Women's Basketball Captures CAA Title, Earns NCAA Bid
The Drexel women's basketball team captured the program's third CAA title after defeating the top-seeded Stony Brook Seawolves, 68-60. With the victory, Drexel earned the Coastal Athletic Association's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Amaris Baker was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after scoring 19.8 points per game. She was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Chloe Hodges and Brooke Mullin. The Dragons received a 16-seed and played top-seeded Texas in the first round of the NCAA tournament at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
Women’s Lacrosse Secures Fourth Straight NCAA Bid, Earn National Ranking
Women's lacrosse, which finished the season ranked #21 nationally, became the first program in Drexel history to qualify for the NCAA Championship in four consecutive seasons, securing an at-large bid to the 2024 Tournament. The Dragons also advanced to the CAA title game, prior to facing Princeton in the NCAA opening round.
Men’s Basketball Celebrates Inaugural Big 5 Season; Women’s Basketball Officially Joins Big 5
A historic victory over nationally-ranked Villanova in the Big 5 Classic at the Wells Fargo Center highlighted men’s basketball’s inaugural season in the famed Philadelphia city series, which included the season opener at La Salle and the unfurling of streamers in front of a capacity crowd for the first-ever Big 5 game at the DAC against Temple.
It was also announced that Drexel would join the Big 5 in women’s basketball for the 2024-25 season. The inaugural Women's Big 5 Classic will be held at the Finneran Pavilion on the campus of Villanova University on December 6, 2024.
Drexel Captures Overall Title and Third Consecutive Men’s Crown at Dad Vail Regatta
Men's rowing won the title at the Dad Vail Regatta for the third consecutive year. They also combined with the women's team to claim the overall points trophy and the men’s and women’s Varsity 8 crews both earned gold medals.
Alumnus Justin Best ’19 and Team USA Win Gold in the Men’s Rowing Four at the Paris Olympics
Drexel alumnus Justin Best ’19 and Team USA captured gold in the men's four at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Best became the first Dragon in school history to win a gold medal at the Olympic games. The boat of Nick Mead, Best, Michael Grady, and Liam Corrigan took the lead off the jump and never looked back. The team crossed the line with a time of 5:49.03, prevailing over silver medalist New Zealand by nearly half a boat length.
This is the first gold medal for the United States in the event since the 1960 Rome Olympics and the first medal since 2012. The Americans have now taken gold three times overall in the men's four. Best, who is from Kennett Square, Pa., was competing in his second Olympic Games. Drexel's only previous medal won at the Olympics came back in 1972. Charles Horter, a member of Drexel's Athletics Hall of Fame, won a bronze medal in sailing at the Munich Games.
Men’s Squash Captures MASC Title, Claims Top Honors
Men's squash concluded the year ranked seventh in the nation and took down No. 9 Virginia to win the Holley Cup, capturing the Middle Atlantic Squash Conference (MASC) title for the first time in program history. The team competed for the Potter Cup, falling in the quarterfinals to top-ranked Trinity at the Collegiate Squash Association National Championship.
Head coach John White was named the MASC Men's Co-Coach of the Year with the Dragons sweeping the men's MASC major awards. Nico Serna was honored as a Second Team All-American and became the first player in program history to be recognized as the Mid-Atlantic Squash Conference Men's Player of the Year, while Youssef Bastawy became the second player in program history to be named MASC Rookie of the Year.
Women’s Rowing Qualifies for Henley Royal Regatta
The Drexel women's rowing Varsity 8+ team became the first boat in program history to qualify for the Island Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta in Henley-on-Thames, England. The team of Chloe Speciale (Coxswain), Taylor Powell (Stroke), Kira Tracy, Julianna Rogers, Mollie Knoff, Ariana Townsend, Rita Keefer, Sarah Ghazaz and Kayla Driscoll were one of 13 teams to qualify for the Cup.
The Varsity 2x team of Fiona Steele (Stroke) and Margaret Dobrenko (Bow) also competed for the Stoner Challenge Trophy.
Drexel Hosts NCAA Lacrosse Championships
Drexel hosted the 2024 NCAA Lacrosse Championships at Lincoln Financial Field from May 25- 27. All three NCAA Division champions were crowned over Memorial Day weekend. This marked the second year in a row, and sixth time overall, that Drexel Athletics hosted this prestigious event.