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Former University of Pennsylvania women’s swimmer and conservative influencer Paula Scanlan is never in a giving mood when it comes to her alma mater, but she was in a joking mood when the university coincidentally came asking for a donation on the same day the Trump administration paused $175 million in its federal funding.
Scanlan, who was one of the female UPenn swimmers forced to share a pool and locker room with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 2021-22 season, told Fox News Digital she often gets requests from the university call center for donations.
By chance, she just so happened to get one on Wednesday, hours after the funding pause was announced.
“They always call me, and they call all alums… obviously, I’m not interested in donating any money. I don’t think I would ever even consider that until I am given an apology about being forced to undress in front of a man in the locker room three times a week.
“But, ironically, yesterday evening was one of the times they chose to call me to ask for a donation… they’re always calling me asking, always asking for money and [Wednesday] was one of the times they chose to do that, which I thought was really funny considering the announcement.”
Scanlan added that the last time she received a request from UPenn for a donation was in February via email.
“This is not a new thing, but I’m sure they’re pressing for cash and that’s definitely something they’re trying to do.”
RILEY GAINES WANTS TO SEND A ‘THANK-YOU NOTE’ TO LIA THOMAS – HERE’S WHY
Paula Scanlan shares her story as a swimmer at UPenn competing against teammate Lia Thomas, the first transgender D-1 athlete to win a title. The “Take Back Title IX” bus tour made its first stop in Scranton, Pennsylvania, rallying against the participation of trans athletes in women’s sports. (Aimee Dilger)
However, Scanlan wants more than just an apology in order for her alma mater to ever have a chance at earning her donation.
“University of Pennsylvania has 150 plus unique things that you can major in, I think that we are looking at mass departments that are completely useless degrees. Students are taking out hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans to major in useless things like gender studies and I think that we need to see them get rid of that,” Scanlan said.
“This is not unique to the University of Pennsylvania and that’s something I would want to see before I’d ever consider donating, not just to my university, but any university across this country.”
Scanlan has been one of the most outspoken critics of UPenn for its decision to roster Thomas on the women’s team dating back to the trans athlete’s women’s debut season in 2021-22.
Scanlan offered anonymous insights to news reports about the emotional impact that Thomas’ presence on the team had on her and other teammates. Then in July 2023, Scanlan openly testified alongside Riley Gaines to members of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government.
HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE
Paula Scanlan, former University of Pennsylvania swimmer, testifies during the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government hearing titled “The Dangers and Due Process Violations of ‘Gender-Affirming Care’ for Children,” in the Rayburn Building on Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Now, three years after the college swimming season that changed her life, she is seeing the institution that put her through that experience pay a hefty financial penalty.
Still, it is not as big of a price as she would like to see it pay.
“I think that it’s obviously a good thing, it’s a good message to send,” Scanlan said. “But it’s only going to make a small difference and I think what they’re probably going to do with the funding cut is probably fire a couple administrators, it’s not going to make overhead change to these departments, to the types of professors they’re hiring, to the ideology they’re teaching.
“I hope that we continue to see people crack down on these kind of campuses and I hope to see reform, but again, this is only a small first step.”
The news of the funding pause has prompted more celebratory responses from some of Scanlan’s former teammates, but they share her belief that further steps must be taken. Former UPenn swimmer Grace Estabrook told Fox News Digital she wants to see all of Thomas’ and other trans athletes’ records and accolades in the women’s category be revoked.
“I am grateful that the administration is recognizing federal violations and taking action, but we still need these institutions to be held fully accountable. This means clear policy changes, the prior records, awards, and recognitions to go back to the women who deserve them, and the institutions who facilitated sexual harassment and our suffering to be fully aware of the wrongs that they have done and the pain they have caused,” Estabrook said.
Estabrook is part of a lawsuit alongside her and Scanlan’s other former UPenn teammates, Margot Kaczorowski and Ellen Holmquist, seeking to have Thomas’ records scrubbed.
Kaczorowski and Holmquist provided a joint statement to Fox News Digital via the Independent Council for Women’s Sports praising the Trump administration for the funding pause as well.
Paula Scanlan, former University of Pennsylvania swimmer, testifies during the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution and Limited Government hearing on gender-affirming care for children. (Jasper Colt-USA TODAY)
“We are so glad that Universities are beginning to see that there is a cost to openly harming female students on their campuses and we hope the pressure only increases. Penn and other universities within the NCAA, under NCAA policy and their own rogue leadership, have violated federal law and hurt women,” the statement read.
“They have knowingly stolen opportunities and awards from women, placed women in physical danger, and facilitated the sexual harassment of female student athletes. Every woman on a college campus and under NCAA regulations should be assured of Title IX protections. Institutions that disregard the well-being of women have to understand they don’t get to rewrite or ignore federal protections that women rely on.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to UPenn for comment.
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Boston Celtics
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade rumors seem to evolve weekly, but two teams have been linked to the former NBA champion and league MVP more than any others: the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
Since trade rumors initially picked up early in the offseason, it’s believed that Antetokounmpo’s preferred trade destination is a title contender in the Eastern Conference. Outside of the obvious Knicks, who are up 2-0 in the NBA Finals, there are a handful of teams that fit that bill: Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Orlando could be considered in that tier of Eastern Conference teams.
However, most teams that have the assets to trade for Antetokounmpo would need to gut the better parts of their lineup in order to make a legal trade happen, and that would make them less likely to be contenders.
That’s the advantage Boston seemingly possesses over just about every other team Antetokounmpo would be willing to play for: its roster would not be depleted in the process of acquiring the ‘Greek Freak’.
Speaking on the Dan Patrick Show, The Athletic’s Sam Amick said the rumors of Antetokounmpo to the Celtics have some serious traction, at least on Antetokounmpo’s end.
“Miami is the loudest noise, you continue to hear that … yes, it appears everybody you talk to says Miami at the deadline had a deal that was close,” Amick said. “So the noise is tied to Miami, but there’s also some understanding that Giannis has questions about what that Miami roster would look like on the other side of the deal.
“I think the Celtics are a pretty intriguing option in terms of being competitive,” Amick added. “This is something we’ve heard from Giannis’s side that the intrigue is real. The respect for Joe Mazzulla, the way that he might see that roster. Do I think it changes things? I don’t know yet. But I think it’s worth watching.”
The seemingly obvious piece for Boston to send back, whether to the Bucks or a third involved team, is Jaylen Brown. Brown has a similar contract to Antetokounmpo’s, and is a quality enough player that he could be the only player the Celtics trade away in the deal, giving them plenty of runway to compete for a championship in the aftermath.
So, from a salary cap-balancing perspective, the trade could be done easily. But Boston will have other factors to consider. Does the fit with Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum together make sense and will it lead to a better title shot? And, even if Brad Stevens thinks it is, does it make sense to trade away your longest tenured player who has already proven he can win a championship alongside Tatum.
Brown’s name has been dangled in a few different rumored trade scenarios over the last few offseasons, but no other occasion has had this much traction behind it.
And for the Bucks, trading Antetokounmpo appears to be a near-certainty at this juncture.
“It seems very likely … it’s not often you have an owner publicly framing the timeline, and that’s what Jimmy Haslem did. We just saw Jimmy Haslem do a blockbuster trade with Myles Garrett in the NFL, showing he’s certainly ready to pull that trigger if he needs to. I do expect it to happen.”
So the Heat and Celtics, who have built quite a fierce rivalry in the 21st century, and especially with their recent playoff clashes, will be pitted against each other once more. This time, Antetokounmpo is up for grabs.
Stevens entered the offseason saying he’d do everything in his power to make Boston a more competitive team and bring them another championship. He also said he’d take a dunk over a 3-pointer on every possession if he could. If he lands Antetokounmpo, he just might get both his wishes.
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PHOTO BY DAVE BRYCE PHOTOGRAPHY
From warm maple and mossy green finishes on its cabinetry to the brass plumbing fixtures on the sink, the kitchen of this Treesdale home in Adams Township is all about natural warmth and soft color.
It’s a space that architect Robert Gaskill of Gaskill Architecture, who spearheaded the renovation project, describes as timeless and collected.
“The classic cabinetry, use of natural stone, brass hardware and rich, warm maple wood tone has been relevant for decades and will continue to age beautifully,” Gaskill says. “Rather than leaning into trendy design elements, this kitchen design focuses on authenticity. The layered materials give this kitchen timeless character, which makes it feel as if it evolved over time rather than being tied to a specific moment.”
PHOTO BY DAVE BRYCE PHOTOGRAPHY
The kitchen’s ageless design led to it being named Best Renovated Kitchen in Pittsburgh Magazine’s Best of Design contest.
“I think the kitchen feels really cozy; it’s going to be a great place for people to gather,” says judge Katie Savakis, a project designer at Vocon’s Cleveland office. “This kitchen feels very Ralph Lauren, but in the best way.”
Judge Crystal Knapik, an architect and senior associate at CannonDesign in St. Louis, also praised the contrast in the materials.
“I like how they choose that mossy green to be the main character of the kitchen,” she says. “They balanced the dark tones with the bright white ceiling and the white marble on the island.”
Art Rectenwald purchased the home in 2022 and shares it with his wife, Irinia, and his daughter, Annabelle. (“Plus two dogs, two cats, ten chickens and five horses,” he adds.)
The kitchen renovation originally wasn’t part of an overall home addition, but as the project evolved, it became clear the existing builder-grade space wasn’t going to cut it. Rectenwald says that the previous kitchen was “bland and low quality,” but calls the updated space “cozy, beautiful and efficient.”
PHOTO BY DAVE BRYCE PHOTOGRAPHY
Irina Rectenwald is an architect specializing in environmental design, and her husband says her vision and research provided the primary inspiration for the space. Gaskill seconds this, adding that the selections were “heavily guided by the homeowners’ aesthetic preferences and style.”
The cabinetry pairs a warm maple finish on the range wall and island with a mossy green painted finish on the side elevations. The refrigerator is fully integrated within tall maple cabinetry, allowing it to blend seamlessly into the design. Two tiled towers also frame the range wall, introducing texture while creating niches for displaying personal objects.
“The tiled corner niches are my favorite,” Rectenwald says. “Our corners now display sculptures and artwork versus blenders and coffee makers.”
The homeowners add it feels good to know that their vision, and the hard work that went into bringing the space to life, is appreciated.
“The finished product is everything and more of what we hoped for,” Rectenwald says. “Every detail turned out how we envisioned or better.”
Vendors
Architectural Design: Gaskill Architecture
Interior Design: Gaskill Architecture
General Contractor: TK Construction
Cabinetry: Beahm and Son Ltd. Custom Cabinetry
Fixtures: Brizo
Countertops: Top It Off Granite
Tile: The Tile Shop
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