Drexel Dragons

Drexel Dragons
University	Drexel University
Conference(s)	Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA	Division I
Athletics director	Eric Zillmer
Location	Philadelphia, PA
Varsity teams	16
Basketball arena	Daskalakis Athletic Center
Mascot	Mario the Magnificent
Nickname	Dragons
Fight song	Drexel Fight Song
Colors	Blue and Gold
Homepage	www.drexeldragons.com

The Drexel Dragons are the athletic teams of Drexel University.

The school's athletic program includes eighteen NCAA Division I sports including nine men's and nine women's teams, with most sports teams competing in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Drexel's athletic department was ranked first in gender equity by U.S. News.^[1] The university has demonstrated a high level of student-athlete academic performance, with a 10 year NCAA graduation rate of 91% compared to a national average of 85%.

Facilities

In addition to the DAC which is located inside the Main Campus, Drexel utilizes fields located at 43rd and Powelton Avenues, the Vidas Athletic Complex.^[2]

Athletics history

Men's Basketball

Main article: Drexel Dragons men's basketball

In 109 seasons, Drexel has an all-time record of 1119 wins and 940 losses. The Dragons joined Division I in 1973. Bruiser Flint is the head coach of Drexel Men's Basketball. Drexel has received bids to four NCAA Basketball tournament in 1986, 1994, 1995 and 1996. During the 1996 tournament, Malik Rose led the team to their only second round appearance after an upset of fifth-seeded Memphis.^[3] Prior to this, Drexel had appeared in four Division II NCAA tournaments in 1957, 1960, 1966 and 1967, including the very first Division II tournament in 1957. Drexel's mens basketball team was ranked as high as 35th nationally in 2007, finishing the season with a 23 and 9 record while making the National Invitational Tournament tournament for the fourth time in the prior five years.

The first Drexel basketball team (1894–1895)

Annual Record Men's Basketball

Year	Wins	Losses	Percent	Conference	Tournament	National Rank
2010-11	21	10	.677	5th	CAA quarterfinals	77
2009-10	16	16	.500	6th	CAA 1st round	--
2008-09	15	14	.517	6th	CAA 1st round	--
2007-08	12	20	.375	10th	CAA 1st round	--
2006-07	23	9	.719	4th	CAA semi-finals, NIT 1st round	37
2005-06	15	16	.484	8th	CAA 1st round	--
2004-05	17	11	.607	4th	CAA quarterfinals, NIT opening round	--
2003-04	18	11	.621	2nd	CAA quarterfinals, NIT 1st round	--
2002-03	19	12	.613	3rd	CAA Finals, NIT opening round	--

• Sports Stats

Women's Basketball

In 2009, Drexel women's basketball team ended Old Dominion University's NCAA record 17 year reign as CAA champion with a 62-41 victory in the conference semifinals. Behind Colonial player of the year Gabriela Marginean, Drexel captured its first-ever CAA Basketball championship with a 64-58 victory against James Madison University. This was the Dragon's first CAA tournament title in any sport since joining the conference in 2001-02 and it represented the first NCAA tournament berth for Drexel women's basketball since going Division I in 1982. The win also marked the team's 16th straight since starting off the season with an 8 and 8 record. The Dragons received a number twelve seeding in the 2009 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament

Annual Record Women's Basketball

Year	Wins	Losses	Percent	Conference	Tournament	National Rank
2010-11	19	13	.594	5th	CAA Quarterfinals	97
2009-10	17	14	.548	4th	WNIT 1st round	--
2008-09	24	9	.727	1st	CAA Champions, NCAA 1st round	--
2007-08	18	12	.600	4th	CAA Quarterfinals	--
2006-07	10	21	.323	--	CAA Quarterfinals
2005-06	16	14	.533	--	CAA Quarterfinals	--

Field Hockey

In 2009, women's field hockey reached a number of program milestones. The team won the CAA regular season title, earned its first NCAA Tournament berth and picked up its first NCAA Tournament victory. The team's 19 victories broke their 2008 record of 16 wins. The Dragon's defeated No. 5 University of Connecticut, 3-2, in the first round of the NCAA field hockey championship. They reached the 'round of eight' before losing to No. 1 ranked and undefeated University of Maryland. In 2008, Drexel was also ranked at 14th in the nation, before losing in the CAA semi-finals to Old Dominion.

Annual Record Field Hockey

Year	Wins	Losses	Percent	Conference	Playoffs	National Rank
2010	15	5	.750	2nd	CAA Finals	17
2009	19	4	.826	1st	CAA Champion, NCAA Elite Eight	10
2008	16	4	.800	2nd	CAA Semifinals	14
2007	12	9	.571	3rd	CAA Semifinals	--
2006	8	11	.421	--	--	--

Men's Lacrosse

Men's lacrosse completed 2010 ranked 13th in the final USILA Coaches' Poll for Division I. Drexel reached their highest ever position when they were ranked 7th following the team's first-ever defeat of Notre Dame, the eventual NCAA Division I tournament runner up. In 2008 the Dragons were ranked 15th in the final USILA Coaches' Poll for Division I, reaching the Colonial Tournament finals before losing 10-9 in overtime to Hofstra. This remains the closest the team has come to gaining an NCAA tournament berth.^[4] The Dragons had reached as high as 10th in the national rankings earlier in the season.^[5] In 2007, men's lacrosse defeated University of Virginia, ranked number one at the time and the defending national champion. This was the first victory over a number one ranked Division I team in any sport in Drexel sports history.^[6] Drexel's 1998 lacrosse squad finished the year with a then school record of twelve wins against two defeats. The season included a 14 to 10 defeat of a top 20 team, Towson University, eleven straight wins to start the season and a number 19 ranking. This win total has since been eclipsed by the 2008 lacrosse team which had 13 victories. Drexel has had 34 lacrosse All-Americans since beginning the sport in 1941. ^[7] Though Drexel has not appeared in the current version of the NCAA Division I tournament, Drexel's lacrosse team did get an invitation to the 1972 and 1973 USILA 'small college' tournament, which was a year end tournament format for the top non-Division I schools. In 69 seasons, Drexel has an all-time record of 369 wins, 402 losses and 3 ties.

Annual Record Men's Lacrosse

Year	Wins	Losses	Percent	Conference	Playoffs	National Rank
2011	8	6	.571	5th	--	--
2010	10	5	.667	3rd	CAA Semifinals	13
2009	7	8	.467	T-3rd	CAA Semifinals	--
2008	13	4	.764	T-1st	CAA Finals *	15
2007	11	5	.688	T-1st	CAA Semifinals	17
2006	5	9	.357	5th	--	--
2005	9	5	.643	5th	--	--

• Lost CAA tournament finals in overtime to Hofstra

Women's Lacrosse

Women's lacrosse completed 2011 with their first ever Colonial Tournament appearance after a fourth place conference finish. The season included a total of three Colonial conference wins, the most since 2007. Charlotte Wood in 2011 was the first Drexel women's lacrosse player to be named to the Tewaaraton Trophy award list, which is composed of the top lacrosse players from all three collegiate divisions. In 28 seasons, Drexel has an all-time record of 181 wins, 260 losses and 2 ties.

Annual Record Women's Lacrosse

Year	Wins	Losses	Percent	Conference	Playoffs	National Rank
2011	9	8	.529	4th	CAA Semifinals	--
2010	10	7	.588	6th	--	--
2009	8	9	.471	8th	--	--
2008	10	7	.588	7th	--	--
2007	12	5	.706	5th	--	--

Rowing

Drexel has also had success participating in the Dad Vail Regatta, the largest regular intercollegiate rowing event in the USA, held on the Schuylkill River. Their rowing teams have won gold medals in the 1997 Men's Frosh/Novice and Men's JV Eight, silver in the 2000 Men's JV Eight, as well as bronze in the 2005 Women's Varsity Heavyweight Eight. The 2005 Women's Varsity Heavyweight Eight participated in the Women's Henley Regatta competing for the Jeffries Cup. However they were eliminated in the first round of duals by Neptune Rowing Club of Ireland.

Recently, the Drexel Rowing program has made significant strides in the rowing community. In the 2010 spring season at the Dad Vail Regatta, the Men's Second Varsity eight and the Men's Varsity pair took gold medals; while the Men's Freshman eight came across the line with a silver medal. The Women's Varsity eight placed third overall and the Women's Second Varsity eight finished just shy of a medal in fourth. The Women's Varsity eight then continued their success a few weeks later at the Royal Henley Woman's Regatta on the Thames River in England, finishing in first place to claim the Elite 8 championship title and the Sports Council Cup.

Rugby

In 2009, the Drexel women's rugby team won the National Women's Collegiate Division IV championship sponsored by the National Small College Rugby Organization.^[8]

Shotokan Karate

From 1988 through 2004, Drexel won eleven National Collegiate Karate Association team kata and kumite championships.^[9]

Soccer

Drexel has one major National Championship to its credit. In 1958 with a 12-0-0 record, the men's soccer team was awarded the national title by the Intercollegiate Soccer Football Association of America, then the governing body of men’s college soccer.^[10] This occurred the year before the NCAA instituted a playoff system and so Drexel's championship is not officially recognized today by the NCAA. The 1963 men’s soccer team at 10-3-1 and the 1972 team at 9-5-0, subsequently earned NCAA tournament berths. Men's soccer has a Division I Record of 448-356-78 in 60 seasons. Drexel last won the CAA regular season title in 2007, finishing at 11-5-3 in a tie for first with Old Dominion and reaching then CAA tournament semifinals.

Squash

Squash is an emerging sport at Drexel University. The men's team was founded in 2005 by Evan Cyrkin and Justin Burkholder and the women's by Violetta Shubayeva in 2007. Both, the Drexel Men's and Women's Squash teams, compete in the intercollegiate circuit as well as the Philadelphia Squash Racquets Association,^[11] On April 25th 2011, the Drexel Athletics Director, Dr. Eric Zillmer, announced the addition of men's and women's squash as varsity programs that will begin competing in the 2011-12 academic year. It was also announced that John White (squash player) will lead both the men's and women's programs as Head Coach. ^[12]

The Drexel Men's Squash team was the winner of the Chaffee Division in the intercollegiate College Squash Nationals (CSA) held at Princeton in February 2009,^[13] with a final national ranking of 33. The year before, the men's team finished 35th at the Men's National Intercollegiate Championships held at Harvard University in February 2008.^[14] In 2009-2010 season, the Drexel Squash team lost their ranking and placed 39th at the CSA national's held at Yale University in February 2010.^[15] The Men's team finished ranked 46th in the nation for the 2010-11 season after the CSA Nationals held at Harvard University in February 2011. ^[16]

The Drexel Squash Club also has strong ties through volunteer work with Squash Smarts, a Philadelphia Youth Enrichment Program, which combines the sport of squash with academic tutoring and mentoring of under-served urban youth, in order to develop self-esteem and discipline through academic, athletic and personal achievement.^[17]

Other sports

• In Wrestling, Coach Jack Childs has a record of 405-256-9 in 33 seasons at Drexel, and recently earned his 500th career coaching victory, becoming just the fifth coach in collegiate history to accomplish the feat. Childs coached the school's first NCAA All-American in 2004 when Rob Rebmann placed 7th at the NCAA Tournament.

Athletic teams

Men's Basketball Crew Golf Lacrosse Soccer Swimming and Diving Squash Tennis Wrestling

Women's Basketball Crew Field Hockey Lacrosse Soccer Softball Swimming and Diving Squash Tennis

Notable athletes

Basketball

• Drexel basketball teams have included both locally and nationally known players such as Michael Anderson and Malik Rose. Rose and Anderson are the only Drexel alumni to play in the NBA. Several other Drexel alumni have been drafted by NBA teams including: Randy Burkert (9th round of 1982 draft by Philadelphia 76ers), Rich Congo (7th round of 1984 draft by Philadelphia 76ers), and Michael Mitchell (9th round of 1984 draft by Philadelphia 76ers).^[18] The Dragons have earned four NCAA Division I basketball tournament berths since moving to Division I in 1973 and four Division II tournament berths, the most notable being the 1996 tournament where Rose led the team to their only NCAA tournament victory, a first round upset of fifth-seeded Memphis.
• Nicole Hester – 2008 Philadelphia Sports Writers Association "Most Courageous" Award
• Gabriela Marginean – 2009 Philadelphia Sports Writers Association "Outstanding Amateur Athlete"

Lacrosse

• Former Drexel lacrosse head coach Chris Bates played professionally for the Philadelphia Wings tallying 29 goals and 49 assists in 73 games, winning NLL championships in 1994, 1995 and 1998 with the club, and making the All-Pro team in 1996. In 2009, Bates was named head lacrosse coach at Princeton University, replacing legendary coach Bill Tierney.^[19]
• Scott Stewart, who played one year of lacrosse at Drexel and graduated in 2001, was the third overall pick in the 2001 NLL draft and had tabulated 117 goals with 127 assists in his career through 2008. Also Jeff Spano, another 2001 graduate, played professionally from 2003 to 2008 with the Philadelphia Wings and the New York Titans, accumulating 28 goals and 78 assists for 106 points in 80 games.

Rowing

• In the sport of rowing, Mark Gerban (who swam for Drexel) was the first person in history to represent Palestine at the 2005 World Championships in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Competing in the Lightweight Men’s Single, he also had the highest placed World Championship finish (16th) of a Palestinian Athlete in any sport.

Soccer

• Jeff Parke was drafted by the Major League Soccer MetroStars in 2004 and is currently a defender on the Seattle Sounders FC.

Swimming & diving

• In 2008, Kate Hynes became Drexel’s first women’s swimming & diving All-American when she placed 13th on the three-meter board at the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships. On the one-meter board, Hynes finished 20th at the national championships.

In general

• Other notable athletes include Lynn B. Ferguson, who was an All-American in both football and lacrosse during his time at Drexel; as well as Dennis Fink who earned the University’s first-ever Division I All-America honor for lacrosse, was the first Drexel player to lead the nation in scoring, and currently remains among the all-time leaders in several NCAA Men's Division I Lacrosse Records categories. Also, Ray Greene who played on one of the first Drexel lacrosse teams is one of only two Dragons in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

DAC Pack

The DAC Pack is the student cheering section for men's and women's basketball games at Drexel University. DAC refers to the Daskalakis Athletic Center, the arena in which the men's and women's home games are played. Founded in 2002, the DAC Pack has grown from 10 people its first year, to a group filling the student section every once in a while. On game days members of the DAC Pack are noticeable by the distinctive yellow shirts with the phrase "DAC Pack" on the front. The DAC Pack has organized such things as the celebration of the tip off of the basketball season (Midnight Madness), half-time contests, organizing trips to the team's away games. The DAC Pack also can be seen attending the various tournaments throughout the year, specifically the season ending conference tournament. The current DAC Pack President is Anthony D'Angelo. ^[20]

See also

Philadelphia portal

• Bill Herrion
• City 6
• Jeff Parke
• Lacrosse in Pennsylvania
• Malik Rose
• Mark Gerban
• Michael Anderson
• Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
• Ray Greene

References

1. ^ "The fairness factor". U.S. News. March 10, 2002. http://www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/020318/archive_020357_3.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-04. 
2. ^ 39°57′38″N 75°12′29″W / 39.96057°N 75.20817°W / 39.96057; -75.20817Coordinates: 39°57′38″N 75°12′29″W / 39.96057°N 75.20817°W / 39.96057; -75.20817
3. ^ Friend, Tom (March 17, 1996). "N.C.A.A. TOURNAMENT: WEST". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9501E7DF1739F934A25750C0A960958260. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
4. ^ "Hofstra Tops #11 Drexel in OT to Win CAA Championship". LaxPower. May 4, 2008. http://www.laxpower.com/laxnews/news.php?story=10980. Retrieved 2008-08-04. 
5. ^ "2008 Matrix for USILA Coaches' Poll for Division I". LaxPower. May 5, 2008. http://www.laxpower.com/polls/matrix_poll.php?pollDate=all&pollType=USILA&pollDiv=I. 
6. ^ "Drexel basketball ranked 35th in nation". The Triangle. January 12, 2007. http://www.thetriangle.org/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=7bd0215a-8891-4ad0-8add-d7b723e79de4. Retrieved 2007-01-29. 
7. ^ LaxPower: All American list
8. ^ "National Small College Rugby Organization: Brackets & Results". http://www.eteamz.com/NSCRO/handouts/. Retrieved 2009-08-29. 
9. ^ "Current and Past Journals of the National Collegiate Karate Association". http://www.iskf-alaska.net/ncka.asp. Retrieved 2009-09-06. 
10. ^ "The Year in American Soccer - 1958". USA Soccer Archives. http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1958.html. 
11. ^ http://www.phillyboast.org/MemberClubs/member_clubs.htm
12. ^ [1]
13. ^ [2]
14. ^ [3]
15. ^ [4]
16. ^ [5]
17. ^ [6]
18. ^ "Players Drafted From Drexel University". Basketball-Reference.com. http://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/draft.cgi?college=drexel. 
19. ^ "Chris Bates Named Head Lacrosse Coach at Princeton". Laxpower.com. 2009-06-29. http://www.laxpower.com/laxnews/news.php?story=15751. 
20. ^ "Pack Mentality". The Mid-Majority. February 2, 2005. http://season1.midmajority.com/archives/2005/02/pack_mentality.php. Retrieved 2007-09-04. 

Further reading

• Thayer, William (2004). Drexel Lacrosse: A History of the Heart. Drexel University. OCLC 57453239. http://idea.library.drexel.edu/handle/1860/502. 

External links

• Drexel University
• Official Drexel Dragons athletics site
• The DAC Pack Official Web Site
• Men's Soccer to Honor '58 National Championship Team During CAA Opener
• American College Soccer, 1946-1959: The Postwar era
• The Year in American Soccer - 1958
• Sports Stats Annual Tournament records
• Drexel Ends ODU'S 17-Year Reign as CAA Champs
• Drexel Captures First ever CAA Title
• Drexel Athletics at Fanbase.com
• Childs Earns 500th Career Coaching Win