PHILADELPHIA -- The University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team will attempt to set their all-time single home game attendance record on Dec. 19, when they host Drexel University at noon as part of the annual NCAA “Pack the House” Challenge. All members of the Penn community are encouraged to cheer on the Quakers and help set the attendance record at the Palestra. In addition, as part of the Philadelphia Daily News and Philadelphia Inquirer Newspapers In Education Program, the team will host Penn Field Trip Day for local-area schools to see the game for free.

Philadelphia-area K-8 schools that register for Penn Field Trip Day will receive a News In Education packet containing educational activities for all grades, along with free admission to the game. Schools can obtain an order form and further details about the event by sending their contact information to quaker@pobox.upenn.edu.

Penn will be competing with fellow participating Division I schools for the title of 2008-2009 “Pack the House” champion. During the promotion, which runs until Feb. 16 of next year, schools will have the opportunity to earn prizes benefiting their women’s basketball program, including travel vouchers and money donated to their favorite charity.

The 2007-2008 edition of the “Pack the House” Challenge saw 76 schools break their single home game attendance records from the previous season, and six boasting sellouts on the day that they held the promotion. In all, 198 schools participated across the country, bringing the total number of fans attending “Pack the House” games to 592,624.