ITHACA, N.Y. – The No. 4 Cornell men's lacrosse team opened preparations for the 2009 season with its first day of practice on Sunday, Feb 1. The team plays its first game in less than three weeks, as the Big Red will travel to Binghamton on Saturday, Feb. 21, to take on the Bearcats at noon.
Here is a look at how the team will stack up.
THE SEASON
Entering his ninth season at the helm of the Cornell men's lacrosse program, head coach Jeff Tambroni has orchestrated the rebirth of one of the premier men's lacrosse teams in the nation. The Big Red, which has won at least a share of the past six Ivy League titles, finished the 2008 season with an 11-4 record overall and made its fifth straight trip to the NCAA tournament. This season, Cornell will benefit from returning starters to nearly every position on the field, along with the addition of some heralded young recruits.
Cornell lost just eight letter winners and only two starters from last season's squad, at it returns four preseason All-Americans – John Glynn (first team), Matt Moyer (first team), Max Seibald (first team) and Ryan Hurley (third team). The Big Red enters the 2009 season ranked No. 4 in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Media Poll. That same publication tabbed Cornell to finish first in the Ivy League.
“Our strength lies in our midfield,” said Tambroni. “With players like Max Seibald, John Glynn, Rocco Romero and George Calvert all being experienced players with the potential of being two-way players. This should give us the opportunity to be very flexible in the way we play and that is certainly where we're going to try and develop the strength of our team.”
Among the losses that the Big Red suffered are honorable mention All-Ivy selections John Espey and Nick Gradinger, as well as defensive midfielder Danny Nathan. Espey finished the 2008 season with 15 goals and 11 assists, while Gradinger and Nathan were key members of the Big Red defensive unit that finished the season ranked 20th in the country.
Still, the Big Red will benefit by returning one of the best midfields and face-off units in the nation, as well as all three starters on an attack line that registered a combined 83 goals and 29 assists. Combine that with a defense anchored by Moyer, as well as a group of seasoned goalies that all saw quality playing time in 2008, and the Big Red will look to repeat its success of two seasons ago when it made a trip to the national semifinal.
ATTACK
The Big Red attack will benefit from the return of all three starters from last season – Ryan Hurley, Chris Finn and Chris Ritchie – while returning several players that have provided depth to the unit last year, as well as two talented newcomers.
In just his first year as a starter, Hurley proved to be an offensive power, ranking first in the Ivy League and fourth in the nation with 3.07 goals per game, while ranking first in the league and sixth in the country with 4.00 points per game. He was a unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection and was named an honorable mention All-American after becoming just the 11th individual in Cornell history to score more than 40 goals in a single season, finishing with 46. Likewise, his 60 total points on the season were the most by a Cornell sophomore since Eamon McEneaney tallied 96 points in 1975.
“When Ryan was challenged last year to become our leading attackman, in terms of productivity, he answered the bell,” said Tambroni. “Statistically speaking, he took as big a leap as anybody we've had at Cornell. This year, the goal is not only to continue the trend in production and consistency of play, but also to take on a leadership role at the attack that was absent in 2008.”
Finn stepped into a starting role during his junior season, seeing action in all 15 games and making 14 starts. He ranked third on the team with 23 goals and chipped in seven assists for 30 points on the year. The 2008 Hard Hat, he also showed great hustle with 23 ground balls on the year. Finn registered at least one goal in all but three games, scoring a season-high three goals vs. both Canisius and Dartmouth.
“Chris provides as much a vocal presence of leadership as anyone on our team,” said Tambroni. “He's passionate in his style of play with and without the ball and is a great rider. He's like a linebacker out there for us and in his last year he will bring a lot of experience to the table along with a passion for Cornell lacrosse that is unmatched.”
Ritchie saw a significant increase in playing time during his sophomore season, playing in 14 games and making 11 starts. He scored 14 goals and added eight assists, while picking up 14 ground balls on the season. Ritchie registered multi-point games on seven occasions, including a career-best four points vs. Denver and Binghamton.
“Last year, Chris had some games where he was very good but he lacked experience, which is to be expected by a young man that's starting for the first time as a sophomore,” explained Tambroni. “He has shown much greater confidence this fall and much more willingness to make some mistakes, which has allowed him to make several quality plays. He is a solid all-around attackman and is the kind of guy that can handle the ball for us, beat defenders off the dodge and is pretty good inside.”
Looking to break into the starting lineup will be freshman Rob Pannell. A high school All-American at Smithtown West HS, Pannell earned three varsity letters and set the school record and led Long Island with 138 points (49 goals, 89 assists) in 2007. As a senior, Pannell earned his team's offensive MVP award, was named to Newsday's All-Long Island second-team and was the 2007 offensive MVP of the Suffolk County Exceptional Senior Game. Pannell followed up his time at Smithtown with a year at Deerfield Academy where he set the school record for points in a season (99) and earned the Stewart Lindsay, Jr. Award for the Outstanding Attackman in Division I lacrosse.
“Rob benefited greatly from his year at Deerfield,” said Tambroni. “He comes to Cornell as a freshman, but from day one he was ready to play and in the fall scrimmages he was as productive as any attackman. Rob is a quarterback on the field, in the mold of Eric Pittard. He controls the pace of the offense, breaks down a defense and delivers the ball to the right person at the right time which is something that we lacked in 2008 and will need in 2009.”
Doctor has seen an increase in his playing time in each season with the Big Red, seeing action in 13 games and making four starts during his junior campaign. He tallied eight goals and four assists, including a career-high two goals vs. Binghamton. Doctor registered multi-point games four times, posting a career-best three points against the Bearcats, as well as two points vs. North Carolina, Army and Hobart. He also picked up six ground balls on the season.
“Kyle logged a lot of quality time last year, especially on the extra-man unit, and is in the position to play quit a bit for us this year,” said Tambroni. “He has a tremendous stick and is a very talented player. Despite Kyle's shortcoming in size, he possesses a superior knowledge of the game, making him a viable option on the attack.”
Paulson has seen action in four games in each of his first two seasons and has scored two career goals. “This past fall, Leif moved into a role as a starter on our extra-man unit and he has the ability to compete for an opportunity to play for us on our attack this spring,” said Tambroni. He provides a legitimate scoring threat that is stereotypical of our Canadians in the past. He is a catch and shoot guy, but big and strong enough to handle the ball as a dodger.”
Luoto saw action in four games during his first full year as an active Cornell lacrosse player, while Gamble saw action in three games during his rookie season.
In his final season on East Hill, Luoto will look to compete for quality playing time this year. “Jon possesses as much size and strength as anybody in the offensive end,” said Tambroni. “He got hurt halfway through the fall and didn't play in the tournament, which would have been nice for his confidence and experience, but we're confident that he will contribute, not just in practice but in the offensive end somewhere on game day.”
Fresh off an Ontario Lacrosse Association Junior A league championship this past summer, Gamble returns to the Big Red looking to carry that momentum into his sophomore season. “Jesse was voted by his peers in the Junior A league as the hardest working player,” said Tambroni. “That is something that has been evident to our staff and players since he arrived on campus. He is a goal-scoring lefty so we're hoping he'll provide a legitimate option on extra-man and in the offense this season.”
A high school All-American, Austin earned three varsity letters at Duxbury High School, helping his team to a state championship in each of those seasons. After serving as team captain during his senior season, he was named his team's MVP, as well as its Most Valuable Attackman. The Boston Globe 2008 Division I Massachusetts Player of the Year, Austin was a two-time Patriot League All-Star. He was also named to both the Boston Herald and the Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic teams.
“Scott comes from a tradition-rich high school program which has provided him with a tremendous knowledge for the game,” said Tambroni. “He is a very slick, left-handed attackman and is a well-rounded offensive threat. He has some left-handed veterans in front of him that may limit his playing time in freshman year, but he is someone the staff will rely on in the future.”
MIDFIELD
The midfield will be anchored by Seibald, a finalist for the 2007 Tewaaraton Trophy and a three-time All-American. One of the most consistent players for the Big Red, Seibald is a tremendous two-way player who does it all. The three-time first-team All-Ivy selection has registered at least one point in Cornell's last 34 games and will enter the 2009 season with the longest point-scoring streak in the nation, along with Bryant's Zack Greer. Seibald registered his 100th career point last season, becoming just the eighth Cornell player to reach that mark as a junior. He finished the year ranked second on the team with 27 goals, was third overall with 33 points and fourth overall with 39 ground balls. He ranked seventh in the Ivy League with 1.80 goals per game and was second in the conference with 0.53 man-up goals per game.
“We want to create more opportunities for Max and also give him the green light to be a little more aggressive in the offensive end,” said Tambroni. “Last year, he tried to pass off and gave up too many offensive opportunities, so we have to get him to be as aggressive as possible. I know he's capable of doing it athletically so we hope 2009 will be his best year to date.”
Glynn will return for his final season of eligibility on East Hill and will look to build on his All-America performance of a season ago. A two-time first-team All-Ivy selection, Glynn finished the year ranked second on the team with 43 points off 18 goals and a team-best 25 assists. His 1.67 assists per game ranked second in the conference and 17th in the nation, while his 2.87 points per game was good for seventh in the league. Glynn took over the majority of the face-off duties for the Big Red in 2008 and proved to be one of the best in the nation, ranking first in the Ivy League and third in the country with a .633 win percentage. Glynn also ranked third in the conference and ninth in the nation with 5.47 ground balls per game.
“Johnny is tremendous in the offensive end and he is a wonderful complement to Max Seibald,” said Tambroni. “Because of him, opposing teams can't focus all of their efforts on stopping Max. He's also brought our face-off unit from being mediocre at best to being a top-five unit and we hope that's going to continue this year.”
Romero has been a consistent contributor for the Big Red over the last three seasons and will look to make his mark during his final season. Last year, Romero suffered through an early season injury that limited his playing time at the start of the season, but rebounded to see significant action in 12 games. Romero registered five assists and four goals for nine points, while picking up eight ground balls. Of the nine points he tallied on the year, seven were recorded during Ivy League action.
“We're really hoping that this will be Rocco's breakout year,” said Tambroni. “He's certainly capable of being more productive than he was in 2008 and we plan on giving him more chances. As a coaching staff, we are extremely confident in Rocco's abilities and I think its just up to us to put him in the right position. If we do that, then he's going to make the most out of his opportunities and take a lot of pressure off of Max and John.”
A converted attackman, Calvert has played defensive midfield over the past three seasons, but will be used as more of a two-way player this spring. He was one of the team's best short-stick defensive midfielders as a junior and saw action in all 15 games. Calvert picked up 18 ground balls on the year and was a key member of the Big Red's transition game, scoring one goal and handing out two assists. This year, the Cornell coaching staff will look to utilize that ability to transition and his skills as a former attackman as a more prominent member of the midfield line.
“We're hoping to pick up the pace of our game and be more dangerous in transition this year,” said Tambroni. “George has been a big part of that success over the last few years and we want to put him in a position to be even more of a threat. He made the transition seamlessly this fall into the offensive end, playing on the first line midfield. He is a former attackman, so he has a nose for the goal.”
O'Neill had an extremely productive rookie season, seeing action in 14 games for the Big Red, but may be hampered after missing the fall season due to an injury. He scored three goals and was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week on April 28 after scoring his most important goal of the season vs. Brown. O'Neill also scored the go-ahead goal in the Big Red's 9-8 victory over Army, as well as scoring once vs. Hobart.
“Shane was one of the few freshmen last year that contributed on game day and he got better as the year went on,” said Tambroni. “He played with a lot of confidence and had a resiliency about him that allowed him to come back stronger every day. We want him to take on a little more responsibility this year, knowing that next year we will need him to take over the midfield for us with the loss of so many senior midfielders.”
A two-time high school All-American at St. Ignatius Prep, Lang was also selected to participate in the 2008 Under Armour All-America game. He was a three-year varsity letter winner, earning his team's MVP award as a senior captain. Lang led St. Ignatius Prep to back-to-back 19-1 seasons. As a senior, he scored 74 goals and added 25 assists as his team obtained a No. 1 ranking in California, a No. 2 ranking in the Western region, and a No. 16 ranking in the nation. The 2007 California Boys Player of the Year, Lang registered 77 goals and 27 assists as a junior.
“Roy has a really bright lacrosse mind and he's been very eager to learn this fall,” said Tambroni. “He was one of our most productive middies this fall through practices and scrimmages. The expectations of Roy were great coming in, but based on his efforts and productivity this fall, they will be even greater coming into this spring, but I think he's capable of handling that. This fall he played with a lot of poise for a young man.”
Boykin saw a significant increase in playing time during his sophomore season, playing in 11 games after seeing action in only three contests as a freshman. “Up until this year, Austin has done everything well, but he just hasn't gotten to the point where he was great in any one facet of the game,” said Tambroni. “He has put a lot of time and effort in over the offseason and the fall to elevate his game in a number of different areas and he has put himself in a position to contribute greatly this spring. He has earned the right to be in a position to be on either of our top-two midfield lines, in the defensive end or at the face-off X.”
Pastirik will make the move to the midfield after playing on the attack as a sophomore. He was sidelined with an injury during his junior season, but saw significant playing time in 2007, getting into 11 games, playing mostly on the team's man-up unit. He registered six points during the 2007 season with five goals and one assist and picked up six ground balls. “Christian has missed two years due to injury, but to his credit, he has continued to develop his strengths offensively and we're hoping that the move to midfield will give him a little more playing time,” said Tambroni. “He's worked hard to learn the defense, which is a challenge for most converted attackman, but he's learned it quickly and he's been eager to improve. Offensively, he creates so many issues for a defense because of his quickness. He has a remarkable stick, both left handed and right handed, and has a knack for the goal.”
As rookies, Dudley and Lau saw action in four and three games, respectively, but the pair will look to break into the line up during their sophomore seasons. “Jack was a pleasant surprise as a freshman,” said Tambroni. “He's a bright young man in the classroom and extremely hard working on the lacrosse field. He understands the game very well and works very hard to contribute to our team's cause. As a freshman he improved a great deal on both sides of the ball. He's going to be one of our sophomores who will be looked upon, not only to gain experience, but as we look to the future will take over in the absence of guys like John Glynn and Rocco Romero.”
Like Pastirik, Lau will make the move to the midfield in an effort to utilize his quickness off the dodge and his offensive potential. “David provides a dodging threat against short-sticks,” explained Tambroni. “He puts a lot of pressure on a defense. He has the ability to break down a defense, and as a former attackman, he has the ability to find the open man. He needs to learn our defense, but he took a huge leap from his freshman to his sophomore year to be in a position that we expect him to contribute.”
Thomson saw action in seven games during his rookie season and registered his first collegiate point with a goal vs. Hobart. “Jon provides a slick left-handed stick on the field for us,” said Tambroni. “He's not afraid to pull the trigger on the offensive end, and like most of the Canadians we've had, he's provided us with a legitimate scoring threat. He's still learning the field game, but he's taken great pride and worked very hard. He has some upperclassmen ahead of him, but he's put himself in a position to contribute as a member of our extra-man unit or in the offense.”
Grom has suffered through injuries the majority of his time on East Hill, but has still managed to see action in 15 games during his career, registering his first collegiate point last season with a goal against Denver. “Pete has been a bit of a journeyman,” said Tambroni. “He's always been on the cusp as a player because he's battled some injuries throughout the years. Injuries have affected his agility and speed, but he's worked hard and has never wavered in his commitment and contributions to this team. Regardless of how much Pete plays for us on the field, he is a leader in terms of his work ethic and selflessness.”
A 2008 high school All-American at the Salisbury School, McMichael lettered twice for the Crimson Knights, helping them to a 23-7 record over that span. Prior to his season at the Salisbury School, McMichael lettered four times at Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic HS, earning his team MVP award all four years and helping his squad to the 2006 OFSAA championships.
“Unfortunately, Mitch got injured this fall, so he wasn't able to play in the majority of our practices, but he showed tremendous promise,” said Tambroni. “Coming from the Salsibury School, he understands the offense and defense very well and he's worked tremendously hard. With his talent, he should contribute for us somewhere down the line.”
Daugherty, a four-year letter winner at Deerfield Academy, served as team captain during his senior season and led the team to a 15-1 record. He also helped Deerfield to three New England West championships, including an undefeated season in 2007. In high school, Daugherty was named his team's MVP and was selected to the New England West All-Star team.
“Chip is a bit undersized but he plays with so much tenacity and has a great work ethic to match,” said Tambroni. “His strengths are his desire to go out and compete at a high level. He plays with that mentality that has made our defense successful over the years; blue-collar, hard working, and very tenacious.”
A two-time high school All-American at Providence Country Day School, Gilbane led the state of Rhode Island in scoring for two straight seasons and finished his career at PCD with 334 points. A four-year starter, he was a four-time all-state selection, earning first-team honors twice before lettering once at Deerfield Academy, helping the team to a 15-1 record during the 2008 season.
“Athletically, JJ has already developed with an extra year of high school as a postgraduate student at Deerfield and we're optimistic that if he continues to work on his offensive skills than he'll score a ton of goals before his career is through,” said Tambroni.
Restaino lettered three times at the Lawrenceville School, helping his team to four MAPL championships and four N.J. Prep H state championships. He earned first-team all-region, second-team all-prep and second-team All-MAPL honors during his career. Restaino also helped the 2007 Long Island Empire State Team earn a gold medal and played for Bermuda at the 2008 ILF U-19 World Championships. At the World Championships, he earned honorable mention all-tournament honors after posting 15 goals and two assists in seven games.
“Matt continues to impress the coaching staff in limited time this fall,” said Tambroni. “He came in with an injury and missed the first month of preseason, so he got off to a slow start. He got better as the fall went on and showed great promise towards the end of the fall, making the most of his minutes. He can do a little bit of everything. He plays solid offense and defense and can also face-off, so we'll try to utilize Matt as much as we can this year as a freshman.”
Langton earned three varsity letters at St. John's Prep, helping the team to a Catholic Conference championship in 2005 and 2006. He served as team captain as a senior and was named his team's MVP. An exceptional athlete with tremendous speed, Langton was an outstanding track athlete, setting the state record and earning All-American honors in the shuttle hurdle relay in 2006 and winning the New England championship and Class A State championship in the 4x200-meter relay.
“Chris is one of the best athletes that we've had here in a long time,” said Tambroni. “Physically, he is beyond his years. He just needs to learn to play within the Cornell offense and defense, but once he learns how to play a Cornell-style of lacrosse, the sky is the limit. Our staff is very excited and believes his future is extremely bright.”
Levine did not play in his second season with the Big Red, but saw action in two games during his rookie season, playing vs. Binghamton and Penn.
“Julian is a tremendous athlete,” said Tambroni. “During his time here, he has become a solid transition player who runs extremely well from defense to offense. He has made the move from the attack to the midfield as we attempt to utilize his strength and athleticism.”
SHORT STICK MIDFIELD
A fundamental change in Cornell's style of play will have a direct impact on the number of players that will be considered short stick defensive midfielders. As the Big Red attempts to run an up-tempo, transition game, the coaching staff will focus on utilizing more two-way midfielders. Still, Cornell will have several players that will contribute mostly in defensive situations, and will benefit from the return of Tommy Schmicker, Matt Sutherland and Pat Kirwan.
With the loss of Danny Nathan, Schmicker will step up as the most senior member of the defense unit. An integral part of the face-off unit over the past three years, the coaching staff is hopeful that with his tremendous size and strength, he will take on added responsibility in the defensive end of the field. Last season, Schmicker was a main component of one of the best face-off units in the nation, helping the team to rank first in the Ivy League and third in the nation with a .610 win percentage. He saw action in all 15 games, won 77-of-126 restarts, good for second in the conference with a .611 win percentage, and picked up 42 ground balls on the year. Schmicker's face-off winning percentage would have been good enough for fifth in the nation, but he fell just below the minimum attempts required to be listed in the national rankings.
“Tommy has tremendous experience at the face-off X and in the defensive end,” said Tambroni. “He's played in a lot of games for us and has done very well, so he comes back in 2009 as one of the main components of our face off unit. We're hoping that he'll be a leader in off-season workouts to make us, if not one of the best, than the best face-off unit in the country.”
Sutherland has seen action in three games during his two seasons with the Big Red, but has worked tremendously hard in the offseason to put himself in a position to play this spring.
“Matt has been persistent through his two years at Cornell,” said Tambroni. “Our staff has seen him take great strides over the past two years and we are excited about his next two years.”
Kirwin has endured several injuries during his three seasons with the team, yet he has still managed to see action in 18 games in his career, including seven games last season. The team's most highly skilled and knowledgeable face-off man, Cornell is hoping to utilize his abilities in the circle this season.
“Pat has yet to go through a fall or spring without suffering an injury and he has just never gotten to the point where he could develop consistently,” explained Tambroni. “Unfortunately, it happened again this fall and he missed the fall tournament. Still, he provides an invaluable asset in the preparation for other face-off men because of his knowledge and array of techniques. He has provided an invaluable face-off man in practice and without an injury this spring, he could blossom into a player that can and will contribute to a deep face-off unit.”
LONG STICK
A converted short stick midfielder, Derkac returns as the incumbent starter at the long pole. He moved into a starting role last season and became a crucial part of the Big Red's face-off unit. He saw action in all 15 games, made 14 starts and picked up 45 ground balls on the year. Derkac picked up at least one ground ball 14 times and ranked second on the team with 3.0 ground balls per game.
“Pierce played a lot over the summer and did a great job of coming back with the knowledge and confidence to become a defensive leader,” said Tambroni. “His tenacity and work ethic are a major asset and a welcomed addition to the defensive unit. He brings a physicality and presence that Coach DeLuca played with and looks for from our defense.”
Howe went from the pole to the short stick during the fall of his rookie season and saw substantial playing time before returning to the pole as a sophomore, seeing action in 10 games.
“Michael played with a short stick this summer, but possesses solid skills and was able to transition back to the long pole again this fall,” said Tambroni. “He is a wonderful complement to Pierce Derkac, but they play a different style, which should make them a nice one-two punch in the defensive end. He has worked hard to polish all aspects of his game and his commitment to the weight room will allow him to take that next step.”
Livadas and Gilbert saw action in eight and three games, respectively, during their rookie seasons.
Livadas suffered from an illness that caused him to miss several weeks during the fall season. “Chris was probably our most consistent freshman from start to finish last spring,” said Tambroni. “Our staff has been encouraged by his willingness to play within the system. If you ask him to do something, it's going to get done, so he should be in the playing rotation this spring, either at the pole, as a close defensemen, or on our man-down unit.”
During the fall, Gilbert saw quality playing time and made the most of his minutes. “Ethan converted from short-stick to long pole as a freshman and has worked very hard to learn the position,” said Tambroni. “He's selflessly committed himself to the defensive end and has made tremendous strides from last year to this year. He's also worked hard to polish his stick skills and his knowledge of the defense, which has continued to improve. With his desire and willingness to learn the game and our system, he is going to be a guy that gives us another option at the midfield or at close defense.”
DEFENSE
The Cornell defense will suffer from the loss of All-Ivy performer Nick Gradinger, as well as letter winner Max Dorne, who both left the team in the offseason due to persistent injuries, but will look to returning All-American Matt Moyer to anchor the unit.
Moyer, a 2009 first-team preseason All-American selection, was named honorable mention All-America following his junior season. The Big Red's top cover defenseman, he was named to the All-Ivy first-team after starting all 15 games and picking up 35 ground balls.
“Athletically, Matt can cover just about anybody in the game due to his athleticism,” said Tambroni. “He also provides a wonderful asset in our transition game because of his stick skills and his mentality with the ball in his stick. In so many ways, we will need to rely on Matt this spring, not only as a player, but as a leader.”
MacDonald took on a bigger role as a part of the Big Red defense during his sophomore season, seeing action in all 15 games and making 11 starts. He picked up 19 ground balls on the season, including a career-high three vs. Denver.
“Andrew has an ability to deflect and knock down passes and, like Matt Moyer, he gives us a good option to move from the defensive to offensive end,” said Tambroni. “He has become one of our best communicators in the defensive end and took tremendous strides this fall.”
Feeley saw action in seven games as a rookie and made some of the greatest strides in the fall. He played with such heart and passion and he will compete for a starting position this spring.
“Max is one of our most physical defenseman,” said Tambroni. “If you're coming though the middle or shooting with your head down, he's going to knock you down. He brings a physicality and a mentality to our defensive end that we so desperately need.”
Decker returned to the team prior to the 2008 season after not playing for the Big Red during his sophomore season. As a rookie, he saw action in four games and because of an injury last year, that has been the extent of his playing time in his three years on East Hill.
“John fought through injuries his freshman year, didn't play his sophomore year and sat out all of last year again due to injuries, so this will be his first full year of playing time,” said Tambroni. “He is a senior academically, but because of the injuries, he is a sophomore in terms of his playing time. He has brought a new sense of optimism and confidence to the field this year, which to the coaching staff's delight, has put him in a position athletically and physically to compete for playing time on the defensive unit.”
After playing on the Cornell club lacrosse team as a freshman, Baker made the unprecedented leap to the varsity squad as a sophomore and saw action in seven games during his first season with the Big Red.
“Courtney is the only walk-on we've ever taken from the club team here at Cornell and to his credit, he absorbed so much information in a short period of time, that he's in a position this spring to become a game-day contributor,” said Tambroni.
Kamedulski played in two games during his sophomore season, after playing in five games as a rookie.
“Brad has great skills for a defenseman,” said Tambroni. “He has contributed a great deal behind the scenes as a scout-team player and is poised to potentially make a push as a game day contributor.”
A four-year starter at the Noble and Greenough School, Weyl helped lead his team to an ISL Championship in both 2005 and 2006. He was a first-team All-ISL selection as a junior and senior, after earning an honorable mention nod as a sophomore. Weyl was named All-New England as a senior and participated in the New England Prep School All-Star game.
“TJ is out of the Cam Marchant '06 mold in terms of his attention to detail and work ethic, and Cam was one of our best regarding those attributes,” said Tambroni. “He's a quick learner and has worked hard as our lone freshman defensemen. He did a nice job this fall learning our system. He plays within himself and has been a well coached player and that's translated into early success here.”
GOALIE
The Big Red returns four goalies to the squad, three of which saw playing time on game day last season.
The incumbent starter, Jake Myers returns for his final year of eligibility. He will be pushed by senior Kyle Harer and sophomore Matt Martinez, while junior Ian Parker will provide depth.
Myers became the Big Red's main option in net during the 2008 season, starting all 15 games between the pipes. He posted an 8.77 goals-against average and a .527 save percentage on the season, tallying double-digit saves on seven occasions, including a career-high 14 vs. Syracuse. He stopped 13 shots vs. Brown, 12 shots vs. Penn and made 10 saves against Navy, Yale, Harvard and Dartmouth.
“Jake played solid at times last year and was key to a couple of victories that led the way to an Ivy League championship,” said Tambroni. “He went home over the summer and played a lot of lacrosse at a high level and will return with a year of experience under his belt to compete as a starter in 2009.”
A transfer from Butler University, Harer saw action in two games during his first season with the Big Red, playing a total of 33 minutes. He posted a 5.46 goals-against average and a .667 save percentage on the year. Harer finished the season strong with his best performance of the year vs. Ohio State in the NCAA tournament when he came in off the bench and made five saves, while allowing just two goals vs. the Buckeyes.
“Probably the biggest bright spot of the fall tournament was Kyle's performance in goal,” said Tambroni. “He gave us a chance to be successful, and that's all you can ask of a goalie. Our staff is excited about the competition in goal, knowing that the guy that wins the starting job will give us a chance to stabilize and lead the defense.”
Martinez was the Big Red's primary back-up goalie during his rookie season, seeing action in 106 minutes over nine games. He made 12 saves on the year, stopping .480 percent of the shots he faced, while posting a 7.33 goals-against average. Martinez had his best game of the season during Cornell's 9-8 victory over Army when he played 30 minutes and made a season-high four saves, including a last-second stop to preserve the victory.
“Mat continues to improve and is still working hard to find a role on our team,” said Tambroni. “Last year, he played the role of backup and did a nice job coming in and providing consistency in goal from a young source. He came back this fall and has obviously worked hard and will compete alongside Jake and Kyle to become the starter.”
A transfer from the University of Arizona, Parker did not play during his first season with the Big Red.
“Ian was a sophomore walk-on last year and he works hard, selflessly, to be a quality back-up,” said Tambroni. “He has made great strides physically and hit the ground running this year in terms of knowing the defense and he has given our scout team some much needed leadership, which is what we will need from him throughout the season.”
THE SCHEDULE
The 2009 schedule is an exciting one, featuring the appearance of four 2008 NCAA tournament participants, five preseason top 20 teams, the ever-competitive Ivy League conference, and several games with traditional rivals.
“Our coaching staff and our team are extremely excited about the spring schedule,” said Tambroni. “We know there will be some tremendous challenges week in and week out. The Ivy League continues to grow more and more competitive, as do our upstate rivalries. Those, as well as the addition of two ACC schools, complete what we think will be as competitive and as challenging a schedule as we've had here at Cornell.”
For the first time in the history of the rivalry, Cornell will travel down I-81 to Binghamton to take on the Bearcats on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 1 p.m.
Cornell will remain on the road as it travels to historic Michie Stadium to take on Army in front of a nationwide audience on ESPNU on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 5 p.m.
Just over one week later, the Big Red will travel to Charlottesville, Va., to face preseason No. 1 Virginia for the first time since losing to the Cavaliers, 11-10 in the second round of the 2002 NCAA tournament. The game, slated for March 8, at 2:30 p.m., will mark the first regular season match up between the two squads since the Big Red faced Virginia in the 1971 season opener. The Cavaliers finished the 2008 season with a 14-4 record and advanced to the national semifinals before falling eventual national champion Syracuse, 12-11, in double overtime.
Cornell will open the home portion of its schedule two days later on Schoellkopf Field as it plays host to Canisius on Tuesday, March 10, at 4 p.m. The Golden Griffins advanced to their first-ever NCAA tournament in 2008 after setting the school record for victories with a 10-6 overall record and winning the MAAC championship with a conference record of 7-1.
For the past three seasons, Cornell has made a familiar trip to the state of North Carolina, and after a one-year hiatus, the Big Red will take on No. 7 Duke at Koskinen Stadium on Tuesday, March 17, at 7 p.m. The Blue Devils are coming off last year's 18-2 campaign that included the ACC regular season and tournament championships along with the program's third trip to the national semifinals in the past four years.
The Ivy League portion of the schedule begins the following weekend as Cornell heads to Yale on Saturday, March 21.
Cornell returns to Ithaca for the next two conference games against Penn on Saturday, March 28 and Harvard on Saturday, April 4.
The annual showdown with No. 2 Syracuse travels to the Career Dome this season as Cornell and the Orange face off on Tuesday, April 7, at 7 p.m. The game, which will be televised locally on Time Warner Sports, should prove to be another epic battle as Cornell will look to erase the memories of its disappointing 15-8 loss last season at the hands of the eventual national champions.
Three straight Ivy League games close out the month of April with away games at Dartmouth and No. 13 Brown sandwiched around a home game vs. No. 14 Princeton.
Cornell heads out to take on the Big Green on Saturday, April 11 before the marquee match up in Ivy League lacrosse, the Cornell and Princeton rivalry, returns to Schoellkopf Field as the Big Red plays host to Princeton on Saturday, April 18.
In its final road game of the regular season, the Big Red will travel to Brown on Saturday, April 25. Last season, the Bears earned a share of the Ivy League title for the first time in over a decade, and just the seventh time in program history, after finishing the year with an 11-3 record overall and a mark of 5-1 in the conference.
For its final game of the regular season, the Big Red will host the 131st all-time meeting with in-state rival Hobart on Saturday, May 2.
