm to the bullpen, Adam Ottavino. After a couple of shaky years in the American League East, Ottavino found himself again with the Mets posting a 2.06 ERA. Relievers are never a sure thing to repeat success, but hopefully these two can come in and pick up right off where the Phillies bullpen did last year.

It’s going to be an important offseason for the Phillies, especially in the front office. With the expectation to be in the playoffs, they will have to add, replace and bring back the right guys to get them back to October baseball in 2023.

For the month of October, Drexel University’s Club Ice Hockey team brought a powerful tribute to Breast Cancer Awareness Month this year. There is more reason behind the team’s effort to show their tribute, the former coach of the team, Peter Nolan, input his own efforts in designing and donating specific jerseys to the ice hockey team to honor his late wife, Karen Sabitini. Sabitini, according to Drexel University’s Ice Hockey Twitter account, , “recently passed from a 20-year-long courageous fight with cancer,” stated on Oct. 13th. Within the statement on Twitter, this powerful message also acknowledges Sabitini’s importance to the Dragons and recognizes her notable contributions towards the team.

The tribute jerseys this year included the Drexel Dragon’s logo in front of the breast cancer awareness symbol, outlined in white to distinguish its importance. Along with yellow and navy blue stripes, varying in thickness, a pink pattern fills the remainder of the jersey. Printed on the right shoulder of every jersey is another breast cancer symbol with KS, Sabitini’s initials, on top of it. Coach Nolan’s goal to honor his wife and spread breast cancer awareness is met by creating these tribute jerseys.

In an interview, third-year student and Drexel’s division one defenseman, Michael Urbani, brought attention to former Coach Nolan’s continuous efforts to raise Breast Cancer Awareness and how he makes this tribute happen. During the annual Cold Steel Classic game against the Navy, the Pink the Rink event introduced the Dragons unique jerseys for the month of October. 

“It was really special, we ended up winning that game and coach spoke to us in the locker room beforehand about what these jerseys meant… especially to him, to his wife, and the battle that she fought. A lot of respect goes out to him, Coach Nolan and his wife,” Urbani states.

Urbani also mentioned what the atmosphere of that night felt like during the Cold Steel Classic game saying, “we wanted to leave no doubt on the ice that we were going to win and I think we felt that once we got on the ice. There was a lot of people there, a lot of fans, a lot of parents. It was a big event night and it was great to see everybody out there and they were very loud… I think playing in front of people like that, people who want to support us and want us to do well, honestly I think it felt really special to be out there on the ice celebrating that night and then getting home a win.” 

The Dragons won against Navy 6-3, a well-deserved win dedicated to Nolan and Sabitini.

Shane O’Brien, one of Drexel’s division one goaltenders, was interviewed along with Urbani and shared his thoughts on Coach Nolan’s commitment to bringing awareness to the team. “When he came in [to the locker room] he was obviously pretty emotional, and for good reason, but to see somebody kind of act that strong even when going through something that tough, after losing someone… it added an emotional aspect to the game that gives you a little more juice to go out there and play,” O’Brien states.

The goaltender also shared how the fan support adds to the team’s determination to win every game. “Just the support that we’ve been receiving through a lot of parents, friends, family… everybody’s been really passionate about it so far… I know we’ve been doing well as a team and a lot of that success contributes to them [the fans] and everybody who’s kind of been able to help us along the way. Our families-obviously–and just the one big family we have here at Drexel with our hockey program.” 

O’Brien continued saying, “We’re really excited to see where we can go from here, the success we can have this year, we’re pretty excited for this team…we’ve got a lot of games left, a lot of big rivals coming up so, looking forward to it.”

Though October is over, the team still continues to put all of their efforts out onto the ice for Nolan and his moving tribute to Breast Cancer Awareness. Their wins during the month may have been won for Sabitini but throughout the whole season, the team continues to win for her, pink jerseys or not.

It is a common cliche in sports that in between every season, athletes come back from the offseason in the so-called, “best shape” of their life. With this quip, a sense of hope is sprinkled upon the outlook for the new season. Coming into the 2022-2023 college basketball season, one might say that the Daskalakis Athletic Center is in the best shape of its life. Sporting a massive new video board and a revamped sound system, bringing with it a bright outlook for the impending season. 

It was time to show these long-awaited renovations off to the student body during the Blue and Gold Madness, an event that was marketed as a kickoff for the upcoming college basketball season as well as an unveiling of The DAC’s renovations. The first 200 fans in attendance were able to snag free T-Shirts that sport the logo of the upcoming “Battle of 33rd Street” that will be taking place on Nov. 15 when the University of Pennsylvania Men’s Basketball team makes the two block trek to take on the Drexel Dragons in the DAC, a highly anticipated rivalry matchup that the athletic department surely hopes to sell out. 

The massive new video board was the centerpiece of the experience, highlighted by the several promotional and highlight videos displayed on it throughout the event. Additionally, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams were introduced to the fans, capped off by speeches from coaches Amy Mallon and Zach Spiker where they urged students to “pack the DAC” all season long. 

The headlining moments of the event were the student contests. In the first matchup, three students faced off in a free throw competition where the winner took home a custom pair of Nike basketball shoes. The main attraction of the night was the half-court shot. All fans in attendance were given the opportunity to enter a lottery to attempt one half court shot for the opportunity to take home $10,000. Unfortunately, the fan who was selected had more luck than skill, and their shot fell far short of the basket, walking away with only a $50 gift card to Shake Shack rather than the grand prize. 

After the event wrapped up, fans were welcomed to remain in the DAC, where they could interact with the basketball players and watch game four of the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros as it was televised on the new video board.

Greg Cusick, the senior associate athletics director, spoke after the event stating that, “We heard a lot of strong feedback from the students in attendance about the atmosphere as well as the capabilities of the videoboard…We look forward to hosting students at the newly renovated DAC throughout the basketball season and beyond.”

Drexel fans should have every reason to attend basketball games this season. The women, led by the graduate student and pre-season conference Player of the Year, Keishana Washington, are being viewed as the heavy favorites to win the CAA this season, as well as be one of the best Mid-Major basketball teams in the nation. The men, led by reigning CAA Defensive Player of the Year, Amari Williams, are looking to build upon their winningest season of the Zach Spiker era, with an infusion of young talent, headlined by the additions of freshman guards Justin Moore and Shane Blakeney. All student tickets to games are free and accessible at both the ticket offices at The DAC and online through DrexelOne.

Drexel University Women’s Squash attended the 2022 John Wanamaker Athletics Awards Ceremony luncheon on Oct. 26, where they were recognized for their achievements in the 2021-22 season. The Dragons finished as national runners-up; the highest ever finish in program history. 

Women’s Squash was one of the finalists for the award. The award is “presented to the athlete, team or organization which has done the most to reflect credit upon Philadelphia and to the team or sport in which they excel,” according to PHL Sports. Previous winners include the Philadelphia Eagles (2018 awardee ) and the Philadelphia Phillies (2009 awardee). 

The other nominees for this year’s award included Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, Phillies superstar Bryce Harper, Jason Kelce of the Eagles and Cam Atkinson from the Philadelphia Flyers. The eventual winner of the 2022 award was Philadelphia Union goalkeeper, Andre Blake. Blake is a four-time MLS All-Star and currently leads the MLS league in many goalkeeping categories. 

The Dragons were nominated for the award for their historic efforts in last year’s season at the College Squash Association national championships. They overcame high ranked opponents, such as Princeton University in the quarter-finals and then dramatically overcame number three, Trinity University in a 5-4 showdown to make the national championship match. The Dragons eventually lost out to Harvard, finishing as runners-up.

Along with the program’s highest-ever finish at the national championships, women’s squash also posted a 16-5 record for the season, the best ever yet. Women’s squash enters the upcoming season ranked at number two, the highest-ever ranking at the beginning of a season for the Dragons. 

The Dragons begin their season at the Pennsylvania State Championships in Lancaster on Nov. 12th. The home opener against Columbia University will be held on Dec. 2nd at the Kline and Specter Squash Center.

How about those Phightins? After 11 years of pain and losing, the Philadelphia Phillies made the postseason as the last Wild Card team. At first, fans were just happy to be in the playoffs, but after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres, the Phillies found themselves in the World Series for the first time since 2009. 

2009! Most of you were in elementary school the last time the Phillies were playing baseball in October. I was in first grade back in 2008–the last time the Phillies won the World Series. For the Philly fans that are Drexel students, you have been waiting your entire childhood for this very moment.

Philly celebrated their beloved heroes of the good ol’ days from 2008-2011, where the Phillies made the postseason every year as one of baseball’s best teams. Jimmy Rollins lived up to his nickname, “J-Roll”, because when he was rolling, the team was rolling. How about the grit and grind of his middle infield partner, Chase Utley, the best second baseman of his time. Right behind him in the lineup, the power threat and 2006 MVP, “The Big Piece” Ryan Howard. Of course, you can’t forget those four aces, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, not to mention World Series hero, Joe Blanton, who defines the term, “pitchers who rake.”

Like I said, the good ol’ days. Fast forward to now, and the heroes of today have emerged in this 2022 postseason.

Coming into the season, analysts and baseball fans were saying Alec Bohm could not be the Phillies third baseman of the future and that the Phillies should even consider moving him. Well, Bohm has shown that he is the future at the hot corner with a homer in game three and key defensive plays throughout the playoffs. Also, he loves this place. 

Bryson Stott struggled out of the gate this season and the rookie’s future was questionable. Midway through the season, Stott took over the starting shortstop job and ran with it, shoring up the defense and having some big hits along the way.

Another young guy in the making, Brandon Marsh, the midseason acquisition from the Angels. Acquired strictly for defensive purposes, Marsh has made noise at the plate, none louder than his homer in game three to keep the Phillies rolling to a 7-0 win over the Houston Astros. It reminds you of another young, long-haired, bearded outfielder getting another chance to kick start his career in a new place, (aka Jayson Werth, the 2008 starting right fielder).

The offseason acquisitions have paid off from Dave Dombrowski (who by the way is making a case to be beside Pat Gillick in the Hall of Fame one day) as Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos have done their parts. It may have taken some help from Wawa to get the National League Home Run champion to get going, but he is sending balls into the autumn night skies that make you want to get up and say, “IT IS OUTTA HERE!” Castellanos has struggled at the plate, but has come up clutch on defense, even though he was metrically one of the worst defensive outfielders this year. Sliding and diving catches that have by no overreaction, saved ball games for the Phillies this postseason.

Need pitching? The Phillies got that too. Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola have anchored this staff with dominating performances not to mention the coolest and calmest there is, Ranger Suarez, who’s game three performance will live on forever in Phillies history. That horrific Phillies bullpen of the last few years has turned into a beautiful monster, as through game three, they had not allowed a run in the World Series. Their battery partner, J.T. Realmuto, has put any doubt that he isn’t the best catcher in baseball to rest, doing it all, including the game-winning home run in extra innings to allow the Phillies to take a crucial game one in Houston.

It was Chuck leading the way in 2008 and fast forward to 2022, it is Philly Rob. Philly has rallied by Rob Thompson, the manager, who lit a jolt on a struggling team with Joe Girardi. No one saw  Thompson taking over as interim manager and leading this team to the playoffs, but Topper has pushed all the right buttons so far, including letting Suarez close out the Padres in the National League Championship Series.

Then, there’s that guy. You know exactly who I’m talking about already–MV3, Bryce Harper. When he signed his 13-year contract in the offseason before 2019, his one goal was simple. He would lead the Phillies back not only back to the postseason, but bring a trophy back to the City of Brotherly Love. He is delivering on that promise delivering in those moments where you are counting on your best player to be your best player. With a home run filled postseason, he delivered one of the greatest moments in Philadelphia sports history with the “swing of his life”, a go-ahead home run to send the Phillies to the World Series. And if that wasn’t enough, in the first World Series game back at Citizens Bank Park since 2009, he delivered a home run in the first inning to get the bank rocking and shaking.

Lastly, how about all of you, the dedicated Philadelphia fans who make the Bank the toughest place to play as an opposing player. The energy from the fans is one of the biggest reasons the Phillies got this far, so keep being the rowdiest, toughest and loudest fans in baseball so that Red October can finish with a glorious sparkling trophy. You went through middle school and high school, waiting for this moment. Now in your college years, it is time to reminisce on the past and celebrate the present. Philadelphia, it is not over yet. Keep bringing the energy to propel this Phillies team and hopefully, bring the best block party since the Eagles Super Bowl to Broad Street. Said? Said.

It would not be hyperbolic to say that the 2022 Drexel University women’s soccer team is in the midst of one of their best seasons in Drexel’s history. The Dragons have surged this year reaching the postseason for the first time since 2018 on the back of an explosive offense, and on Thursday the Dragons ensured that their historic season would continue. 

Throughout the regular season, Drexel had proved their mettle, dominating the regular season en route to their number two seeding in the Colonial Athletic Association playoffs with their potent offense and solid defense, demonstrated by their superb +12-goal differential. The College of William and Mary, the number seven seed, did not separate themselves much, sneaking into the playoffs by just one point and only outscoring their opponents by two goals throughout the season. The Dragons were the better team on paper, and they certainly played like it. Throughout the game, Drexel forwards Casey Touey, a sophomore, Delaney Lappin, a junior, and Isabel Kuzy, a senior, were hustling to every ball in their vicinity, bulldozing the Tribe defense with their speed and physicality. On defense, senior defender Kylie Kutz also physically dominated the Tribe’s offense, stifling every opportunity that William and Mary tried to create through the flow of the game.

Through most of the first half, Drexel was dominant. From kickoff, the most dangerous scoring opportunities were from the Dragons. In the 10th minute, Touey was almost able to get on the receiving end of a cross and put it in the back of the net but the cross was just high.

The Dragons kept coming after this near miss, using their speed and physicality to outplay the Tribe. Their hard work created a penalty kick when William and Mary defender Addie Puskar’s only recourse to prevent a golden scoring opportunity for Drexel was to bring down Anna Salvucci, sophomore midfielder, in the box. It appeared like this would surely result in Drexel taking the lead as the clinical Annalena O’Reilly, a senior forward, stood over the ball, however, the shot was driven on the ground and right into William and Mary’s senior goalkeeper Zoe Doughty.

Drexel continued creating scoring opportunities for themselves, including one shot from very close proximity for Delaney Lappin, but The Tribe were able to bend but not break. Gradually throughout the first half, the center referee, David Breckner, began calling a much tighter game, a trend that was detrimental to the Dragons as it severely impaired players such as Kuzy and Kutz from exerting their physical advantage upon their opponents. This manifested itself when the referee Breckner called a foul on Kutz in the 42nd minute. Nicole Sellers, junior defender for William and Mary, whipped in a dangerous ball to the 18 yard box that freshman forward Ivey Crain was able to flick on to the graduate student forward, Cricket Basa, who was able to tap the ball into the back of the net. This shocking goal gave William and Mary an unexpected 1-0 lead at halftime.  

Coming out of halftime, it was clear that the Dragons were determined to make a comeback. Within the first minute of the second half, Casey Touey nearly put away a goal on a breakaway. In the coming minutes, Drexel was all over the Tribe and appeared to be on the brink of breaking through. This finally happened in the 50th minute when Touey was able to get in on the William and Mary goal and take on multiple defenders, acting as a battering ram to get the ball inside the Tribe’s six-yard box. When William and Mary defender Nicole Sellers poked the ball away from Touey, Delaney Lappin was right there to clean up the mess, and she fired the ball into the vacant net. This goal was a special one for Lappin, not only because it tied this all-important game for the Dragons, but also because it was Lappin’s 11th goal of the season, a total which tied the Drexel single-season record. 

With the game locked at one, both sides ratcheted up the intensity. William and Mary’s forwards in particular attempted to match the physical presence of Drexel’s defense. Breckner maintained control of the game by calling fouls when needed, but the energy on the field was palpable. 

Lappin must have felt that the game was devoid of highlight worthy plays, because as the game reached the 60th minute she decided to make history in style. Gabrielle Perrotto, a junior midfielder, made a tremendous play to win a 50/50 ball and direct it towards Lappin. Lappin collected the ball, shed her defender, and fired in a shot from over 20 yards out. This goal was Lappin’s 12th score, giving her sole possession of first for the Drexel single-season goals record.

Drexel would have to preserve their two-to-one lead for the next 30 minutes, and, while William and Mary’s senior forward Jillian O’Toole fired a shot off the crossbar in the 72nd minute, the Dragons were able to shut down the Tribe for the remainder of the game.

With one win under their belt, the Dragons turn their focus towards Sunday, October 30th, when they will face Northeastern University in what should be a very compelling match. Northeastern are the third seeded team in the CAA playoffs and coming fresh off a two-to-one victory over Stony Brook University.

Drexel University Men’s and Women’s soccer, along with field hockey have all clinched themselves a place in the Colonial Athletics Association tournaments from their successful runs so far. Women’s soccer’s win against Delaware University on Oct. 23 secured a spot in the  CAA tournament and they will host the quarterfinals and semifinals on Oct. 27th and 30th. This is the first time since all three fall sports teams have made the CAA tournament since 2012.

Women’s soccer won 2-1 over Delaware to wrap their successful regular season. Anna Salvucci scored her third goal of the season within 6 minutes of the game to put the Dragons to a fighting start. Senior, Annalena O’Reilly scored her seventh goal of the season from a penalty kick which put the Dragons up 2-0 against the Blue Hens. Delaware fought back in the second half, and after many successful saves from goalkeeper Molly Piso, the Blue Hens sunk a goal in the 84th minute to make the score 2-1. The Dragons held off the attacking Delaware side to secure the win 2-1. 

The Dragons needed not only to win, but they also needed Monmouth University to win against Northeastern University and a draw between Towson University and Elon University to secure their second seed in the CAA’s. The Dragons will now enter their first CAA tournament since 2018 as the two seed, with quarterfinal and semifinal lineups to be announced. The Dragons will host the CAA match-ups at the Vidas Field, starting on Oct. 27.

Men’s soccer’s dramatic draw against the Hofstra University Pride solidified their place in the CAA’s, with one conference match of the season still to go. Kyle Tucker scored the first goal for the Dragons in the 16th minute, although it was equalized by the Pride just 10 minutes after with a penalty strike. Hofstra eventually took the lead in the 70th minute, with a goal from Ryan Carmichael. Drexel equalized 5 minutes later with a career-first in a Drexel uniform for Giancarlo Vaccaro. This draw puts the Dragons into the CAA tournament, with Lehigh University still to play.

Field Hockey also rounded out a successful season with a spot in the CAA’s with their 2-0 win over Hofstra University. The Dragons totaled 10 wins this season, the highest in the program since 2014. Eline Di Leva scored in the sixth minute with an assist from Isabel Jacobs to get an early point on the board for the Dragons. Di Leva’s goal means that she has scored in five straight games for the Dragons. Natali Foster scored in the fourth quarter, deflecting off penalty shots by Avery Powell and Taylor Mason. This gives Foster the third goal of her rookie season for the Dragons. Drexel held off some attacking play from the Pride to ensure a decisive 2-0 win, and to punch their ticket to the CAA’s.