Errick Peck in the Indy Star

Cathedral's Peck commits to Cornell

By Nat Newell
IndyStar.com
March 31, 2009

Cathedral High School basketball star Errick Peck admits the recruiting process was frustrating. He did what the Irish needed, playing inside and leading the seventh-ranked team in Class 4A in rebounding; but major Division I programs didn't get to see what the 6-foot-6 forward could do out on the floor and no scholarship offers were extended.The situation was disappointing, but Peck recognizes most people would embrace his second choice: He has committed to Cornell.

"I was looking for a major Division 1 [program] but I believe this is the best thing," said Peck, who had offers from six mid-major programs. "Looking at the academic side of things, it's the Ivy League. From the athletic standpoint, I'll get an opportunity to play right away and they've played in the NCAA Tournament the last two years so I'll receive that exposure."

Peck, who plans to major in Business Administration, averaged 14.4 points and 11.1 rebounds for a 20-3 Cathedral team but will have to play on the perimeter at the Division I level. He expected to get an opportunity to showcase those skills for his summer team but injuries forced him inside then, too. Penn State was recruiting him but dropped out and an offer from Indiana or Purdue never materialized.

"It's very frustrating because I feel like I can play with those (Big Ten) players after practicing with (Purdue recruit) Kelsey (Barlow)," Peck said of his Irish teammate. "(Playing inside) hurt me a lot. (But) I believe this is the best thing. I still have this hunger to work harder because I've been disrespected. I'll get the chance to play in the NCAA Tournament and you right your own ticket then."

Errick Peck in the Indy Star

Cathedral's Peck commits to Cornell

By Nat Newell
IndyStar.com
March 31, 2009

Cathedral High School basketball star Errick Peck admits the recruiting process was frustrating. He did what the Irish needed, playing inside and leading the seventh-ranked team in Class 4A in rebounding; but major Division I programs didn't get to see what the 6-foot-6 forward could do out on the floor and no scholarship offers were extended.The situation was disappointing, but Peck recognizes most people would embrace his second choice: He has committed to Cornell.

"I was looking for a major Division 1 [program] but I believe this is the best thing," said Peck, who had offers from six mid-major programs. "Looking at the academic side of things, it's the Ivy League. From the athletic standpoint, I'll get an opportunity to play right away and they've played in the NCAA Tournament the last two years so I'll receive that exposure."

Peck, who plans to major in Business Administration, averaged 14.4 points and 11.1 rebounds for a 20-3 Cathedral team but will have to play on the perimeter at the Division I level. He expected to get an opportunity to showcase those skills for his summer team but injuries forced him inside then, too. Penn State was recruiting him but dropped out and an offer from Indiana or Purdue never materialized.

"It's very frustrating because I feel like I can play with those (Big Ten) players after practicing with (Purdue recruit) Kelsey (Barlow)," Peck said of his Irish teammate. "(Playing inside) hurt me a lot. (But) I believe this is the best thing. I still have this hunger to work harder because I've been disrespected. I'll get the chance to play in the NCAA Tournament and you right your own ticket then."

The Cornell to the Big 10 Debate Continues...

It is now obvious that we are all really missing our beloved Ivy League Basketball...

In the down time of the offseason, we tossed out the idea of "Cornell and the Big 10 potentially... a perfect marriage." Well, it seems like the debate has spread across Ivy blogs. First the Daily Pennsylvanian mocked us, then the Ivy Gate Blog ridiculed the idea as well. Now the Daily Pennsylvanian points out that some of UPenn's alums want the Quakers to join the ACC!

The D.P. writes:

As a follow up to my post yesterday about Cornell joining the Big Ten, Ivy Gate has their own take on the matter. I strongly advise you to take a look at some of the links in that article.

I should add that on the basketball-u boards, a similar discussion of Penn joining the ACC is happening, though most commentators realize that’s not going to happen. Instead, there’s interesting talk about a (hypothetical) conference of solid academic institutions that also have strong athletics (Penn, Duke, Northwestern, Georgetown etc…).

FGM, meanwhile, believes Penn should join the SEC.

The Fire Glen Miller post referenced above is quoted in full down below:

Penn Is Perfect For The SEC

Sometimes Ivy fans like toying with the notion of their school joining another athletic conference, if only to imagine their teams in an alternate universe of scholarship athletes, huge stadiums, subpar academics, recruiting scandals, and "hostesses". Currently, Penn fans are playfully toying with the fantasy of moving the Quakers into the ACC, where the academics are supposedly comparably strong with the Ivy (I assume FSU is being omitted from the discussion). However, some in Ithaca are getting too big for their britches and seriously lobbying for Cornell to move into the Big Ten. Has Cornell's two (WOW!) recent basketball championships and dominance in such big-revenue sports as lacrosse and track got them slightly high? Yes. But at least they're thinking positively. What's next? Princeton to the Big East? Dartmouth to the Pac-10?

It's time for me to jump into this fanciful discussion with a bit of serious talk. I truly believe Penn belongs in the SEC.

Yes, the home of big-time football, frats, illiteracy, and herpes-infested campuses!

I'm from Georgia and a Georgia Bulldogs fan, so please fault me for favoritism. But the following are the similarities between Penn and the average SEC school...

- A large football stadium. Some expansion will be needed to bring Franklin Field (capacity: 52,593) back to its old 78,000 pre-Ivy capacity to compare to the SEC mammoths.

- A longtime football coach who hasn't won anything of late. We have Al Bagnoli, and the SEC has...oh wait...they just fired him, him, and him.

- Bigtime football! To draw these similarities, I'm actually referring to the Quakers' 1923 season yearbook, and not last year's. Imagine our current group trying to bring down Tebow. That's comedy.

- Large student populations. Penn (19,816) vs. Vanderbilt (12,093).

- Giant frat houses. Us vs. them.

- Down-on-its-luck basketball program. I don't think we can talk about program destruction on the scale of Billy Gillespie.

- Hot cheerleaders. Wait. No. "Pale and plump"...meet Crystal.

- Unwanted stepchild schools. Harvard, Yale, and Princeton don't think they need Penn. The rest of the SEC doesn't think they need Mississippi State.

- Our music scenes. UGA's got R.E.M. and the B-52s. We've got John Legend...and Penn Masala.

- The rotting downtown cores next to our campuses. We have Philadelphia. South Carolina has Columbia (far worse). Yes, all Columbia has is one Waffle House. And yes, the sign in front says "Cheesesteak Factory."

- Our shared utter disregard for ice hockey. Cornell can take their elite hockey team and suck it.

- Our shared utter disregard for all sports not titled football and basketball.

- Snobby alumni. Northern WASPs meet Southern gentlemen.

- Equally self-entitled students. Our JAPs have nothing on spoiled Southern plantation babies.

- Need. Penn needs the SEC to bring up their athletic program cred. The SEC needs Penn's academics to balance out LSU.

See Penn and the SEC were made for each other! And before you start talking geographical distance, remember that LSU is just as far in the boonies as we are. All we need is for our administration to care a little more about sports than finding our U.S. News ranking, and our SEC application is as good as a shoo-in!

Did I have fun writing the above stupid article? Yes. Did you have fun reading my senselessness? I hope. But I'm certainly excited for college football again. In March.

Got any more similarities? Add them!

The Cornell to the Big 10 Debate Continues...

It is now obvious that we are all really missing our beloved Ivy League Basketball...

In the down time of the offseason, we tossed out the idea of "Cornell and the Big 10 potentially... a perfect marriage." Well, it seems like the debate has spread across Ivy blogs. First the Daily Pennsylvanian mocked us, then the Ivy Gate Blog ridiculed the idea as well. Now the Daily Pennsylvanian points out that some of UPenn's alums want the Quakers to join the ACC!

The D.P. writes:

As a follow up to my post yesterday about Cornell joining the Big Ten, Ivy Gate has their own take on the matter. I strongly advise you to take a look at some of the links in that article.

I should add that on the basketball-u boards, a similar discussion of Penn joining the ACC is happening, though most commentators realize that’s not going to happen. Instead, there’s interesting talk about a (hypothetical) conference of solid academic institutions that also have strong athletics (Penn, Duke, Northwestern, Georgetown etc…).

FGM, meanwhile, believes Penn should join the SEC.

The Fire Glen Miller post referenced above is quoted in full down below:

Penn Is Perfect For The SEC

Sometimes Ivy fans like toying with the notion of their school joining another athletic conference, if only to imagine their teams in an alternate universe of scholarship athletes, huge stadiums, subpar academics, recruiting scandals, and "hostesses". Currently, Penn fans are playfully toying with the fantasy of moving the Quakers into the ACC, where the academics are supposedly comparably strong with the Ivy (I assume FSU is being omitted from the discussion). However, some in Ithaca are getting too big for their britches and seriously lobbying for Cornell to move into the Big Ten. Has Cornell's two (WOW!) recent basketball championships and dominance in such big-revenue sports as lacrosse and track got them slightly high? Yes. But at least they're thinking positively. What's next? Princeton to the Big East? Dartmouth to the Pac-10?

It's time for me to jump into this fanciful discussion with a bit of serious talk. I truly believe Penn belongs in the SEC.

Yes, the home of big-time football, frats, illiteracy, and herpes-infested campuses!

I'm from Georgia and a Georgia Bulldogs fan, so please fault me for favoritism. But the following are the similarities between Penn and the average SEC school...

- A large football stadium. Some expansion will be needed to bring Franklin Field (capacity: 52,593) back to its old 78,000 pre-Ivy capacity to compare to the SEC mammoths.

- A longtime football coach who hasn't won anything of late. We have Al Bagnoli, and the SEC has...oh wait...they just fired him, him, and him.

- Bigtime football! To draw these similarities, I'm actually referring to the Quakers' 1923 season yearbook, and not last year's. Imagine our current group trying to bring down Tebow. That's comedy.

- Large student populations. Penn (19,816) vs. Vanderbilt (12,093).

- Giant frat houses. Us vs. them.

- Down-on-its-luck basketball program. I don't think we can talk about program destruction on the scale of Billy Gillespie.

- Hot cheerleaders. Wait. No. "Pale and plump"...meet Crystal.

- Unwanted stepchild schools. Harvard, Yale, and Princeton don't think they need Penn. The rest of the SEC doesn't think they need Mississippi State.

- Our music scenes. UGA's got R.E.M. and the B-52s. We've got John Legend...and Penn Masala.

- The rotting downtown cores next to our campuses. We have Philadelphia. South Carolina has Columbia (far worse). Yes, all Columbia has is one Waffle House. And yes, the sign in front says "Cheesesteak Factory."

- Our shared utter disregard for ice hockey. Cornell can take their elite hockey team and suck it.

- Our shared utter disregard for all sports not titled football and basketball.

- Snobby alumni. Northern WASPs meet Southern gentlemen.

- Equally self-entitled students. Our JAPs have nothing on spoiled Southern plantation babies.

- Need. Penn needs the SEC to bring up their athletic program cred. The SEC needs Penn's academics to balance out LSU.

See Penn and the SEC were made for each other! And before you start talking geographical distance, remember that LSU is just as far in the boonies as we are. All we need is for our administration to care a little more about sports than finding our U.S. News ranking, and our SEC application is as good as a shoo-in!

Did I have fun writing the above stupid article? Yes. Did you have fun reading my senselessness? I hope. But I'm certainly excited for college football again. In March.

Got any more similarities? Add them!

We've Made it to the Big Stage!

Cornell Fan Admits Cornell Does Not Belong in the Ivy League

by Max Wasserman
March 31, 2009
IvyGateBlog.com

We've heard it all before. "Cornell shouldn't be in the Ivy League." "It's practically a safety school." "You're not really an Ivy Leaguer if you majored in the Ag School." "Yes I am and you look like a pre-op transexual." What has not been discussed is where the Big Red would go should they leave or be kicked out of the Ivy League--it being an athletic conference after all. Stepping up to fill that void in the discourse is Cornell basketball blog The Cornell Basketball Blog. And boy are they setting their sights high.

Most of the Big 10 schools are large public universities set in collegetowns. The Big 10 schools not only excel in athletics, but they are also regularly ranked among the top national academic universities at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Cornell is very much all of the above.

Genius! By moving from the Ivy League to the Big 10/11, Cornell would improve their academic standing from the eighth-best in the conference to second-, third-, or fourth-best in the conference. But what about being competitive in athletics?

As for athletics, Cornell is a national power in several major sports, including indoor and outdoor track (men's and women's), wrestling, ice hockey, and lacrosse. Even the Cornell men's basketball team made two consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament and finished 2008-2009 with an RPI better than a pair of Big 10 teams (after finishing 2007-2008 ranked ahead of five Big 10 teams).

Wow! They finished better in the RPI than two Big 10 teams this year! If only they had played some of them. And that certainly is a lot of sports Cornell is nationally competitive in. It's hard to think of a single Cornell sports team that isn't good. This is a brilliant idea. It frees Cornell athletics from the shackles of the Ivy League and opens a spot for a school that Harvard and Princeton won't be embarrassed to be seen with. I hear Northwestern may be interested.

We've Made it to the Big Stage!

Cornell Fan Admits Cornell Does Not Belong in the Ivy League

by Max Wasserman
March 31, 2009
IvyGateBlog.com

We've heard it all before. "Cornell shouldn't be in the Ivy League." "It's practically a safety school." "You're not really an Ivy Leaguer if you majored in the Ag School." "Yes I am and you look like a pre-op transexual." What has not been discussed is where the Big Red would go should they leave or be kicked out of the Ivy League--it being an athletic conference after all. Stepping up to fill that void in the discourse is Cornell basketball blog The Cornell Basketball Blog. And boy are they setting their sights high.

Most of the Big 10 schools are large public universities set in collegetowns. The Big 10 schools not only excel in athletics, but they are also regularly ranked among the top national academic universities at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Cornell is very much all of the above.

Genius! By moving from the Ivy League to the Big 10/11, Cornell would improve their academic standing from the eighth-best in the conference to second-, third-, or fourth-best in the conference. But what about being competitive in athletics?

As for athletics, Cornell is a national power in several major sports, including indoor and outdoor track (men's and women's), wrestling, ice hockey, and lacrosse. Even the Cornell men's basketball team made two consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament and finished 2008-2009 with an RPI better than a pair of Big 10 teams (after finishing 2007-2008 ranked ahead of five Big 10 teams).

Wow! They finished better in the RPI than two Big 10 teams this year! If only they had played some of them. And that certainly is a lot of sports Cornell is nationally competitive in. It's hard to think of a single Cornell sports team that isn't good. This is a brilliant idea. It frees Cornell athletics from the shackles of the Ivy League and opens a spot for a school that Harvard and Princeton won't be embarrassed to be seen with. I hear Northwestern may be interested.

Recruiting News: Errick Peck Update and Video Highlights, Ivy Recruiting Updates (updated 10:00 a.m.)

The Indianapolis Star reports on the recruiting commitment of Errick Peck (pictured above defending) that The Cornell Basketball Blog previously published:

Peck to Ivy League

Errick Peck, a 6-6 Cathedral senior forward, will play at Cornell University, Cathedral athletic director Terry Fox said.

Peck averaged 14.4 points and 11.1 rebounds as a senior, helping Cathedral to a 20-3 record. Peck had taken recruiting visits to Akron and Loyola-Chicago.

Additionally, the Indy Star also notes that Peck will play in the 21st annual North/South Indiana All-Star Classic, which will be played Sunday at Batesville High School.

Speaking of Peck--- if you want to see some video clip highlights of Cornell's newest addition, click here.

Lastly from the Indy Star, it reports that Cornell and Northwestern are recruiting Jack Isenbarger, a 6'4" from Zionsville, Indiana. Isenbarger, the son of former Indiana University basketball , now an attorney, Phil Isenbarger. The Indy Star notes that Cornell is currently ranked 14th in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. But Isenbarger comment, "I don't want to go to a school that has a basketball program that may not be as strong (or) at a high level," said Isenbarger, who has a 3.5 GPA.

In other recruiting news, Scout.com updates on the recruitment of Kameron Ritter (6'3" guard, Christian Bros. Academy, Albany, NY). Ritter, who has received interest from Cornell, received a scholarship offer from Drake this week.

Scout.com also reports that Kyle Randall, a 6'0" point guard from Hermitage, Pa. committed to UNC Greensboro after receiving offers from Harvard, Bucknell, and Stanford among others and some interest from Cornell.

Finally, Scout.com notes that Harvard, Dartmouth, and Columbia are among those interested in class of 2010's Nolan Hart, a 5'10" guard from Albany Academy in Albany, New York.

Recruiting News: Errick Peck Update and Video Highlights, Ivy Recruiting Updates (updated 10:00 a.m.)

The Indianapolis Star reports on the recruiting commitment of Errick Peck (pictured above defending) that The Cornell Basketball Blog previously published:

Peck to Ivy League

Errick Peck, a 6-6 Cathedral senior forward, will play at Cornell University, Cathedral athletic director Terry Fox said.

Peck averaged 14.4 points and 11.1 rebounds as a senior, helping Cathedral to a 20-3 record. Peck had taken recruiting visits to Akron and Loyola-Chicago.

Additionally, the Indy Star also notes that Peck will play in the 21st annual North/South Indiana All-Star Classic, which will be played Sunday at Batesville High School.

Speaking of Peck--- if you want to see some video clip highlights of Cornell's newest addition, click here.

Lastly from the Indy Star, it reports that Cornell and Northwestern are recruiting Jack Isenbarger, a 6'4" from Zionsville, Indiana. Isenbarger, the son of former Indiana University basketball , now an attorney, Phil Isenbarger. The Indy Star notes that Cornell is currently ranked 14th in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. But Isenbarger comment, "I don't want to go to a school that has a basketball program that may not be as strong (or) at a high level," said Isenbarger, who has a 3.5 GPA.

In other recruiting news, Scout.com updates on the recruitment of Kameron Ritter (6'3" guard, Christian Bros. Academy, Albany, NY). Ritter, who has received interest from Cornell, received a scholarship offer from Drake this week.

Scout.com also reports that Kyle Randall, a 6'0" point guard from Hermitage, Pa. committed to UNC Greensboro after receiving offers from Harvard, Bucknell, and Stanford among others and some interest from Cornell.

Finally, Scout.com notes that Harvard, Dartmouth, and Columbia are among those interested in class of 2010's Nolan Hart, a 5'10" guard from Albany Academy in Albany, New York.

Cornell Basketball in the News

Former Cornell coach Scott Thompson is mentioned in the Register-Guard:

When [Don] Monson was let go after the 1992 season, the [Oregon] Ducks looked widely for a replacement. Oregon’s first choice was former Arizona assistant Scott Thompson, a 38-year-old wunderkind who had rebuilt Rice from the dregs of college basketball to a pair of 20-win seasons. But with UO’s offer on the table, Thompson took more money from Wichita State.

How did that work out? After four losing seasons at Wichita State, Thompson was fired and went to Cornell of the Ivy League, where health problems forced him to resign after five seasons and a 45-60 record.

Cornell Basketball in the News

Former Cornell coach Scott Thompson is mentioned in the Register-Guard:

When [Don] Monson was let go after the 1992 season, the [Oregon] Ducks looked widely for a replacement. Oregon’s first choice was former Arizona assistant Scott Thompson, a 38-year-old wunderkind who had rebuilt Rice from the dregs of college basketball to a pair of 20-win seasons. But with UO’s offer on the table, Thompson took more money from Wichita State.

How did that work out? After four losing seasons at Wichita State, Thompson was fired and went to Cornell of the Ivy League, where health problems forced him to resign after five seasons and a 45-60 record.

Cornell's Donahue added to BU's list

Cornell's Donahue added to BU's list

By Mark Blaudschun
Boston Globe Staff
March 31, 2009

While the rumor machine in the upper tier of college basketball was tossing out minute-by-minute updates on John Calipari's impending move to Kentucky and Rick Pitino's continuing flirtation with Arizona, Boston University officials were working quietly to find a new coach.

BU athletic director Mike Lynch used the NCAA East Regional at TD Banknorth Garden over the weekend as a job fair, with current coaches, former coaches, and assistant coaches coming to town.

Lynch's list of candidates is growing. The latest addition is Cornell coach Steve Donahue, who has guided his team to back-to-back Ivy League titles. Cornell also beat BU by 30 points this season. According to sources close to the situation, Donahue was in town but did not interview for the job. Whether that changes over the next few days is uncertain.

Other candidates include Boston College assistant Pat Duquette, Tennessee assistant head coach Tony Jones, and Bentley head coach Jay Lawson.

Louisville assistant coach Richard Pitino and former Providence coach Tim Welsh both have expressed interest in the job, but neither has been contacted.

"I haven't heard a thing," said Pitino.

Welsh also said he had not heard from BU.

"No one has called me," said Welsh.

BU officials have hired an Atlanta-based search firm, which contacted Siena coach Fran McCaffery early last week.

Part of the problem is that BU is having a difficult time defining the job, with the perception being that Lynch is looking for a salesman who can not only win games but sell tickets and attract attention in an area that is a tough sell for any college program.

The search firm, Parker Executive Search, has the dubious distinction of having helped Indiana find Kelvin Sampson and Kentucky find Billy Gillespie. Both were fired after short and unsuccessful stints.

Cornell's Donahue added to BU's list

Cornell's Donahue added to BU's list

By Mark Blaudschun
Boston Globe Staff
March 31, 2009

While the rumor machine in the upper tier of college basketball was tossing out minute-by-minute updates on John Calipari's impending move to Kentucky and Rick Pitino's continuing flirtation with Arizona, Boston University officials were working quietly to find a new coach.

BU athletic director Mike Lynch used the NCAA East Regional at TD Banknorth Garden over the weekend as a job fair, with current coaches, former coaches, and assistant coaches coming to town.

Lynch's list of candidates is growing. The latest addition is Cornell coach Steve Donahue, who has guided his team to back-to-back Ivy League titles. Cornell also beat BU by 30 points this season. According to sources close to the situation, Donahue was in town but did not interview for the job. Whether that changes over the next few days is uncertain.

Other candidates include Boston College assistant Pat Duquette, Tennessee assistant head coach Tony Jones, and Bentley head coach Jay Lawson.

Louisville assistant coach Richard Pitino and former Providence coach Tim Welsh both have expressed interest in the job, but neither has been contacted.

"I haven't heard a thing," said Pitino.

Welsh also said he had not heard from BU.

"No one has called me," said Welsh.

BU officials have hired an Atlanta-based search firm, which contacted Siena coach Fran McCaffery early last week.

Part of the problem is that BU is having a difficult time defining the job, with the perception being that Lynch is looking for a salesman who can not only win games but sell tickets and attract attention in an area that is a tough sell for any college program.

The search firm, Parker Executive Search, has the dubious distinction of having helped Indiana find Kelvin Sampson and Kentucky find Billy Gillespie. Both were fired after short and unsuccessful stints.

Cornell's 2009 Basketball Prospect Camp

The Cornell men’s basketball program and Head Coach Steve Donahue are offering The Cornell Basketball Prospect Camp from June 26-28 on the Cornell campus in Ithaca, New York. This camp is intended for high school students in grades 9-12 and is recommended for players who are serious about potentially playing collegiate basketball at Cornell or at other institutions.

The Cornell Basketball Prospect Camp will provide basketball instruction by Cornell coaches and serves as an opportunity for high school prospects to gain invaluable exposure to the Cornell coaching staff.

Check the Cornell Basketball Prospect Camp website for more information.

Cornell's 2009 Basketball Prospect Camp

The Cornell men’s basketball program and Head Coach Steve Donahue are offering The Cornell Basketball Prospect Camp from June 26-28 on the Cornell campus in Ithaca, New York. This camp is intended for high school students in grades 9-12 and is recommended for players who are serious about potentially playing collegiate basketball at Cornell or at other institutions.

The Cornell Basketball Prospect Camp will provide basketball instruction by Cornell coaches and serves as an opportunity for high school prospects to gain invaluable exposure to the Cornell coaching staff.

Check the Cornell Basketball Prospect Camp website for more information.

Cornell Basketball (Blog) in the News

Pictured above, photos from Cornell games against Big 10 opponents during the last three seasons--Iowa, Northwestern, Indiana and Minnesota. Below, the Daily Pennsylvanian's Zach Klitzman responds to a couple posts here on The Cornell Basketball Blog...

From Zach Klitzman of the Daily Pennsylvanian:

Cornell in the Big Ten?

In the outlandish pipe dream department, here’s a post from The Cornell Basketball Blog arguing for Cornell’s inclusion in the Big Ten. Now it’s true that some of Cornell’s academics — especially the agriculture and hotel management schools — are more befitting of an state school in the Midwest than the Ivy giants of the Northeast. But come on, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, Cornell.

Yes, the Big Red have made the last two NCAA Men’s Basketballl Tournaments. But they still have a measly three tournament appearances in the 70 year history of the event (granted that’s three more than Northwestern). So it’s not like they’re a powerhouse in basketball.

However, in the post the claim is made that Cornell is a national power in track, wrestling, ice hockey, and lacrosse. I’ll admit they’ve been impressive in wrestling and ice hockey, two sports in which the Big Ten is extremely successful. However, the Big Ten does not sponsor men’s lacrosse, and in fact the only members of the conference that play the sport are Ohio State and Penn State (in the Great Western Lacrosse League and the ECAC, respectively). And somehow I find it unlikely that the Big Ten would want a school based on its track teams.

Simiarly, the Big Ten prides itself on a strong football heritage — recent BCS failings aside. Sorry Cornell, but you’re not that good at football. In fact, it’s impossible for Cornell to be a Football Bowl Subdivision team since the NCAA requires a school to average 15,000 fans per home game at least once every two years. Last year Cornell only averaged 7,075 fans per home game, in 2007 they averaged 8,897, in 2006 they averaged 5,008 and in 2005 they averaged 7,669. So clearly they don’t meet the rule.

And from the Cornell administration’s standpoint, it doesn’t make sense to leave the Ivy League just so the Athletics Department can improve its reputation. From a University perspective, the academic prestige of being an Ivy League institution outweighs the athletic prestige of playing in a conference like the Big Ten.

Look at Northwestern. Frankly, does that school even get that much prestige from being in the Big Ten considering they get pummeled in basketball and football in most years and its best team — women’s lacrosse — doesn’t even compete in the conference?

In the end, while one can dream of the Big Red facing the Wolverines, or Hoosiers or Buckeyes or Hawkeyes, in reality, that’s just not going to happen.

Also from Zach Klitzman of the Daily Pennsylvanian:

The Cornell Basketball Blog has a look at next year’s projected Ivy rosters. However, with recruiting not finalized, I don’t know how accurate it necessarily will be. For example Penn is projected to have 16 players, which means they’d bring in four freshmen to complement the 12 returning players. Also, it says Penn will only have one senior, which is defined as a player in their final year of eligibility during 2009-2010. So unless Darren Smith and/or Andreas Schriber apply for a medical redshirt, Penn’s number will actually be three.

Cornell Basketball (Blog) in the News

Pictured above, photos from Cornell games against Big 10 opponents during the last three seasons--Iowa, Northwestern, Indiana and Minnesota. Below, the Daily Pennsylvanian's Zach Klitzman responds to a couple posts here on The Cornell Basketball Blog...

From Zach Klitzman of the Daily Pennsylvanian:

Cornell in the Big Ten?

In the outlandish pipe dream department, here’s a post from The Cornell Basketball Blog arguing for Cornell’s inclusion in the Big Ten. Now it’s true that some of Cornell’s academics — especially the agriculture and hotel management schools — are more befitting of an state school in the Midwest than the Ivy giants of the Northeast. But come on, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, Cornell.

Yes, the Big Red have made the last two NCAA Men’s Basketballl Tournaments. But they still have a measly three tournament appearances in the 70 year history of the event (granted that’s three more than Northwestern). So it’s not like they’re a powerhouse in basketball.

However, in the post the claim is made that Cornell is a national power in track, wrestling, ice hockey, and lacrosse. I’ll admit they’ve been impressive in wrestling and ice hockey, two sports in which the Big Ten is extremely successful. However, the Big Ten does not sponsor men’s lacrosse, and in fact the only members of the conference that play the sport are Ohio State and Penn State (in the Great Western Lacrosse League and the ECAC, respectively). And somehow I find it unlikely that the Big Ten would want a school based on its track teams.

Simiarly, the Big Ten prides itself on a strong football heritage — recent BCS failings aside. Sorry Cornell, but you’re not that good at football. In fact, it’s impossible for Cornell to be a Football Bowl Subdivision team since the NCAA requires a school to average 15,000 fans per home game at least once every two years. Last year Cornell only averaged 7,075 fans per home game, in 2007 they averaged 8,897, in 2006 they averaged 5,008 and in 2005 they averaged 7,669. So clearly they don’t meet the rule.

And from the Cornell administration’s standpoint, it doesn’t make sense to leave the Ivy League just so the Athletics Department can improve its reputation. From a University perspective, the academic prestige of being an Ivy League institution outweighs the athletic prestige of playing in a conference like the Big Ten.

Look at Northwestern. Frankly, does that school even get that much prestige from being in the Big Ten considering they get pummeled in basketball and football in most years and its best team — women’s lacrosse — doesn’t even compete in the conference?

In the end, while one can dream of the Big Red facing the Wolverines, or Hoosiers or Buckeyes or Hawkeyes, in reality, that’s just not going to happen.

Also from Zach Klitzman of the Daily Pennsylvanian:

The Cornell Basketball Blog has a look at next year’s projected Ivy rosters. However, with recruiting not finalized, I don’t know how accurate it necessarily will be. For example Penn is projected to have 16 players, which means they’d bring in four freshmen to complement the 12 returning players. Also, it says Penn will only have one senior, which is defined as a player in their final year of eligibility during 2009-2010. So unless Darren Smith and/or Andreas Schriber apply for a medical redshirt, Penn’s number will actually be three.

Josh Figini Named Academic All State and to All Star Basketball Series

Cornell basketball recruit, Josh Figini was named Academic All State by the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association.

In addition, Figini was among the forty of the state's outstanding senior boys basketball players selected to compete in the 27th annual Minnesota High School All-Star Basketball Series. Doubleheaders will be played Friday, April 3rd at Halenbeck Hall on the campus of St. Cloud State University and Saturday, April 4th at Leonard Center on the campus of Macalester College in St. Paul.

Josh Figini Named Academic All State and to All Star Basketball Series

Cornell basketball recruit, Josh Figini was named Academic All State by the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association.

In addition, Figini was among the forty of the state's outstanding senior boys basketball players selected to compete in the 27th annual Minnesota High School All-Star Basketball Series. Doubleheaders will be played Friday, April 3rd at Halenbeck Hall on the campus of St. Cloud State University and Saturday, April 4th at Leonard Center on the campus of Macalester College in St. Paul.

Ryan Wittman Named Mid Major All American

Ryan Wittman was named by CollegeInsider.com as an Honorable Mention Mid-Major All-American. Wittman earned the same honor in 2008. Wittman was also selected the League's MVP by CollegeInsider.com.

CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major All-America Team

Rather then assembling first, second, third and fourth team squads, the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major All-America team is one team consisting of 21 players and honorable mentions. Division I coaches and NBA scouts are part of the selection process, but final decision rests with the collegeinsider.com staff.

NOTE: Stephen Curry (Davidson), Lester Hudson (UT-Martin), Eric Maynor (VCU) and Patrick Mills (Saint Mary's) were all named to the CollegeInsider.com All-America Team.

Marqus Blakely #	F	6-5	Jr.	Vermont
Matt Bouldin	G	6-5	Jr.	Gonzaga
John Bryant	C	6-10	Sr.	Santa Clara
Jeremy Chappell	G	6-3	Sr.	Robert Morris
Seth Curry	G	6-3	Fr.	Liberty
Kenny Hasbrouck #	G	6-3	Sr.	Siena
Gordon Hayward	F	6-8	Fr.	Butler
Matt Howard #	F	6-7	So.	Butler
Cedric Jackson	G	6-3	Sr.	Cleveland State
Charles Jenkins	G	6-3	So.	Hofstra
Johnathon Jones #	G	5-11	Jr.	Oakland
Gerald Lee #	F	6-10	Jr.	Old Dominion
Tywain McKee #	G	6-2	Sr.	Coppin State
Orlando Mendez-Valdez	G	6-1	Sr.	Western Kentucky
Demetrius Nelson	F	6-8	Sr.	The Citadel
Drake Reed	F	6-5	Sr.	Austin Peay
Alex Renfroe	G	6-2	Sr.	Belmont
Larry Sanders	F	6-9	So.	VCU
Ryan Thompson #	G	6-6	Jr.	Rider
Kevin Tiggs	F	6-4	Sr.	East Tennessee State
Ben Woodside	G	5-11	Sr.	North Dakota State

HONORABLE MENTION: Michael Bramos # (G, 6-5, Sr, Miami), Osiris Eldridge # (G, 6-3, Jr, Illinois State), Shy Ely (G, 6-4, Sr, Evansville), Kenneth Faried (F, 6-8, So, Morehead State), Matt Janning, (G, 6-4, Jr, Northeastern), Tremaine Townsend (F, 6-9, Sr, Cal State Northridge), Omar Samhan (C, 6-11, Jr, Saint Mary's), Diamon Simpson # (F, 6-7, Sr, Saint Mary's), Anthony Smith # (G, 6-5, Sr, Liberty), Edwin Ubiles # (F, 6-6, Jr, Siena), Ryan Wittman # (F, 6-6, Jr, Cornell), Booker Woodfox (G, 6-1, Sr, Creighton).

# Player was named to collegeinsider.com pre-season All-America team.

IVY
Player of the Year: Ryan Wittman (Cornell)
Most Valuable Player: Alex Barnett (Dartmouth)
Coach of the Year: Sydney Johnson (Princeton)

Ryan Wittman Named Mid Major All American

Ryan Wittman was named by CollegeInsider.com as an Honorable Mention Mid-Major All-American. Wittman earned the same honor in 2008. Wittman was also selected the League's MVP by CollegeInsider.com.

CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major All-America Team

Rather then assembling first, second, third and fourth team squads, the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major All-America team is one team consisting of 21 players and honorable mentions. Division I coaches and NBA scouts are part of the selection process, but final decision rests with the collegeinsider.com staff.

NOTE: Stephen Curry (Davidson), Lester Hudson (UT-Martin), Eric Maynor (VCU) and Patrick Mills (Saint Mary's) were all named to the CollegeInsider.com All-America Team.

Marqus Blakely #	F	6-5	Jr.	Vermont
Matt Bouldin	G	6-5	Jr.	Gonzaga
John Bryant	C	6-10	Sr.	Santa Clara
Jeremy Chappell	G	6-3	Sr.	Robert Morris
Seth Curry	G	6-3	Fr.	Liberty
Kenny Hasbrouck #	G	6-3	Sr.	Siena
Gordon Hayward	F	6-8	Fr.	Butler
Matt Howard #	F	6-7	So.	Butler
Cedric Jackson	G	6-3	Sr.	Cleveland State
Charles Jenkins	G	6-3	So.	Hofstra
Johnathon Jones #	G	5-11	Jr.	Oakland
Gerald Lee #	F	6-10	Jr.	Old Dominion
Tywain McKee #	G	6-2	Sr.	Coppin State
Orlando Mendez-Valdez	G	6-1	Sr.	Western Kentucky
Demetrius Nelson	F	6-8	Sr.	The Citadel
Drake Reed	F	6-5	Sr.	Austin Peay
Alex Renfroe	G	6-2	Sr.	Belmont
Larry Sanders	F	6-9	So.	VCU
Ryan Thompson #	G	6-6	Jr.	Rider
Kevin Tiggs	F	6-4	Sr.	East Tennessee State
Ben Woodside	G	5-11	Sr.	North Dakota State

HONORABLE MENTION: Michael Bramos # (G, 6-5, Sr, Miami), Osiris Eldridge # (G, 6-3, Jr, Illinois State), Shy Ely (G, 6-4, Sr, Evansville), Kenneth Faried (F, 6-8, So, Morehead State), Matt Janning, (G, 6-4, Jr, Northeastern), Tremaine Townsend (F, 6-9, Sr, Cal State Northridge), Omar Samhan (C, 6-11, Jr, Saint Mary's), Diamon Simpson # (F, 6-7, Sr, Saint Mary's), Anthony Smith # (G, 6-5, Sr, Liberty), Edwin Ubiles # (F, 6-6, Jr, Siena), Ryan Wittman # (F, 6-6, Jr, Cornell), Booker Woodfox (G, 6-1, Sr, Creighton).

# Player was named to collegeinsider.com pre-season All-America team.

IVY
Player of the Year: Ryan Wittman (Cornell)
Most Valuable Player: Alex Barnett (Dartmouth)
Coach of the Year: Sydney Johnson (Princeton)