Recruiting News

(photo Cornell Daily Sun)

Yesterday we passed on the news of a recruiting verbal commitment by Dean Kowalski to Columbia. In an interview with NJHoops.com, Kowalski said that Cornell was the first college to send him a recruiting letter, during his sophomore year of high school.

In other news, Cornell's assistant coaches have spent much of the spring season on the recruiting circuit. Cornell is hoping to secure verbal commitments during the late summer/early fall recruiting period.

MinnesotaPreps.com Ranks Figini No. 21 in Minnesota

Below is the final ranking of Minnesota's top college prospects from the class of 2009 as published by MinnesotaPreps.com on April 30. Cornell recruit, Josh Figini finished with a ranking of No. 21.

1.) Royce White, Hopkins, SF/PF (Minnesota)
2.) Rodney Williams, Cooper, SF (Minnesota)
3.) Mike Bruesewitz, Henry Sibley, SF/PF (Wisconsin)
4.) Sam Dower, Osseo, PF (Gonzaga)
5.) Trent Lockett, Hopkins, SF (Arizona State)
6.) Jordair Jett, St. Bernards, PG, (Prep School)
7.) Mike Broghammer, Hopkins, PF (Notre Dame)
8.) Raymond Cowels, Hopkins, SG (Santa Clara)
9.) Nate Wolters, St. Cloud Tech, PG (South Dakota State)
10.) Marc Sonnen, Tartan, PG (Northern Iowa)
11.) Mike Muscala, Roseville, PF, (Bucknell)
12.) Cedric Martin, Minneapolis Washburn, SG (Lee CC)
13.) Carlos Emmory, Bloomington Jefferson, SF (Howard CC)
14.) Ethan Wragge, Eden Prairie, SG, (Creighton)
15.) Chris Halvorsen, Henry Sibley, SF, (Valparaiso)
16.) Emmanuel Addo, Northfield, PF, (Northern Colorado)
17.) Mike Fitzgerald, St. Thomas, SG (Air Force)
18.) Jordan Aaberg, Rothsay, PF (North Dakota State)
19.) Mike Felt, Redwood Valley, SG (North Dakota State)
20.) Dylan Hale, Minneapolis Washburn, SG (Texas State)
21.) Josh Figini, Chisago Lakes, PF (Cornell)
22.) Marcus Williams, Hopkins, PG
23.) Shaun Jensen, Spring Lake Park, PG
24.) Caleb Palkert, SW Christian, PF (SC-Upstate)
25.) Brandon Brekke, East Grand Forks, PF (North Dakota)
26.) Tydan Storrusten, PG, Pelican Rapids (Northern State)
27.) Isaiah Thomas, SG, Fridley (Concordia-St. Paul)
28.) Dylan Rodriguez, Blaine, SF (UMD)
29.) Damarius Cruz, Armstrong, SG (UM-Crookston)
30.) Kenquane Brown, SF, Cooper (juco)
31.) Matt Zager, Shakopee, SG (Southwest State)
32.) Kellen Taylor, SF, Wayzata (Winona State)
33.) Taylor Steinabuer, PF, Owatonna (Concordia-St. Paul)
34.) Billy Giddings, Blaine, SF (Southwest State)
35.) Andre Garth, SG, St. Cloud Apollo (N. Iowa Area CC)
36.) Conner O'Brien, New Prague, PF (Minnesota State-Mankato)
37.) Josh Pedretti, Maple Grove, SF/PF (University of St. Thomas)
38.) Tyler Goetz, SF, Chaska (Carelton College)
39.) Maurice Hernandez, Henry Sibley, SG (Concordia-St. Paul)
40.) Tommy Sawatzke, Monticello, PG (Carelton College)

Cornell Basketball in the News

The Daily Pennsylvanian's Andrew Scurria references Cornell's improved basketball program as a contributing factor to the ongoing dissension within the ranks of the Penn basketball program. Penn finished 2008-2009 with a 10-18 record (6-8 Ivy League, 7th place). The Quakers also witnessed three players quitting the team during the course of the season and fourth player is also rumored to having given his notice of departure.

Through all the turmoil, the DP writes:

...I have argued time and again, Miller has been dealt a tough hand. His hiring was met with grumbles from some who felt that the Athletic Department honchos hadn’t tried hard enough to keep Fran Dunphy from jumping to Temple... fate conspired to cripple [Miller's] roster with injuries at a time when several other Ivies — most notably Cornell, but also Brown two years ago and Dartmouth to some extent this past year — found themselves on the upswing.