With the semester in full swing, Cornell’s fall sports teams are preparing for the upcoming season. Women’s soccer got the ball rolling over the weekend, and men’s soccer, volleyball, sailing and golf will return to action over Labor Day weekend. If the preseason polls are any indication, it could be a long season for the Red. Women’s soccer, volleyball and football are all projected to finish at or near the bottom of the Ivy League standings, while men’s soccer and field hockey are projected to finish in the middle of the pack.
Women’s soccer kicked off the season, jumping out to a disappointing 0-2 start in two games over the weekend. The Red was picked to finish in a tie for last in the Ivy League preseason poll, but it will try to build on a 2021 campaign that saw its first Ivy League win in five years. The team kicks off Ivy play on Sept. 24 at Columbia.
Berman Field’s other tenant for the fall, men’s soccer, will look to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012. The Red narrowly missed a postseason berth last fall after coming up short in a late-season loss against Princeton and drawing Columbia in the final match of the season. 2021 All-Ivy First Team forward Emeka Eneli will lead the team into its season opener on Sept. 2 at UC Santa Barbara.
On Dodson Field, field hockey is looking to end a 31-year Ivy League title drought. Standing in the Red’s way is a Harvard squad that is coming off a Final Four appearance in 2021. The Red, which was picked fourth in the preseason poll, starts its campaign on Sept. 7 at Colgate and returns to Dodson Field on Sept. 23 when it hosts Dartmouth.
Over on the hard court in Newman Arena volleyball is hoping to bounce back from a disappointing seventh place finish in 2021. The Red was chosen to repeat in seventh in the Ivy League preseason poll. Cornell returns to the court at the Kent State Invitational on Sept. 2.
Across Campus Road on Schoellkopf Field, football is coming off a tie for sixth place in the Ivy League in 2021. The Red was picked to finish last in the preseason poll, but Cornell has beaten its preseason prediction in six of the last seven seasons. Cornell will be hampered by the loss of 51 seniors, but will hope that a full season with sophomore quarterback Jameson Wang under center will help revitalize the offense. The Red kicks off its 2022 campaign on Sept. 17 at VMI before returning to Schoellkopf on Sept. 24 to host Yale during homecoming.
Sprint football will return to action on Sept. 16 at Army, and will look to do better than the 66-6 loss it suffered against Army last season. The Red will try to improve on its 2-5 2021 season.
On the water, sailing has a busy fall schedule and rowing will get a taste of competition before the main spring season. Sailing starts its season at the Kings Point Regatta on Sept. 10, where it will try to repeat its first place finish from last season. Their fellow team on the water, rowing, returns to action on Oct. 23 in Boston on the Charles River.
Last but not least, golf will return on Sept. 3 at the Alex Lagowitz Memorial Invitational at Colgate. The team will attempt to beat its finish of sixth, out of 15, at the event in 2021.