Returning to the National Stage

Coming off a disappointing 4-8-4 mark a year ago, the men's soccer team looks to regain its form this season. With an experienced group of upperclassmen returning and a solid freshman class coming in, the team is ready to challenge for the Ivy League title.

"The good thing about our group right now is that we have some depth at almost each position," said head coach Bryan Scales. "It's been very competitive throughout preseason so far at each position to get on the field. We've got two, or sometimes three, guys battling for one spot, which is healthy for the program."

Goalkeeping

After losing Doug Allan '02 to graduation, the Red has several goaltender possibilities for the coming season. Junior transfer David Mahoney has been named the starter, while junior Peter Francis will back him up. Mahoney transferred from Brown, where he made four starts in two seasons. Two freshmen, Drew Lessard and Jason Reed, round out the goalkeeping corps.

"We'll decide on a starter before our first game … and see what happens," said Scales. "They've all been working extremely hard, and we'll see where that leads us."

Defense

Senior tri-captain Evan Wiener will be the leader in the back for a young defensive group. Sophomore Robert Russell is coming back after missing all of last season due to an injury. Several freshmen will also be looking to stake out starting positions in the coming season.

"We've got a number of different freshmen who we think can play back there [such as] Ryan Imamura [and] Brian Scruton," explained Scales.

Midfield

After being moved around a lot in 2002, star defenseman Scott Palguta will play in the midfield this year. The team will ask him to produce more offensive opportunities than he did in the backline. Joining him are the other two tri-captains, Ian Pilarski and Arturo Solis. Two other returning midfielders are juniors Peter Lynch and Kyle Jones.

"We've got a lot of guys who can play in the midfield right now," said Scales. "I don't expect we'll have a lot of guys that [will have to] play 90 minutes with players on the bench who can come in and do a great job."

Forwards

Junior Steve Reuter returns to the offense after being the team's second leading scorer in 2002. He will be counted on as a leader up front. Sophomore Andrew George, who led the team in scoring as a freshman, will play a much larger role himself. This is also an area where freshmen will have a chance to get involved.

"Nick [Leonard] is going to be a good player for our team [as he] learns the ropes," commented Scales.

This summer, five members of the Red captured national championships with their club teams. Sophomores Sean Shannon and George helped their team, FC Delco Arsenal, capture its second straight USYSA National Championship. Pilarski, Palguta, and Reuter played for the Cape Cod Crusaders in the Premier Development League, which also won its second straight national title. Palguta and Pilarski were members of the 2002 squad as well.

The trio will attempt to parlay its successes of this summer into a breakout season back on the Hill. The experience gained will likely prove invaluable, as the PDL featured many of the top collegiate players in the country.

Cornell will take a game-by-game approach for the season and will not overlook any of the teams on its schedule.

"We want to win a championship and we want to get to the National Tournament, but we know it's going to take 16 Cup finals to get there," remarked Scales. "We're not going to look ahead and we're not going to worry about what's happened in the past."

On Top of His Game

Spain is known for its rich history, beautiful beaches, and wealth of cultural experiences. But to senior Ian Pilarski, Spain means soccer. After witnessing firsthand the passion that the Spanish have for the game, Pilarski hopes to bring this passion to Cornell this season. With the men's soccer team poised to make a run at the Ivy League title, he will be a pivotal part of the team's success this season. Playing at the midfield, Pilarski is an all-around threat, who commands the respect of his teammates with his athleticism on the field.

But, as any good athlete will tell you, to be the best, you need to stay on top of your game year round. Pilarski knows this all too well.

He spent the summer with the Cape Cod Crusaders of the USL's Premier Development League, the top amateur league in the country. Along with juniors Scott Palguta and Steve Reuter, Pilarski helped the Crusaders capture the PDL National Championship. He and Palguta were also members of the 2002 squad, which also captured the national title.

"Playing with some of the best players in the country definitely helped us prepare better," remarked Pilarski. "It just makes you sharper, makes you think quicker on the field. [Living with Palguta and Reuter all summer,] we learned more about each other and how we play, so hopefully we'll reflect that this season."

Over the summer, the team compiled a 12-4-2 record, with Pilarski recording nine assists, fourth best in the league, along with two goals.

Breaking into the starting lineup his freshman season, Pilarski emerged as an offensive threat with two goals and two assists in 2000. The following season, he led the team in assists with seven, also adding a goal, while earning an All-Ivy Honorable Mention nod.

Despite the team's disappointing run last year, Pilarski continued to shine. While the Red struggled to find the back of the net, Pilarski generated lots of scoring chances and was named to the All-Ivy second team.

"Everything that happened last year just seemed to prepare us even more for this year. Every loss -- it's almost like we want to get revenge on every team that beat us last year," commented Pilarski.

A dedicated worker on and off the field, Pilarski was named one of the captains for this year's squad.

"He's a great leader for the team, really committed, really focused, and just really positive all the time about everything," said sophomore Sean Shannon. "He's a great guy to have as a leader because he's always confident in himself and he leads by example."

As a midfielder, Pilarski has been given free reign to create scoring opportunities in the offensive zone.

"Preferably, I like to receive the ball on the outside, and I like the upper left or right section of the field. It's my kind of area where I can cut players in and cross balls in."

Looking back at his career, Pilarski points to his goal against Harvard last season in the pouring rain as his favorite moment on the field. Off the field, he values the friendship and solidarity of the team.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed the past three years, and hope to make this senior year a memorable one and carry the team as far as possible," said Pilarski.

As the season opens today against St. Bonaventure, Pilarski and the rest of the team are looking for a strong start to a successful year.

"This year, everyone gets along, there isn't a certain clique, which is very important for team chemistry," said Pilarski. "We're a very tight and close-knit group, and the camaraderie is higher than ever."

Sophomore Duo Shines During Summer Play

While most other college students were trying to make a few bucks this summer, sophomores Andrew George and Sean Shannon of the men's soccer team were playing with and against some of the best collegiate soccer players in the country. As members of FC Delco Arsenal of Dowington, Penn, the two helped the team capture its second straight United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) National Title.

Starting at the state level in early June, the team faced just three other teams, and had no trouble advancing to the regionals.

"It always seems that the toughest teams are in the same bracket early on. Our toughest game [in the regionals] was actually against the [Baltimore Bays] and that ended up 1-1," said George.

DELCO and the Bays both posted 2-0-1 records with identical scores, meaning that the teams had to face each other in a penalty shootout to move on to the regional semifinals. Shannon was the fourth shooter for the team, and connected on his shot. His teammate followed suit, hitting the last shot to advance DELCO to the semifinals.

Playing against Rockville Center ProExcel from Eastern New York, George and Shannon were matched up against a familiar face, fellow Cornell teammate Bryan Jonas. But it didn't slow down DELCO.

DELCO defeated Rockville 2-0, and advanced to Nationals with a 6-1 win over the Brooklyn Italians.

"Nationals was unbelievable. There's only four teams, and they're all the top teams in the country," remarked George. "It was a great way to end it, playing against these great teams."

George and Shannon once again faced one of their Cornell teammates, in junior Steve Reuter, a member of Sockers FC. After losing a close game to Sockers FC, the team bounced back against Oklahoma, but had some troubles with Colorado.

Down 2-1 in their last round-robin game with five minutes left, DELCO needed a tie or win to move on.

"There was just tons of home support from our home area at the game, it was pretty cool," said Shannon. "There was a younger girls team from our club and a lot of other teams came down to watch us. The place erupted when [we scored the tying goal.]"

With the tie in hand, the team moved on to the finals, where it faced Sockers FC once again. Reuter, however, was not in the lineup because he was playing with his PDL team. Although it dominated the first half, DELCO was down 1-0 until late in the second, when it netted two goals in the span of five minutes to clinch the championship.

"It's completely different from last year. Last year, we walked through it, we won the national final 5-1. This year was just so much more intense," commented George.

"This one meant a lot more. No team on our club has ever repeated before, so we really wanted to do it," said Shannon.

After competing all summer, both players come into the season in great shape and are ready to help the Red climb to the top of the Ivy League.

"We're really fit going into the season," says Shannon. "We're really sharp because we've been playing all summer, so it helps us out going into the preseason."

While most other college students were trying to make a few bucks this summer, sophomores Andrew George and Sean Shannon of the men's soccer team were playing with and against some of the best collegiate soccer players in the country. As members of FC Delco Arsenal of Dowington, Penn, the two helped the team capture its second straight United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) National Title.

Starting at the state level in early June, the team faced just three other teams, and had no trouble advancing to the regionals.

"It always seems that the toughest teams are in the same bracket early on. Our toughest game [in the regionals] was actually against the [Baltimore Bays] and that ended up 1-1," said George.

DELCO and the Bays both posted 2-0-1 records with identical scores, meaning that the teams had to face each other in a penalty shootout to move on to the regional semifinals. Shannon was the fourth shooter for the team, and connected on his shot. His teammate followed suit, hitting the last shot to advance DELCO to the semifinals.

Playing against Rockville Center ProExcel from Eastern New York, George and Shannon were matched up against a familiar face, fellow Cornell teammate Bryan Jonas. But it didn't slow down DELCO.

DELCO defeated Rockville 2-0, and advanced to Nationals with a 6-1 win over the Brooklyn Italians.

"Nationals was unbelievable. There's only four teams, and they're all the top teams in the country," remarked George. "It was a great way to end it, playing against these great teams."

George and Shannon once again faced one of their Cornell teammates, in junior Steve Reuter, a member of Sockers FC. After losing a close game to Sockers FC, the team bounced back against Oklahoma, but had some troubles with Colorado.

Down 2-1 in their last round-robin game with five minutes left, DELCO needed a tie or win to move on.

"There was just tons of home support from our home area at the game, it was pretty cool," said Shannon. "There was a younger girls team from our club and a lot of other teams came down to watch us. The place erupted when [we scored the tying goal.]"

With the tie in hand, the team moved on to the finals, where it faced Sockers FC once again. Reuter, however, was not in the lineup because he was playing with his PDL team. Although it dominated the first half, DELCO was down 1-0 until late in the second, when it netted two goals in the span of five minutes to clinch the championship.

"It's completely different from last year. Last year, we walked through it, we won the national final 5-1. This year was just so much more intense," commented George.

"This one meant a lot more. No team on our club has ever repeated before, so we really wanted to do it," said Shannon.

After competing all summer, both players come into the season in great shape and are ready to help the Red climb to the top of the Ivy League.

"We're really fit going into the season," says Shannon. "We're really sharp because we've been playing all summer, so it helps us out going into the preseason." - See more at: http://www.cornellsun.com/node/16308#sthash.xwksNZKk.dpuf

Like Football, This Space for Sale

Checking out the NFL schedule for opening week, I came across an interesting matchup: the Bank One Bears against the 49ers.

Now when did Bank One, a banking company when last I checked, acquire a football team?

In June, the Chicago Bears agreed to a multi-year sponsorship deal with Bank One Corp. to become the Bears' presenting partner. While selling stadium rights is now the norm, the Bears were unable to sell the naming rights to the newly renovated Soldier Field because it is a National Historic Monument. Fortunately for them, they reached an agreement with Bank One, and now Soldier Field will be littered with signage that reads "Bears Football presented by Bank One."

Now that the team name can be "presented", the only bastion in sports that remains (somewhat) commercial free is the uniform. Sure, the logo of the apparel company is on the jersey, but it is not displayed prominently. But sometime soon, I guarantee the team's logo will be displaced for some corporate sponsor.

If you think this will never happen, you obviously haven't looked at a European soccer jersey. You will be hard pressed to find the Manchester United crest on its jersey at first glance, as the Vodafone logo is prominently displayed across the center.

Just think of the possibilities here; the Yankees logo could easily be shrunken to accommodate a more prominent larger Adidas logo.

Don't stop at the uniforms, though. Maybe instead of the National Football League, it should be EA Sports presents the National Football League? All the major awards and trophies would be in play too. The Heisman Trophy is already sponsored by Suzuki, why not the Vince Lombardi Trophy or the Stanley Cup? If the O'Brien Trophy -- you know, the NBA Finals trophy-- were sponsored, people would actually know what its name was.

College football has taken the lead in the sponsorship department. Not only is the BCS Trophy sponsored (by Sears of all companies), but also almost every single bowl game has a corporate entity attached. We now have the opportunity to watch such wonderful games as the Continental Tire Bowl and the GMAC Bowl on New Year's.

College basketball could stand to make some more money by selling the naming rights to each different round of the NCAA tournament. How does the Nokia Play-In Game or the Tostitos Sweet 16 sound?

Then again, corporate naming rights can only bring in so much money. Manchester United has taken great strides in alternative money sources. The team offers a full line of financial products, such as mortgages, credit cards, and savings accounts. You can even earn bonuses when the team is doing well! They also have an official team betting partner, Ladbrokes.com (I'm not making this up), and of course a dedicated MU television station, appropriately labeled MU.tv.

Last Thursday the team opened up its own movie theater in attempt to further integrate itself into every aspect of its fans' lives. There is also an official team video game (not EA Sports' FIFA series, ManU has developed its own game).

What's next, weddings on the pitch at Old Trafford?

Of all the sports team in the U.S., the Yankees would have the best chance of being able to offer similar services. The team already has the YES Network, which could be used to pitch Yankees Mutual Funds and the Yankees Travel Agency.

This summer, the Red Devils (Man U, for you non-soccer buffs) sold its franchise player, David Beckham, to Real Madrid for $45 million. This happens over on this side of the pond, but not with big-time players. Maybe if it did, the Texas Rangers could find a team to buy A-Rod (Perhaps the Mets? They did clear out all that payroll). If this was more fashionable, the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators could have sold of some of their players off to avoid bankruptcy.

With every team trying to become a big moneymaker, it is the fans that suffer in the end, as ticket prices continue to climb out of the (semi) affordable range. Four tickets to a Knicks game at the uppermost part of the Garden cost $124, and of course that doesn't include parking, food, etc. Across the river at Shea, the Mets have introduced a ticket-pricing plan where box seats for a game against the Yankees cost $15 more than the same seats for when the Brewers are in town.

While it becomes increasingly more expensive to attend games in person, at least you can still watch your favorite team on television. Well, except if you're a Chicago Blackhawks fan, in which case there are no home games on television at all. Team CEO Bill Wirtz came up with that brilliant idea, and attendance skyrocketed this season to seventh lowest in the NHL.

So as the NFL season starts up this Thursday, be sure to mark September 29 on your calendar. That's when the Bank One Bears play their first game at the new Soldier Field on Monday Night Football. Or maybe by then it will be "Boom! Tough Actin' Tinactin" presents Monday Night Football.

Sharks Sign Swede

After a successful hockey career on the East Hill, Doug Murray '03 has taken the next step in his career, recently signing a contract with the NHL's San Jose Sharks. Murray, a two-time All America defenseman and a Hobey Baker Award Finalist in 2002, was drafted by the Sharks in the eighth round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.

"[Signing with the Sharks] is a step towards a dream come true," said Murray. "It's been a dream of mine to play in the NHL since I started playing hockey as a kid."

This past year, Murray served as co-captain along with classmate Stephen Baby '03, and helped lead the Red to its first Frozen Four appearance in 23 years. Murray recorded five goals and 20 assists, while helping to establish the Red's defense as the best in the country, with a mere 1.36 goals allowed average. The Bromma, Sweden native had quite a following among the Lynah Faithful, as several Swedish flags could be seen in the stands during most games.

With training camp on the horizon in September, Murray participated in the Sharks' summer development camp from July 9-12 at Logitech Ice in San Jose. He was one of six blueliner prospects at the camp, and there are currently five defenseman on the San Jose roster. If Murray does not make the Sharks after training camp, he could be sent to the Cleveland Barons of the AHL or one of the Sharks' other minor league teams.

"I want to use the summer to put myself in a position to get a spot on the team," remarked Murray. "I need to concentrate on what I can control."

Current Cornellians in the NHL include the three-time Stanley Cup champion Joe Nieuwendyk '88 of the New Jersey Devils, Brad Chartrand '96 of the Los Angeles Kings, and Kent Manderville '91 of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Murray will look to join them when training camp starts in mid-September.

W. Lacrosse Wraps Up Season

The women's lacrosse team will close out its regular season tomorrow against Harvard on Schoellkopf Field at 1 p.m. The Red (9-5, 3-3 Ivy) will hold its Senior Day and honor the six members of the Class of 2003 before the game. Tomorrow's game will also be the last game coached by Crimson coach Carole Kleinfelder, who retires after a 24-year career at Harvard that includes a national title and 12 Ivy League championships.

"I think we'll go out with a bang. Last year, [we played Harvard] in our last league game of the season, and we struggled," said senior Sarah Averson.

"We were down four goals and we had to fight back, it wasn't a really good memory against Harvard. We just hope not to repeat that from last year."

The Red pulled out a tight 12-9 win against No. 15 Stanford on Monday, with sophomore Lindsay Steinberg scoring a career-high five goal, two assist performance. Cornell capitalized on the Cardinal's zone defense and was able to score six straight goals early in the game. Stanford fought hard until the end, scoring two goals down the stretch to cut the lead to three, but the Red prevailed.
The Crimson (3-10, 1-5 Ivy) is coming off its first league win of the season, having defeated Columbia, 10-8, last Saturday.

Its leading scorers, Katie Shaughnessy and Elaine Belitsos, have combined for almost half of the team's offensive production this season. Goalie Laura Mancini currently has a 10.44 goals against average and .531 save percentage in 13 starts.

"We have to respect the intensity of the Ivy League," said head coach Jenny Graap '86. "Last year, we had a one-goal game with Harvard, and Harvard was in the same position last year, bottom of the Ivies and an unranked team. They pulled it together, and we beat them 9-8. We need to remember that and play like we did [against Stanford]."

The Red has beaten Harvard four straight times, after dropping the previous 19 contests against the Crimson. The seniors will look to pass the Class of 2002 for most wins in program history with a win tomorrow.

Currently, the classes are tied with 49 wins.

Freshman Allison Schindler can also set a milestone of her own, as she is just three assists away from tying the single season assist record of 27 held by Linda Miller '84.

Senior Sarah Fischer, who missed two games due to injury, returned the lineup last weekend against Yale, and saw more playing time against Stanford on Monday.

The seniors are looking to put forth a solid effort at the culmination of their college careers.

"All the seniors are ready to get out there and have fun, and work a little magic. We want to step on the field and spark the team, and I think that's the focus of our game for Saturday," said senior co-captain Rachel Friedman.

Top Red Sophomores

After only two years on the Hill, the athletes of the Class of 2005 have risen to become integral parts of their respective teams. Through hard work and dedication, they have excelled both on and off the field, and will continue to do so throughout the rest of their careers. In alphabetical order, here are the top 10 sophomores of 2002-2003:

Kate Boyles, Women's Cross Country

Boyles finished second in the Army and LaSalle Invitationals and was the Red's top finisher at the Pre-National Invitational. She earned All-Ivy Second Team honors after placing 12th at the Heptagonal championships at Van Cortlandt in New York City, helping the team take third place in the event. A week later on the same course, Boyles placed 22nd at the NCAA regional championships, at which the team finished sixth out of 36 teams.

Sean Greenhalgh, Men's Lacrosse

After an outstanding freshman campaign, in which he led the team in scoring and was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Greenhalgh currently leads the team in goals this season with 30. He has already surpassed his regular season scoring total from last season with one game still remaining. A preseason All-American honorable mention selection, Greenhalgh has eight multi-goal games, including a six-goal performance against Penn.  He is second in the Ivy League in goals per game and first in game winners with three.

Shellen Goltz, Gymnastics

Goltz was the only member of the Red to earn All-America honors, as she placed fifth in the individual finals at the USAG Collegiate Nationals on the balance beam with a score of 9.600. At the Ivy Classic, she scored a 9.800 on the uneven bars, helping the Red to a second-place finish in the event. At the ECAC Championships, her top-13 finish on beam helped the Red set a new school record with a score of 192.600.

Brad Kitlowski, Football

A linebacker, Kitlowski was named the team's most outstanding defensive player. He was third on the team in overall tackles with 82, 43 solo and 39 assisted, and was second on the team in sacks with 3.5. Kitlowski earned an All-Ivy honorable mention nod, and helped the Red defeat Dartmouth with a 14-tackle, one sack performance. He was seventh in total tackles in the Ivy League, and second in fumbles recovered with two.

Travis Lee, Wrestling

Lee capped off a 34-0 season by capturing the NCAA National Title at 125 pounds, defeating No. 1 seeded Chris Fleeger of Purdue. He is Cornell's first national champion since 1994 and only the second since 1960. Lee was also named Ivy League Wrestler of the Year, as he helped the Red win its 24th Ivy title. At the EIWA championships, Lee won the 125-pound title for the second year in a row, with the Red taking second in the event.

David LeNeveu, Men's Hockey

LeNeveu put up incredible numbers, as he backstopped the Red to its first Frozen Four appearance in 23 years. His goals against average of 1.20 is the lowest in college hockey history, and he led the nation in every goaltending category. One of the three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the most outstanding player in college hockey, LeNeveu was also named Co-ECAC Player of the Year, Ivy League Player of the Year, ECAC Goalie of the Year, and Most Outstanding Player of the ECAC tournament. He broke the single-season shutout record previously held by Ken Dryden '69 with nine -- one shy of the NCAA record.

Lauren May, Softball

May was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year last season, and has continued to dazzle in the 2003 season. Her batting average of .375 is second on the team, and she leads the team in home runs with 11, which is tops in the Ivy League. She also leads the league in RBI with 33, along with teammate Kate Varde. May was twice named Ivy League Player of the Week this season, and has the Red in the hunt for its second Ivy title in three years.

Kara Neal, Women's Diving

Neal competed at the NCAA Zone A Qualifying Meet in the one-meter and three-meter events. She advanced to the finals on the three-meter, finishing 16th with a score of 368.20, fourth among Ivy divers. She also placed 32nd on the one-meter at the meet.

Eric Taylor, Men's Basketball

In the opening game of the season, Taylor scored 30 points, garnering a comparison to Bill Walton from Buffalo head coach Reggie Witherspoon. His 12.7 points per game was sixth in the Ivy League to go with his .558 field goal percentage -- good enough for third in the Ivy League. Taylor also led the team in blocked shots with 25 and rebounds with 7.0 per game.

Katie Thomas, Women's Soccer

Thomas was solid in goal for the Red all season, recording an Ivy-League best six shutouts and not allowing a goal against any non-conference opponents during the regular season. Her goals against average was a minuscule .96 -- fourth lowest in the League -- while recording a save percentage of .840 in 14 starts. Thomas earned an All-Ivy honorable mention nod for the second year in a row. - See more at: http://www.cornellsun.com/node/8991#sthash.DgJ5dhyq.dpuf

After only two years on the Hill, the athletes of the Class of 2005 have risen to become integral parts of their respective teams. Through hard work and dedication, they have excelled both on and off the field, and will continue to do so throughout the rest of their careers. In alphabetical order, here are the top 10 sophomores of 2002-2003:



Kate Boyles, Women's Cross Country

Boyles finished second in the Army and LaSalle Invitationals and was the Red's top finisher at the Pre-National Invitational. She earned All-Ivy Second Team honors after placing 12th at the Heptagonal championships at Van Cortlandt in New York City, helping the team take third place in the event. A week later on the same course, Boyles placed 22nd at the NCAA regional championships, at which the team finished sixth out of 36 teams.

Sean Greenhalgh, Men's Lacrosse

After an outstanding freshman campaign, in which he led the team in scoring and was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Greenhalgh currently leads the team in goals this season with 30. He has already surpassed his regular season scoring total from last season with one game still remaining. A preseason All-American honorable mention selection, Greenhalgh has eight multi-goal games, including a six-goal performance against Penn.

He is second in the Ivy League in goals per game and first in game winners with

three.

Shellen Goltz, Gymnastics

Goltz was the only member of the Red to earn All-America honors, as she placed fifth in the individual finals at the USAG Collegiate Nationals on the balance beam with a score of 9.600. At the Ivy Classic, she scored a 9.800 on the uneven bars, helping the Red to a second-place finish in the event. At the ECAC Championships, her top-13 finish on beam helped the Red set a new school record with a score of 192.600.

Brad Kitlowski, Football

A linebacker, Kitlowski was named the team's most outstanding defensive player. He was third on the team in overall tackles with 82, 43 solo and 39 assisted, and was second on the team in sacks with 3.5. Kitlowski earned an All-Ivy honorable mention nod, and helped the Red defeat Dartmouth with a 14-tackle, one sack performance. He was seventh in total tackles in the Ivy League, and second in fumbles recovered with two.

Travis Lee, Wrestling

Lee capped off a 34-0 season by capturing the NCAA National Title at 125 pounds, defeating No. 1 seeded Chris Fleeger of Purdue. He is Cornell's first national champion since 1994 and only the second since 1960. Lee was also named Ivy League Wrestler of the Year, as he helped the Red win its 24th Ivy title. At the EIWA championships, Lee won the 125-pound title for the second year in a row, with the Red taking second in the event.

David LeNeveu, Men's Hockey

LeNeveu put up incredible numbers, as he backstopped the Red to its first Frozen Four appearance in 23 years. His goals against average of 1.20 is the lowest in college hockey history, and he led the nation in every goaltending category. One of the three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the most outstanding player in college hockey, LeNeveu was also named Co-ECAC Player of the Year, Ivy League Player of the Year, ECAC Goalie of the Year, and Most Outstanding Player of the ECAC tournament. He broke the single-season shutout record previously held by Ken Dryden '69 with nine -- one shy of the NCAA record.

Lauren May, Softball

May was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year last season, and has continued to dazzle in the 2003 season. Her batting average of .375 is second on the team, and she leads the team in home runs with 11, which is tops in the Ivy League. She also leads the league in RBI with 33, along with teammate Kate Varde. May was twice named Ivy League Player of the Week this season, and has the Red in the hunt for its second Ivy title in three years.

Kara Neal, Women's Diving

Neal competed at the NCAA Zone A Qualifying Meet in the one-meter and three-meter events. She advanced to the finals on the three-meter, finishing 16th with a score of 368.20, fourth among Ivy divers. She also placed 32nd on the one-meter at the meet.

Eric Taylor, Men's Basketball

In the opening game of the season, Taylor scored 30 points, garnering a comparison to Bill Walton from Buffalo head coach Reggie Witherspoon. His 12.7 points per game was sixth in the Ivy League to go with his .558 field goal percentage -- good enough for third in the Ivy League. Taylor also led the team in blocked shots with 25 and rebounds with 7.0 per game.

Katie Thomas, Women's Soccer

Thomas was solid in goal for the Red all season, recording an Ivy-League best six shutouts and not allowing a goal against any non-conference opponents during the regular season. Her goals against average was a minuscule .96 -- fourth lowest in the League -- while recording a save percentage of .840 in 14 starts. Thomas earned an All-Ivy honorable mention nod for the second year in a row. - See more at: http://www.cornellsun.com/node/8991#sthash.DgJ5dhyq.dpuf