PHILADELPHIA – One of the most decorated players in the University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team's program history, Sydney Stipanovich has been named to the Philadelphia Big 5 Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
 
A dominant post presence, Stipanovich led the Quakers to their first-ever Big 5 title in 2015 and three Ivy League championships (2014, 2016, 2017), anchoring one of the most successful eras in program history. The St. Louis native was a four-time All-Ivy and three-time All-Big 5 selection, while becoming the first player in Ivy League history—men's or women's—to be named both Ivy League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season, doing so in 2015-16.
 
Stipanovich was recognized as the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year three times (2014, 2015, 2016), another league first, and was a unanimous First-Team All-Ivy selection twice. She earned Ivy League Rookie of the Year and Big 5 Rookie of the Year honors in 2013–14, becoming the first freshman in league history to win four Ivy Player of the Week awards.
 
By the end of her career, Stipanovich had etched her name throughout the record book. She graduated as both Penn's all-time blocks leader and the Ivy League's all-time leader—across both women's and men's basketball—in career blocked shots (317). She also became the 21st player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points (finishing with 1,386) while setting single-game (9 in 2013-14) and single-season (99 in 2013-14) records for blocked shots.
 
"Sydney's induction into the Big 5 Hall of Fame is a true testament to the lasting impact she made on the Penn Women's Basketball and the Philadelphia basketball community," said Mike McLaughlin, the head coach of Penn women's basketball. "She was an exceptional player and an even better person. Sydney helped lead us to our first Big 5 championship in program history in 2015, doing so with humility, toughness, and an incredible work ethic. She elevated everyone around her and set the standard for what it means to be part of Penn Women's Basketball. This honor is so well deserved, and I couldn't be prouder of her."
 
Stipanovich will join four other former student-athletes—Temple's Dionte Christmas, Villanova's Dante Cunningham, La Salle's Amy Griffin, and Saint Joseph's Carlin Worley—and one member of the media—the Philadelphia Inquirer's Joe Juliano—to be inducted.
 
Recognition will take place during the Men's Toyota Big 5 Classic at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday, December 6 and the Women's Big 5 Classic at Villanova's Finneran Pavilion on Sunday, December 7.
 
For the latest on Penn Women's basketball, follow @PennWBB on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.