While Drexel University is best known for its Division I basketball today, much of its athletic history has faded from memory. For more than a century, Drexel sponsored a wide range of varsity sports — some nationally dominant, others interconnected with student life — that no longer exist in any official capacity.
Rifling:
Few Drexel programs were as successful as its rifling teams, which existed from 1919 to 2003 for both men and women. Originally founded as part of ROTC training, rifling evolved into one of the university’s most competitive sports, particularly for women.
Between 1947 and 1954, Drexel’s women’s rifle team won five national championships in just eight years (1947, 1949, 1950, 1952, and 1954), an extraordinary achievement for the era. Their excellence even drew national attention: Annie Oakley, legendary American sharpshooter, referenced Drexel’s riflewomen in a speech. The team was nicknamed the “Annie Oakleys.”
The program initially practiced and competed in a shooting range built in the basement of Drexel’s Main Building before later competing at the Curtis Hall Range on the fourth floor. Friendly but fierce rivalries developed between the men’s and women’s teams, with on-campus competitions where the losers bought the winners a steak dinner – more often the men, as the women’s team regularly outperformed them.
By the 1980s and 1990s, rifling survived only as a club sport, with shrinking rosters and limited institutional support. The program was ultimately shut down in 2003 due to public safety concerns, a lack of established leadership, and the high cost of renovating and maintaining the rifle range.
Shotokan Karate:
Drexel’s Shotokan Karate program stands as one of the most successful programs in Drexel history, despite never being a traditional varsity sport. Founded in 1968 by Master Teruyuki Okazaki, the program emphasized Shotokan Karate, a Japanese style focused on disciplined movement, power, and control.
From 1988 to 2004, Drexel won 11 National Collegiate Karate Association championships in team kata and kumite, establishing itself as a national powerhouse. Shotokan Karate is an empty-handed form of self-defense that trains the arms and legs systematically, allowing practitioners to control surprise attacks with strength comparable to that of weapon use.
Although karate is no longer a recognized varsity or championship sport at Drexel, the club remains active today, continuing to train students in the Drexel Armory while preserving its legacy.
Track and Field:
Drexel’s relationship with track and field has been cyclical. The men’s program was first established in 1898, making it one of the university’s earliest sports. However, it was disbanded in 1952, only to be reinstated 18 years later in 1970. The women’s program followed in 1993, but both were short-lived.
In 1998, all track and field teams were eliminated due to budgetary constraints, ending varsity competition entirely. Despite this, the sport survives today through the Drexel Running Club, which competes at the national level in the National Intercollegiate Running Club Association Championships.
Baseball:
Baseball has had an uneven history at Drexel. While informal teams existed earlier, the sport was not officially supported until 1924, when the program was coached by Harry O’Brien. Over the decades, Drexel baseball developed rivalries with schools such as the University of Pennsylvania, Haverford, Delaware, and Saint Joseph’s.
The team competed in the Middle Atlantic Conference (later renamed the East Coast Conference) before joining the North Atlantic Conference in 1992. That conference dissolved in 2003 –– the same year Drexel eliminated baseball in an effort to redirect resources toward other athletic programs.
Baseball returned to campus in Fall 2006, but only as a club sport. The club team competes in a conference against some local schools, including West Chester, St. Joseph’s, Penn State, Temple, and Delaware. However, the teams in the conference change from year to year.
Football:
Drexel football once stood at the center of campus life. The first student-organized team was formed in 1892, with the first scheduled season played in 1895. Early games were held in Fairmount Park before the team moved to its first true home field in 1926 at 46th and Haverford Avenue, known simply as Drexel Field. In 1963, the program relocated to what is now Vidas Field.
Over its history, the Dragons competed as independents for much of their existence but were members of two conferences:
- Eastern Pennsylvania Conference (1937-1940), winning the championship in 1937
- Middle Atlantic Conferences (1958-970)
Despite its longevity, the football program was discontinued in 1973 due to funding issues.
Several players went on to notable careers, including:
- Fox Stanton, a halfback and team captain in 1892, who later became a successful coach
- Jim Ostendarp, a halfback from 1946-47, who played professionally for the New York Giants
- Vince Vidas, a left guard and first-string Little All-America selection in both 1955 and 1956, whose name now graces Drexel’s athletic field
The disappearance of these programs reflects broader trends in collegiate athletics: rising costs, shifting student interests, and institutional priorities. Yet, these sports remain a vital part of Drexel’s history.