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No Holds Barred TRAVIS LEE MIGHT BE THE BEST CORNELL WRESTLER EVER

ON THE MAT HE IS RELENTLESS, pressing the advantage and using his wiry limbs to probe for the slightest sign of weakness while moving his opponent around the circle. It's the only way Travis Lee knows how to compete, and it has paid big dividends for the senior wrestler.

Lee entered this season with a record of 106-12, and it was only a matter of when, not if, he would become the alltime leader in wins for the Cornell wrestling program, topping the 134-19 career mark set by Mark Fergeson '93. (At press time, Lee's record was 132-13.)

Lee's lengthy list of accomplishments already includes an impeccable 34-0 slate and a national title in 2002–03, three All- American awards, and an Ivy League Wrestler of the Year honor in 2003. It's all the more impressive given that Lee was largely unrecruited by the major wrestling powers and is balancing his rigorous training schedule with the academic demands of an engineering major.

For Lee, it was the combination of top-notch academics and a wrestling program on the upswing that tilted the scales in favor of Cornell. "I wanted Division I competition, and I sent a tape of some high school matches to about thirty schools, including some of the top wrestling programs in the country," he says. "When I won junior nationals after my senior year more schools noticed me, but by then I had decided on Cornell. I wanted to study engineering, and I also knew that the wrestling program here is among the best in the country."

Lee will graduate in May with a degree in biological and environmental engineering. It hasn't been easy--and he's only been able to return to his hometown in Hawaii for ten days in the past two years. "The biggest challenge is staying focused on athletics and academics, and finding a happy medium between attending practice and doing the school work," he says. "It takes focus and discipline."

His coach, Rob Koll, says that such dedication, combined with superior physical abilities, is a rare commodity. "He's a complete wrestler; he's good on his feet, on the top or on the bottom. And I have never met a more mentally tough individual," says Koll. "Travis mentally wears down his opponents. He has the ability to block out the fatigue and pain. It just doesn't affect him." Koll speaks with authority, having won a national crown himself at the University of North Carolina and finishing his career as the school's first four-time All-American. During his twelve-year tenure as head coach, the Big Red has compiled a record of 132- 49-4, and the team has sent eight wrestlers to the NCAA tournament for each of the last two seasons.

Lee acknowledges that winning the national title his sophomore year was a special moment, but he also understands that he now brings out the best in every opponent. "They are all gunning for me, so I have to work even harder to remain at the top," he says. As a junior, Lee moved up one weight class, from 125 pounds to 133, and finished fifth at the NCAA tournament. "He could have won at 133, but he had a bad tournament, which happens sometimes," says Koll. "This year he's bigger and stronger, and he should compete for another title."

Lee knows he's already earned a special place in the annals of Cornell wrestling. Some might argue that Dave Auble '60, MBA '62, a two-time Olympian and the only Cornellian to win two national titles, is the best ever, while others will make the case for Frank Bettucci '53, MBA '58, who earned a national championship as a senior. Koll, though, believes that Lee stands alone at the pinnacle. "It means a lot to be considered Cornell's best wrestler," says Lee, "and I feel good about the fact that our team has done very well at the national level during my time here."

-- Jay Wrolstad

Big Game FEBRUARY 5, 2005

The men's basketball team ran its Ivy League record to 4-2 (9-10 overall) with a thrilling double-overtime victory over Yale before 1,021 fans at Newman Arena. In a seesaw contest that featured 15 lead changes and 11 ties, Cornell finally prevailed by outscoring the Bulldogs 13-8 in the second overtime period to win by a final score of 87-82. Two junior forwards led the way for the Big Red, with Ryan Rourke (left) pouring in 22 points and Lenny Collins adding 21, including 11 in overtime. Rourke also pulled down a dozen rebounds. The Saturday night win came on the heels of another cliffhanger, a 76-75 triumph over Brown on Friday.

Sports Shorts

ALL-IVY GRIDDERS Kevin Boothe '05 capped off his Cornell football career as the Big Red's only first-team All-Ivy League selection for 2004. He was the only unanimous first-team selection on the offensive line. Boothe was also a first-team All-Ivy pick in 2003. A 6-foot-5, 300- pound tackle, he has been ranked among the top 25 linemen in the country by ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. Defensive lineman Ryan Lempa '05 and safety Kevin Rix '06 were named to the All-Ivy second team, while wide receiver Brian Romney '06 and defensive back Sean Nassoiy '05 received honorable mentions.

TOPSPIN The future of squash in the U.S. will be guided by former Big Red squash player Kevin Klipstein '91, who has been named chief executive officer of the United States Squash Racquets Association (USSRA). As CEO, he is responsible for overseeing all of the association's activities, including national championships, player rankings, marketing, and sponsorships. Before taking the reins of the USSRA, Klipstein spent five years at Sun Microsystems, where he helped to negotiate sales and marketing deals with MLB.com and the National Hockey League. Klipstein lettered four times in squash at Cornell; as a senior, he served as co-captain and earned second team All-America honors.

WEARING THE "C" Sam Paolini '03 was named captain of the East Coast Hockey League's Toledo Storm in December. Paolini, an ECHL all-star for the 2003–04 season, has been one of the Storm's leading scorers this year, notching eight goals and 21 assists in the team's first 33 games. Paolini, who was college hockey's 2003 Humanitarian Award winner, also played one game with the Utah Grizzlies of the American Hockey League, where he was briefly reunited with former teammate David LeNeveu '05.

BIG SHOT Dana Antal '99 scored only one goal in the Four Nations Cup women's hockey tournament-- but her third-period tally provided the winning margin in Canada's 2-1 title game victory over the United States on November 14 in Lake Placid, New York. The Canadian team, which was 2-0-1 in preliminary games, was guided by Cornell women's hockey coach Melody Davidson. Overall, the Canadian women have won seven Four Nations Cup titles in nine tries.

TOP MAT MEN Before settling into the dualmeet portion of its schedule, the Cornell wrestling team enjoyed considerable success at a pair of national tournaments. Travis Lee '05 (133 pounds) and Dustin Manotti '06 (149 pounds) both won individual titles at the Las Vegas Invitational, while Manotti and Joel Mazzurco '05 (174 pounds) took top honors at the Southern Scuffle, helping Cornell to a runner-up finish in the team competition. At the Las Vegas tournament, where he beat Purdue's Chris Fleeger in the finals, Lee was named the most outstanding wrestler.

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE Big Red volleyball player Elizabeth Bishop '07 was named to the All- Northeast Region team selected by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Bishop, who received honorable mention, was the only Cornell player to earn regional honors. She set five school records during the 2004 season, including a 33-kill performance in an Ivy League playoff loss to Yale. Bishop was a first-team All-Ivy selection and also an All-Ivy academic pick.

HOCKEY HEADGEAR Big Red hockey fans can now keep their heads warm with special hand-knit hats offered by Vermont Originals, which was founded some 30 years ago by a Cornell professor, the late Wendell Earle. An avid hockey fan, Earle established the company to demonstrate that cottage industries were still viable, and it provided jobs for many unemployed textile workers in New England. Michael Riley '78, one of Earle's former students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, came up with the idea of selling the "Official Hat of Cornell Hockey" to honor Earle's memory and support the hockey program. The hats are available at the Cornell Store or directly from Vermont Originals at (800) 770-9533 or www.vermontoriginals.com.

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