Cornell got a vote of confidence this week when it was ranked No. 11 in the nation in Lacrosse Magazine’s pre-season poll. The ranking comes as an honor, but not necessarily a surprise. With eleven of last year’s twelve starters returning, the Red hopes to build upon the 11-4 record that propelled it into the its first NCAA tournament last season.
In the upcoming season, the Red will be welcoming back seniors Lori Wohlschlegel, Ginny Miles, and Jaimee Reynolds, three of its top six goal scorers of all time, along with its all-Ivy goalie, senior Carrie Giancola. It is a good thing because eight of the Red’s 15 scheduled games will be against teams ranked in the pre-season top twenty, three of those in the top ten.
Senior captain Katie McCorry’s reaction to the team’s pre-season ranking is indicative of the squad’s mood.
“We were really excited to find out, but we don’t focus too much on our ranking. We think more about the season, but it is nice to get recognition for our hard work. Our schedule has been dramatically stepped-up this season. We’re all ready for practice to start.”
Giancola affirms McCorry’s sentiments.
“Needless to say we were all ecstatic, but really we’re all waiting for the season to start. We’ve gotten better every season. Everyone has a good attitude and is focused. I think that the better competition we will be facing this year reflects the growth of our program.”
Wohlschlegel agreed with her teammates, noting that the blend of savvy veterans and promising rookies is a recipe for success.
“We came off a huge season last year. We have eight seniors returning and seven of us having been pla < together for four years. The new freshmen are great. We're all very, very excited."
Practice officially starts Feb. 1. The Red won’t have to wait long before they are are put to the test. The team will face second-ranked Duke in Towson, Maryland on Feb. 23 in pre-season action.
“I can’t wait,” said Wohlschlegel, “It’s our last year. We want to make it our best.”
Archived article by Sun Staff