PHILADELPHIA – "Athletics for women have come to Penn to stay." So say the words on page 60 of the 1921 Record, the University of Pennsylvania's annual undergraduate Yearbook.
 
A century later, as we celebrate the 35th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day, that statement remains as true as ever.
 
Starting this month and continuing through the next year, the University's Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics (DRIA) will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 1921 formation of the Women's Athletic Association (WAA) and the official start of women's athletics at the University. This will include content on the PennAthletics.com website and Penn Athletics social media accounts, and the University's 16 varsity women's teams will wear specially made patches on their uniforms to commemorate the anniversary. Additional plans are being developed and will be announced throughout the year.
 
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"We are so proud to be celebrating 100 years of women's athletics at Penn this year," said Dr. M. Grace Calhoun, the T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W'69 Director of Athletics and Recreation. "Penn has one of the longest traditions of women's college athletics in the nation, and can boast of Olympians, national champions, Hall of Famers and Ivy League team and individual champions. After graduating, our women's athletes have positively impacted their workplaces and communities, and for that we are equally proud. We see this as a galvanizing moment to bring together our women's athletes, both past and present, to commemorate a century of excellence."
 
As the 1921 Record continued, "no provision had been made for athletics, but a group of determined young women arranged for a Penn class at the West Branch YMCA. In spite of the distance and inconvenience, the girls turned out nobly and practiced basket-ball assiduously.
 
"Perhaps this interest woke up the authorities at Penn, for in February we were offered Gym classes two hours every day at Kingsessing Playground and given an instructor, Miss Majer. The work was given only elective credit but over fifty girls came out. Thanks to Miss Majer, we had splendid basket-ball teams and now are developing baseball and tennis teams. Our girls played about eight games with outsiders…the list of teams included Bryn Mawr College, Philadelphia Hockey Team, Temple, Drexel, and Sherwood.
 
"Our biggest basket-ball game, however, was the Sophomore-Freshman game. The best material from each team was picked and the class numerals offered for the winners. The game was a scrappy one and well-fought. In the end, the Sophomores won by a very few points.
 
There is also this passage from the University's Archives page: "With this new commitment to women's athletics, the Undergraduate Association supported the 1921 establishment of a Women's Athletics Association, with a constitution and four officers." The WAA's first officers were Catherine Riggs (President), Genevieve McDermott (Secretary), Georgina Yeatman (Treasurer) and Mildred Dougherty (Manager).
 
The year-long celebration of women's athletics at Penn is being sponsored by ACME Markets. ACME's sponsorship was procured through a collaboration between ACME's agency (TKE, LLC) and JMI Sports, the exclusive multimedia rights partner of Penn Athletics.
 
"As ACME celebrates 130 years of serving Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, we couldn't be prouder to recognize the 100th anniversary of women's athletics at Penn," said Dana Ward, ACME's Communications and Public Affairs Manager. "We are honored to be a part of the Penn community and thrilled to take part in such a significant milestone. Our newest location at 40th and Walnut looks forward to providing quality, fresh and unique food offerings for students, faculty, and neighbors for many years to come. Congratulations to the women who contributed to building this legacy for Penn athletics and those who continue to raise the bar!"
 
About ACME Markets
ACME Markets began in 1891 when two friends, Samuel Robinson and Robert Crawford, opened a small neighborhood grocery store in South Philadelphia, emphasizing quality products, low prices, and friendly service. 130 years later, ACME remains dedicated to providing a high-quality grocery experience that our customers have come to expect. Today, ACME operates 163 stores, including 102 ACME Pharmacies at select locations, in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland, employing over 18,000 associates. During 2020, the ACME Markets Foundation and its Nourishing Neighbors initiative provided over $6 million in financial support to local hunger organizations. The company and its associates remain committed to the communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.acmemarkets.com.
 
ACME Markets is a part of Albertsons Companies' Mid-Atlantic Division (NYSE: ACI). Locally great and nationally strong, Albertsons Cos. is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States.

About TKE
TKE, LLC, is a full-service marketing agency that is sought out for its ability to develop and activate collaborative campaigns and sponsorship procurement for properties and events. Flawless execution, delivering on client expectations, and positive ROI outcomes are the pillars of TKE's foundation. Established by BJ Zellers—a former Penn field hockey/lacrosse standout who was a Class IV inductee into the Penn Athletics Hall of Fame—over the past two decades TKE has served clients locally and nationally with its focus on one-on-one engagement to "Create Conversations with Your Customers." For more information, please visit www.marketingbytke.com.
 
About JMI Sports
JMI Sports is a full-service collegiate marketing firm providing the highest quality management of athletics multimedia rights. Breaking new ground in the creation of the Total Campus Marketing program, JMI Sports works hand-in-hand with each university in the pursuit of their success, maximizing their economic potential. JMI Sports manages an impressive list of signature partnerships including the University of Kentucky, Clemson University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh, the Ivy League, and joint-venture properties of the University of Georgia and Columbia University (with IMG College), as well as the University of Notre Dame (with Legends). In addition, JMI Sports has been retained by the Patriot League and the Mountain West League to expand and develop multi-media and partnerships sales for the leagues at-large. Founded in 2006 by Erik Judson and technology entrepreneur John Moores, former owner of the San Diego Padres, JMI Sports is also a highly regarded project manager for the development of collegiate and professional sports facilities.