Graphic: Kristen D'Souza (Sun Design Editor). Photos: Julia Nagel (Sun Photography Editor), Jason Wu (Sun Assistant Photography Editor), Hannah Rosenberg (Sun Senior Editor)

May 10, 2022

The Sun’s 2021-22 Top 25 Senior Athletes

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Each year, the Sun’s sports department honors 25 outstanding graduating senior athletes. Notwithstanding a global pandemic and lost seasons, these athletes have shown true resilience and courage. They have spent their time on East Hill captaining teams, winning championships and representing Cornell with honor and pride.

Top Male Senior Athlete: John Piatelli – Lacrosse

Julia Nagel/Sun Photography Editor

Read more about John here.

Top Female Senior Athlete: Lindsay Browning – Hockey

Hannah Rosenberg/Sun Senior Editor

Read more about Lindsay here.

Top Senior Athletes (in alphabetical order):

Alafia Ayeni – Tennis

Julia Nagel/Sun Photography Editor

As the No. 3 recruit in the nation, Alafia Ayeni came to Cornell with high hopes, and never failed to deliver. During his freshman year, Ayeni became only the third Cornellian to be named Ivy League Rookie of the Year and earned All-Ivy League second-team honors in singles. He went one step further and took home All-Ivy League first-team honors in singles his sophomore year along with a ranking of seventh in the ITA Northeast Region. Prior to COVID canceling his junior season, Ayeni posted a stellar record of 7-1 at the top two singles positions. In his final year, Ayeni, with his partner Vladislav Melnic, became the first doubles pair from Cornell to be ranked within the top 20 of the ITA rankings. Rounding out the year, Ayeni earned All-Ivy League first-team honors in singles and doubles after going a perfect 5-0 in-conference in doubles and 5-1 in singles in the Ivy League. (Ruth Abraham)

Tyler Bagley – Soccer

Courtesy of Cornell Athletics

As a midfielder, Tyler Bagley demonstrated his ability to have an immediate impact. As a freshman, Bagley started in 15 games and appeared in all 17, leading the team in assists with four games. While Bagley only notched one goal on the season, it came at a crucial moment, as the game winner against Binghamton. His first assist was important as well, coming on the lone goal in a 1-0 upset over Syracuse. Bagley continued to be a regular presence on the field his sophomore and junior seasons, appearing in 32 total games and tallying eight points. As a fifth year, Bagley had multiple breakout moments, most notably his performance in the week of September 14, in which he scored five goals and recorded two assists, and was recognized as the Ivy League, United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer Player of the Week. Bagley won his second Ivy Player of the Week for the week of October 11, after he recorded one goal and three assists against Harvard. He was also the sixth-leading goal scorer in all of Division 1 this season. (Grayson Ruhl)

Kyle Betts – Hockey

Courtesy of Cornell Athletics

A brilliant student in the College of Engineering and a gifted center on the ice, Kyle Betts defined what it meant to be a student athlete. He was named the 2020-2021 ECAC Student Athlete of the Year for his accomplishments on the ice and in the classroom. As a player, Betts’ career has been defined by his consistency as a producer and his versatility as a center who could slot in with any wingers and who was prone to wreak havoc on the forecheck. Betts notched 12 points in 33 games as a freshman, eight points in 36 games as a sophomore, 10 points in 24 games as a junior and 18 points in 32 games as a fifth-year senior. Betts took on a leadership role as one of the team’s three captains during his final season. “We’ve had our ups and downs this year, and I think the effect that’s had on my leadership skills and how I view what it means to be a leader has dramatically changed,” Betts said. “I hope to carry those traits of leadership and things I’ve learned with me. Whether it’s through hockey or in my career eventually, it’s just invaluable experience.” (Aaron Snyder)

Lance Blass – Football

Courtesy of Cornell Athletics

Coming into the 2021 season with nearly 40 seniors and fifth-years, football had plenty of places to look for leadership. Among that large group, it was Lance Blass who was elected to become the team’s first solo captain since 1973. Blass served as a steady presence on the defense as a middle linebacker. Over 30 career games, he posted 137 tackles, two and a half sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. His fifth-year campaign earned him a 2022 All-Ivy second team selection. (Aaron Snyder)

Jameson Crandell – Swimming & Diving

Hannah Rosenberg/Sun Senior Editor

During his time on the diving team, Jameson Crandell competed at the Ivy League Championships twice, with his first time placing 11th and earning No. 7 on Cornell’s all-time list. His second time qualified him for the B final for the one-meter, where he placed 12th with 261.55 points. In his freshman year, Crandell was given the team’s Hardest Worker Award for divers, while achieving the second-highest scores in both diving events during the season. In his senior season, he qualified for the NCAA Zone A Championships and finished in the top-25 for both the three-meter and one-meter. (Gabriella Pacitto)

Benjamin Darmstadt – Wrestling

Julia Nagel/Sun Photography Editor

Benjamin Darmstadt was one of the most dominant wrestlers in recent Cornell history. Wrestling at 197 pounds, Darmstadt burst onto the scene as a freshman, putting the nation on notice early, finishing the season 34-4, including a perfect 14-0 in dual meets. Darmstadt set a freshman school record with 18 pins, and cruised to an EIWA title, earning him a unanimous first-team All-Ivy League selection. Darmstadt earned a bid to the NCAA tournament, where he finished sixth, adding All-America accolades to his resume. After a season off due to injury, Darmstadt picked up right where he left off as a sophomore, finishing the season with a 28-6 record, splitting time between 184 and 197 pounds. Darmstadt won his second EIWA title at 197 pounds, and was once again first-team Ivy-League, as well as a first-team All-American. He returned to the national tournament at 197, entering as the No. 4 seed. However, injury and COVID-19 cut short Darmstadt’s career. Nevertheless, his run of dominance was one of the best the program has had recently, and Darmstadt remained with the team, continuing to offer wisdom, enthusiasm and support. (Grayson Ruhl)

Megan Eno – Fencing

Jason Wu/Sun Assistant Photography Editor

Megan Eno arrived at East Hill as an accomplished epée fencer and continued to be a dominant force for Cornell fencing during the past four years. In all three of her competing seasons, the Oregon-native earned All-American honors and qualified for the NCAA Championships. As a freshman, Eno became just the fourth Cornell fencer to earn a spot on the All-Ivy first team honors after a third-place finish at the Ivy League Round Robin Tournament. She went on to win silver at the 2019 NCAA Northeast Regional Tournament and earned a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Her sophomore year, Eno was once again named to the All-Ivy first team after another third-place finish at the Ivy Round Robin. She finished that season with a team-leading 64 victories. Eno concluded her time at Cornell with a sixth-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Championships and helped lead the team to ninth-place in the overall standings. (Ruth Abraham)

Leone Farquharson – Track & Field

Hannah Rosenberg/Sun Senior Editor

In 2018, Leone Farquharson came to Ithaca and made an almost immediate impact on the Cornell track and field program. As a freshman, she recorded 16 top-five finishes, including four first-place finishes. She jumped for the third-best outdoor triple jump in the program’s history and finished first at the ECAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Her sophomore season began with her breaking a personal record in the 60m dash at the Greg Page Relays. Her time was also the ninth-best time in Cornell history. Farquharson built on that and notched a long jump personal record, which turned out to be the second-best indoor jump in program history. She also won the long jump at the Southern Tier Collegiate Open and the Marc Deneault Invitational and her triple jump at the Kane Invitational was the seventh-best indoor jump in program history. In her senior season, she made the All-American second-team after reaching the 2022 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship. (Ruth Abraham)

Matthew Fusco – Track & Field

Julia Nagel/Sun Photography Editor

Matt Fusco has been a key member of Cornell track and field, from his start as a freshman to his leadership as a senior. Fusco demonstrated the ability to compete in all three seasons of track in his first year, running in six cross country meets, five indoor meets and three outdoor meets. As a sophomore, he improved on his finish at the Cross Country and Indoor Ivy League Heptagonal Championships, finishing in 24th and seventh, respectively. As a senior, Fusco led both the cross country and track teams as one of its captains and as one of the top runners on the team. He continued to improve on his stats from previous years, finishing in 16th at the Cross Country Heptagonal Championships, and earning Academic-All Ivy honors. (Grayson Ruhl)

Cody Haiskanen – Hockey

Jason Wu/Sun Assistant Photography Editor

After serving as a reliable presence in the defensive corps for his first three seasons, Cody Haiskanen stepped up as the leader of Cornell’s historically emphasized position group in his final season. As the sole defenseman of the team’s three captains, Haiskanen took it upon himself to serve as a leader for the team’s young group of blue liners. “When I came in, the older guys did a great job teaching us and showing us the ropes, so I just want to do the same,” Haiskanen said before the season. “Pass it down to these guys and show them what it means to be a Cornell hockey player and defenseman.” Haiskanen used his length to clear pucks and block shots on the defensive end, and added four goals during his four seasons with the Red. (Aaron Snyder)

Valerie Ho – Tennis

Julia Nagel/Sun Photography Editor

A leader on and off the court, Valerie Ho was an integral part of the core group of seniors who had been a part of Cornell women’s tennis through a tumultuous four years. As a freshman, Ho led the team in singles victories, including winning six-straight matches, culminating in All-Ivy League second team honors in singles. She became only the second freshman in program history to earn All-Ivy League singles honors. Ho, along with senior Maria Adiaconitei, were runners-up in “A” flight of the Cissie Leary Invitational Tournament. Off the court, Ho had taken the other team members under her wing, mentoring them and helping them adjust to life as a student-athlete. She was also named to the 400 Club, an honor given to athletes after receiving a 4.0 GPA in at least one semester. (Ruth Abraham)

Benjamin Hopkins – Lightweight Rowing

Julia Nagel/Sun Photography Editor

Ben Hopkins arrived on East Hill as an already accomplished rower and using his skill, he helped guide Cornell lightweight rowing to new heights. As a freshman, he rowed with the second varsity eight boat, helping them win the EARC Sprints, earn a gold medal and guided them to wins over Dartmouth, Princeton and Columbia. Competing on the varsity four boat, he helped guide them to a seventh-place finish at the IRA National Championships. As a sophomore, Hopkins was part of the boat that won bronze at the 55th Head of the Charles Regatta and helped the varsity eight secure a second-place finish in Flight 1 on the Princeton Chase. During Hopkins’ senior season, he one-upped his previous result and helped guide the varsity eight boat to a silver medal finish at the 56th Head of the Charles Regatta. (Ruth Abraham)

Beatrice Juskeviciute – Track & Field

Julia Nagel/Sun Photography Editor

Team Captain, All-American and currently ranked No. 1 in Cornell history, No. 2 in Ivy League History in pentathlon and No. 7 in the country, Beatrice Juskeviciute has made quite the impact on the track and field team. She has won at every Ivy League competition she has competed in during her career, making her a five-team Ivy League Champion. Juskeviciute attended the NCAA Championships during her freshman and sophomore years, and is going her senior year as well. Her first time, she finished 19th in the country for the heptathlon. Additionally in her freshman year, not only did she break the freshman record in the heptathlon and pentathlon, but she broke the lasting heptathlon record. In 2022, she became the All-America Award winter for the Indoor Track 2nd team and was a NCAA outdoor track qualifier (the meet is held in June, so her results are still awaiting and determine her All-America award for the outdoor season). Juskeviciute holds one Ivy League record in the heptathlon and two Ivy League Meet records in the heptathlon and pentathlon. Juskeviciute is constantly breaking records of past scores, then continuing to break her own in following competitions. (Gabriella Pacitto)

Brenden Locke – Hockey

Courtesy of Cornell Athletics

A dangerous offensive threat, Brenden Locke posted a +48 rating and 79 points during his career. From his first game as a freshman to his last game as a fifth-year, Locke was a constant presence in Cornell’s forward rotations. Locke was Cornell’s Iron Man for his four seasons, having played in a remarkable 123 games. After returning for a fifth year with “unfinished business” on his mind, he was named one of the team’s three captains. “I think it’s taught me that being a leader is about constant growth and just continuing to try to better yourself and those around you,” he said. (Aaron Snyder)

Miranda Lund – Gymnastics

Hannah Rosenberg/Sun Senior Editor

Miranda Lund has been a two year captain on the gymnastics team. In 2019 she scored a season-best of 9.825 at the ECAC championships, achieving 11th place. During her sophomore year, she competed as an all-around gymnast in four meets. Lund averaged a 9.353 on vault, 8.894 on the bars, 9.678 on beam and 9.336 on the floor. She became one of the region’s top beam performers and nationally qualified with her 9.730 score. Lund received second-team All-ECAC beam, and was a ECAC Scholar Athlete for three years, and a one-year GEC Scholar Athlete. In 2022, she achieved first-team All-GEC floor and first-team All-American honors for floor. Lund also holds a place in the 400 Club. (Gabriella Pacitto)

Kaitlyn MacGillis – Field Hockey

Hannah Rosenberg/Sun Senior Editor

Kaitlyn MacGillis has made a significant impact on the field hockey team since she arrived at Cornell. As a freshman, MacGillis saw ample playing time, appearing in 17 games, which was the most among rookies on the team. At the end of her rookie season, MacGillis was recognized by the seniors on the team with the Class of ‘91 Cup, which is given by the senior class to the rookie with the most promising future. MacGillis continued to build her resume as a sophomore, appearing in 11 contests. After a 2020 season sidelined by COVID-19, MacGillis had a breakout year as a senior, starting in 11 of the 15 games she appeared in. MacGillis was the standard for what makes a great team player, finishing the season with 0.80 assists per game, good enough for second in the NCAA. MacGillis was a part of the team’s penalty corner trio, along with Bridget Mahoney and Caroline Ramsey, who consistently manufactured goals on offense. (Grayson Ruhl)

Theresa Grace Mbanefo – Basketball

Julia Nagel/Sun Photography Editor

Theresa Grace Mbanefo has leading points in scoring, rebounding and blocking shots from her final season on the women’s basketball team, averaging 11.5. ppg, 7.8 rpg and 1.7 bpg, respectively. She finished 5th in the Ivy League in rebounding, 2nd in blocked shots per game and 2nd in field goal percentage, securing her in 13th place in the Ivy League for overall scoring. In her freshman year, not only did she see the most playing time of any freshman, but she was ranked first on the team in blocks (21), earning her fifth in the Ivy league for blocked shots. During her sophomore year, Mbanefo once again led the team in blocks, ranking 12th in the Ivy, then ranked third for the team in rebounding. After her junior season was canceled, Mbanefo made it all worth it when her senior year rolled around, achieving more rankings then in previous seasons and being unanimously voted on for captain by her teammates. (Gabriella Pacitto)

Katie McGahan – Lacrosse

Jason Wu/Sun Assistant Photography Editor

Katie is a veteran goalkeeper, currently finishing her second year in the Johnson MBA program, while simultaneously being a team captain. She is the backbone of a strong defensive unit and has distinguished herself as one of the top goalkeepers in the Ivy League. As a freshman, she earned the women’s lacrosse’s Jeff Stenstrom Memorial Award, after exemplifying leadership qualities through dedication and strength of character. During McGahan’s sophomore year, she made a career-high of 18 saves during her first-career start in the Villanova game in the season opener. In her junior year in 2019, McGahan was named honorable mention All-Ivy League. She finished off the season ranked as second in the conference in goals against average, 10.37, and this in save percentage, .461. 2020 was her senior year. She started in all six games for the Red, posting a 4-2 record with an average of 11.24 goals and .407 save percentage. In her 2022 season, as a second year grad student, McGahan was named Ivy Defensive Player of the Week on March 28th after 11 saves, 3 ground balls, and 1 caused turnover in Cornell’s double overtime win against Harvard. She has had three other double-digit save performances this season, all against top-25 teams. She leaves her mark on the Hill all over the record books, finishing with 424 saves, the third best of all-time at Cornell. (Gabriella Pacitto)

Dean Noll – Basketball

Courtesy of Cornell Athletics

Dean Noll has been a consistent guard for the basketball team during his time at Cornell. As a freshman, Noll got action off the bench, appearing in 15 games for a total of 81 minutes. He recorded 12 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and five steals in his first year. Noll’s playing time increased as a sophomore, as he appeared in 27 games. Noll averaged 6.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 steals in 17.5 minutes per game, and shot 41 percent from the field, 33 percent from three and 81 percent from the line. Noll recorded his career high in shooting against Purchase, with a 21 point day. As a senior, Noll found himself in the starting lineup 13 times, and appeared in 25 games. Noll had his high point of the season in January, when he was named Ivy League Player of the Week on January 3 after averaging 15 points and 7 rebounds against Syracuse and Dartmouth. His 15 second half points against Dartmouth led Cornell to a come-from-behind victory to begin its Ivy season. (Grayson Ruhl)

Hunter Richard – Wrestling

Julia Nagel/Sun Photography Editor

Hunter Richard has been a stalwart on the wrestling team for the past five years. Entering as a freshman in 2017, Richard immediately got into the starting lineup as 149 pounds, finishing his first year with a 16-7 record. Richard showed promise at tournaments, finishing in second at the Shorty Hitchcock and National Collegiate Opens. Richard continued his success as a sophomore, highlighted by his first title, coming at the Binghamton Open. However, it was as a junior that Richard truly broke out, finishing the season with a 25-10 record. Richard finished in second at the EIWA championships, won the Cornell and Bearcat Opens, and received his first bid to the NCAA championship. After taking the 2020 season off due to COVID-19, Richard returned this past season as a senior, making his second trip to nationals and earning an EIWA Academic Achievement Award. (Grayson Ruhl)

Jack Robinson – Heavyweight Rowing

Courtesy of Cornell Athletics

Jack Robinson was the captain and cornerstone of the men’s heavyweight rowing team. As a freshman, the Milton, Mass. native, coxed the fourth varsity eight boat at the 2019 EARC Sprints, leading the boat to a third place finish in the Petite final and a ninth place overall finish. As a sophomore, he coxed the Cornell A 4+ to a fourth-place finish in Flight 1 at the Cornell Autumn Classic. The boat was also the top Red finisher of the event. Despite the pandemic and a canceled season, Robinson’s dedication and leadership to the team never wavered. He would lead practices and motivate the team to work harder, so that when they returned, they would be better. In 2021, he received the Ackerman Award, an award “given on the basis of leadership, camaraderie and competitiveness.” Robinson died in early February after a long battle with cancer, but he left an indelible mark on the Cornell heavyweight team that will never be forgotten. (Ruth Abraham)

Donna Webster – Gymnastics

Jason Wu/Sun Assistant Photography Editor

Donna Webster competed for her first three years of college, in three-events, vault, bars and floor during her time on the gymnastics team. In 2019, as a freshman, she was the Ivy League vault champion, followed by first-team All-ECAC on vault. Webster’s vault score of 9.815 became a national qualifier and was eighth in the region, and just outside the top 100 nationally. During her sophomore year, she averaged 9.212 on vault and 8.925 on bars. She’s been a four-year Scholastic All-American, a three-year ECAC Scholar Athlete and a one-year GEC Scholar Athlete, after the team left the ECAC in 2021 and joined the new GEC. Webster is also a top-10 scorer of all time for the gymnastics program on the vault, scoring a 9.900. (Gabriella Pacitto)

Demetra Williams – Swimming & Diving

Hannah Rosenberg/Sun Senior Editor

During her time on the diving team, Demetra Williams became a Cornell record holder in one-meter diving in the 2019-2020 season and an NCAA Zone A Diving Championships qualifier in her first and second seasons. As a freshman, Williams was named the diving team’s most valuable player. At her first NCAA Championship, she achieved 24th place in the one-meter and 26th in the three-meter. Her score for the one-meter received a place on the Cornell all-time list as third. Williams then placed 13th for the three-meter at the Ivy Championship, earning No. 4 on the all-time list. During her sophomore year, she competed in both diving events during the Ivy League Championships, where she made the A final of the one-meter, finishing in fifth and earning a school-record of 266.50 points. Williams competed in the NCAA for the second time, making finals in the one-meter and placing 12th. She was the first female diver for the Red to make the finals since at least 2006. Her final season brought more achievements for Williams, as she was an Ivy League B finalist, coming in fourth for the one-meter. Then an A finalist, securing fifth for the three-meter. Williams became a co-captain her senior year, earned the Hardest Working Award and achieved seven first-place victories in the dual season. (Gabriella Pacitto)