After a year on the Hill, these 10 athletes came into this season with high expectations and exceeded all of them. From the hardwood of Newman Arena to the ice of Lynah Rink and everything in between, these sophomores excelled in their sports this past year.
Boulukos, was selected to play in the Under-19 games with the national squad last summer, but was unable to do so because of a neck injury. The 5-11 midfielder from Huntington, N.Y., who was an honorable mention selection on Inside Lacrosse’s All-American squad, has recovered just fine. He is currently tied for second on Cornell’s team with 20 goals, and is third on the squad with 26 points. For his career, Boulukos has 32 goals and 40 points. He promises to deliver even more next season.
Lenny Collins, Men’s Basketball
Last year’s Ivy League Rookie of the Year played a key role in the basketball team’s improvement this season, as he was second on the team in scoring in Ivy League contests with 12.4 points per game. Yet the 6-6 swingman’s real claim to fame were his 52 steals, which led the way for a squad that broke the school record in that statistical category with 236 on the year. Collins also set a Cornell record with eight steals in a game against Bucknell, had a career high 31 points in his game against Harvard, and had his first career double-double in a loss at the Palestra at Penn.
Shannon Fraser, Women’s Soccer
Fraser became a two-time All-Ivy honorable mention selection after leading the team in assists with five, and adding seven goals. Fraser helped the team to its 7-7-2 record, as she was second on the team with two game-winning goals. To cap the year, her teammates voter her MVP, and Fraser finished with a total of 10 goals and 10 assists in her career.
Dustin Manotti, Wrestling
After placing fourth at the national tournament, Manotti earned a spot on the All-American team for the second time in as many years. After such a successful finish, one would think Manotti would be on the Ivy League’s first team. Yet the 149-pounder from Mifflinburg, Penn. only made the Ancient Eight’s second team roster, as Harvard’s Jesse Jantzen took the first-team honor after his Most Outstanding Wrestler performance at the national tournament. But with Jantzen gone next year, Manotti, who had just one loss in the Ivy League this season, should cruise through the conference en route to a possible third straight All-American campaign.
Matt Moulson, Men’s Hockey
After winning the Crimson Cup award, given to “the player whose contribution to the team was outstanding during the season series against Harvard,” it is easy to see why Moulson is a fan favorite. The forward came up big against the Red’s biggest rival, tallying three goals and two assists in the two games against the Crimson. Moulson, who led the team with 35 points and 18 goals, had a hat-trick in the squad’s 5-3 win at the Bright Hockey Center. The first-team All-Ivy pick and honorable mention ECAC selection had a stretch of nine straight games with at least one point.
Jen Munhofen, Women’s Hockey
Munhofen was one of the few bright spots on a team that went just 7-21-2 and 3-15 in the ECAC, as she led the squad with 19 points and 12 assists. Munhofen, who has 31 career points, tallied one of only three points recorded for the Red in two playoff games against Harvard and had two goals in a crucial 4-0 win over Union late in the season.
William Pauly, Baseball
In his first season after transferring from Vanderbilt, Pauly was just one of two starters to bat over .300. He finished the year with a .312 average with 15 runs batted in. More importantly, Pauly ended his season with a bang, hammering a walk-off home run Monday against Columbia to boost the team to an Ivy League win. The Atlantic Beach, Fl. native was second on the team in slugging with a .424 percentage, and he led the Red with 53 total bases.
Meghan Phair, Fencing
Phair earned All-America honors for the second straight year following her fourth place finish in the epee category. Phair, who placed sixth in last year’s national tournament, went 15-8 in this year’s event during seven rounds of competition and barely missed reaching the national finals, falling to Notre Dame’s Kerry Walton 9-8 in the semis.
Kristin Rayhack, Women’s Swimming
Rayhack finished in 23rd place in the 3-meter competition at the Zone A qualifier for the NCAA diving championships at the U.S. Naval Academy. Rayhack was also the lone bright spot for her team at the Ivy League Championships, as she captured the 3-meter crown by over 10 points for a team that finished in last place.
Matt Serediak, Men’s Squash
After earning first-team All-Ivy and All-American honors last season, the Regina, Sask. native was named a co-captain of this year’s squad. Serediak’s shining moment came at the CSA Nationals, when he outlasted Penn’s Gilly Lane in five sets. The squasher Led Cornell’s team to an 8-4 regular season record and an eighth place finish at the national tournament.
Archived article by Chris Mascaro
Sun Assistant Sports Editor