Welcome back to campus! Whether you are returning to campus or are here for the first time, it is the perfect time to become a Drexel sports fan. Athletic events on campus happen all year long. Sporting events are a great way to show school spirit, support student-athletes and are something fun to do after classes.
Drexel has 18 Division I sports teams that compete in the NCAA-affiliated Coastal Athletic Association conference. Other colleges in this conference include Northeastern, William and Mary, Stony Brook, and Hofstra. In recent years, Drexel has found much success in the CAA, with 11 teams finishing in the top three of their conference last year.
The most popular sports on campus include men’s and women’s basketball, women’s field hockey, women’s lacrosse and men’s soccer. The current fall sports are men’s and women’s soccer and field hockey.
Drexel’s rivalries are a debated topic, but the main contenders include UPenn, Towson and Monmouth. Towson and Monmouth are both in the CAA and are the two colleges closest to Drexel. In addition, these two schools are competitive with Drexel in many different sports. UPenn is also considered a rival due to proximity, but since Penn and Drexel are in different conferences, competitions between the two are more about bragging rights.
The biggest athletic event of the year is the Big 5 basketball tournament. The event consists of six Philadelphia-area college basketball teams: Drexel, La Salle, Saint Joseph’s, Temple, Penn and Villanova. Drexel is a relative newcomer to the tradition, as the men’s basketball team first competed in 2024. Round-robin games begin in November, with the championship game happening on Saturday, Dec. 6 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. The women’s basketball round-robin games follow the same schedule, with their championship game taking place on Sunday, Dec. 7th at the Finneran Pavilion in Villanova.
While Drexel is a university more known for its co-op program than athletics, that does not mean athletes have not found success here. Examples of famous student-athlete alumni include Justin Best, a rower who won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics and delivered the commencement address for the class of 2025. Additionally, Amari Williams, a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year in men’s basketball, recently was selected in the NBA draft by the Boston Celtics.
If you are not a D1 athlete but are still interested in playing sports competitively, there are two options: club sports or intramurals. Drexel has over 39 different club sports to choose from. The tryout process for each team varies, but most teams begin competition in the fall quarter. Instructions on joining a club sport can be found on the University’s recreation website.
Intramural sports, which are more casual than club sports, allow groups of students to play in games against each other. Fall intramurals usually include sports such as soccer, flag football and volleyball. Registration for intramurals happens on IMLeagues and opens during the first few weeks of each term.
Whether you compete as an athlete or cheer as a fan, Drexel Athletics has something for everyone. Be sure to check out a game this season!
The Square’s Cheat Sheet to Drexel Sports
Team name: Drexel Dragons
Team colors: Blue and gold
Mascot: A dragon named Mario the Magnificent, named after alumni Mario Mascioli, who attended every single basketball game for over 20 years
Basketball arena: The Daskalakis Athletic Center, but students refer to it as “The DAC”
Entry to events: Always free for students!