18 minutes ago<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\tSophomore forward Katie Collins attempts a floater against La Salle during the Big 5 on Dec. 6, 2024. It\u2019s that time of year again.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n On Tuesday, Penn women\u2019s basketball released its 2025-26 schedule, giving fans an early glimpse into the season. The Quakers tip off their year at home against King\u2019s College on Nov. 7, also accessible via ESPN+.\u00a0\n\t\t<\/p>\n Last season, Penn willed its way into the Ivy League Tournament after a 2-6 conference start. A major factor in their playoff berth was now-sophomore center Katie Collins, who was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Collins averaged 10 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. The Quakers, who finished 15-13 overall and 6-8 in the Ivy League, ultimately fell to Columbia <\/a>in the Ivy Madness semifinals.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Let\u2019s unpack what this year\u2019s schedule holds:\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Pod play\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Penn will tip off Big 5 play on Nov. 12 at Drexel in the 29th iteration of the \u201cBattle of 33rd Street<\/a>.\u201d After making an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024, the Dragons went 17-13 last season before falling in the semifinals of the Coastal Athletic Association tournament. Along with a pod win, the teams are also vying for the upper hand in their rivalry, as they are split 14-14 all time.\u00a0\n\t<\/p>\n Penn\u2019s second Big 5 matchup comes against Saint Joseph\u2019s at home on Nov. 24. Last season, the Hawks went 24-10 and placed second in the Atlantic 10 tournament. Penn will be facing a very different St. Joe\u2019s squad<\/a>, though, as the Hawks graduated six seniors and saw two players transfer.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n The Quakers will compete in the women\u2019s Big 5 Classic at Villanova on Dec. 7. Seeding will be based on team record in pod play.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Holiday hoops\u00a0\n<\/p>\n The Quakers are getting no holidays off this year.\n<\/p>\n The team will be celebrating Thanksgiving in Texas this year as they will take a two-game road trip to the Lone Star. On Nov. 28, Penn will take on Division III St. Thomas <\/a>in Houston, marking the first-ever matchup between the programs. It will be a homecoming for freshman guard Ruke Ogbevire, who is from Houston.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Penn will then travel to Austin to play Texas on Nov. 30 for its toughest matchup of the season. Last season, Texas finished 35-4 and made a Final Four appearance. The only other time the programs competed was in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. In coach Mike McLaughlin\u2019s first postseason run leading the program, the 12th-seeded Quakers fell to fifth-seeded Longhorns 79-61.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n During winter break, the Quakers will compete in the second annual Fairleigh Dickinson Christmas Classic. On Dec. 29, Penn will play Maryland Eastern Shore at FDU in Hackensack, N.J. The team will then take on either FDU or Binghamton on the next day of the Classic.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cAdding a trip to Texas and other strong non-conference opponents will test us early and prepare us for the battles ahead,\u201d McLaughlin said in a statement released with Penn Athletics<\/a>. \u201cOur group is eager to embrace the journey and continue to grow together throughout the season.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Ivy slate\n\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\tSign up for our newsletter<\/p>\n Get our newsletter, DP Daybreak, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.<\/p>\n Penn will open up Ivy League play on Jan. 3, 2026 at home against Princeton.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Last season \u2014 for the first time in Ivy history \u2014 the conference sent three teams to the NCAA Tournament. Harvard gained an automatic bid after winning the Ivy title, while Columbia and Princeton both earned at-large selections. The odd team out? Penn. <\/p>\n Penn was the only team that made Ivy Madness that did not receive an at-large bid after barely scraping into the conference tournament. In recent memory, the Quakers have not fared well against the top of the Ivy League. Combined, Penn is 1-13 (including tournament games) against Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton over the past two seasons.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n To be the best, you have to be able to beat the best. The Quakers will have six chances to do so against the conference\u2019s top programs next season.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation<\/a> to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: Lydia Tong<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n