Renee Poullott ’17
Photo: Athletic Communications/Darl Zehr
WOMEN’S LACROSSE Renee Poullott ’17 represented Cornell in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Association Division I Senior All-Star Game in June. She played the first half in the net, allowing just three goals and making four saves while facing 11 shots to help the North team to a 16-11 win. A month earlier, Poullott became the winningest goalie in Big Red team history by posting her 41st win in a 12-7 victory over Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA playoffs. Her season goals-against average (8.62) was seventh best in the country, and her save percentage (.506) was eighth.
Paul Balestrieri ’17
Photo: Athletic Communications/Dave Burbank
BASEBALL For the first time ever, three Big Red players heard their names called in Major League Baseball’s First Year Player Draft. Pitcher Paul Balestrieri ’17 was the first CU player selected, going to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 26th round; Peter Lannoo ’17 later went to the San Francisco Giants and Justin Lewis ’18 to his hometown Los Angeles Dodgers. All three inked contracts with their team’s minor league affiliate, as did Cole Rutherford ’17, a free agent signed by the San Diego Padres.
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Rudy Winkler ’17 became the fourth Cornell track and field athlete, and the first in nine years, to garner an NCAA national title when he won the hammer throw at the 2017 Division I Championships with a distance of 243 feet, 2 inches. He finished his Cornell career with five All-American honors, three in the hammer throw and two in the weight throw.
Taysia Radoslav ’18
Photo: Athletic Communications/Tim McKinney
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Taysia Radoslav ’18 garnered All-American honors for a second time after earning second-team honors in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Division I Championships. Her time of 58.99 was fast enough for a 15th-place finish. Shannon Hugard ’18 was an honorable mention All-American after placing 23rd in the 1,500 meters during her first appearance at the national meet.
ALUMNI NEWS
HALL OF FAME Seven members of the Class of 2007—selected in their first year of eligibility—will be among the 11 new inductees to the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame in November. The honorees are Mitch Belisle ’07, Dave Devine ’75, BS ’76, and Matt McMonagle ’07 (men’s lacrosse); Elizabeth Bishop ’07 (volleyball); Chris Field ’91, MBA ’95 (football); Don Greenberg ’55, PhD ’68 (special category); Stephen Machooka ’64 and Rayon Taylor ’07 (men’s track and field); Mike Smit ’07 (men’s swimming and diving); and Morgan Uceny ’07 and Sarah Wilfred ’07 (women’s track and field).
WOMEN’S LACROSSE Four former players participated in the Women’s Lacrosse World Cup held in England in July. Ashleigh Smith Gloster ’07 played defense for the host country’s team while Jessi Steinberg ’12 was the top scorer for Israel, which included Halsey Diakow ’09 as an assistant coach. Caroline “Cacki” Helmer ’12 served as an assistant coach for Ireland.
WOMEN’S ROWING Tracy Eisser ’12 earned a silver medal in the women’s pair at the 2017 World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland. Eisser and her partner lost to the world record holders from New Zealand by just under five seconds to win the only US medal at the event. They also won two national events, Spring Speed Order I and National Selection Regatta I, earlier in the season after rowing in a quadruple scull at the 2016 Olympics.
MEN’S LACROSSE Mitch Belisle ’07 and Jason Noble ’13 helped the Georgia Swarm to its first National Lacrosse League championship. Noble was named the NLL’s Defensive Player of the Year; Belisle had two goals and one assist while winning his second league crown.
COACHING Four former athletes have returned to East Hill to become assistant coaches with their old teams. They are Connor Buczek ’15, MBA ’17 (men’s lacrosse), Tori Christ ’14 (women’s soccer), Shelby Lyman ’14 (women’s basketball), and Chad Nice ’05 (football). In addition, Ben DeLuca ’98 was named head coach of men’s lacrosse at the University of Delaware.
ATHLETIC AUTHORS Two Cornell sports legends have recently written books influenced by their time on East Hill. Former men’s lacrosse coach Richie Moran penned the autobiography It’s Great to be Here!, which features a forward by sports journalist Jeremy Schaap ’91. Moran’s 29 seasons as Big Red coach take center stage, but he also shares details of his life, including his struggles with depression. Last spring, former Athletic Director and track star Charlie Moore ’51 released Running on Purpose: Winning Olympic Gold, Advancing Corporate Leadership, and Creating Sustainable Value. Part memoir, part business book, it includes lessons learned from his days as an athlete and business executive.