BIG RED ATHLETICS
Brian Kreefer 09 gets ready to inbound the ball during Cornells 81-67 loss at No. 8 Duke on Jan. 6, 2008, with the Cameron Crazies making their presence known all around him.
College sports fields, arenas build on decades of tradition, notoriety
On the hardwood, on the ice and on the freshly cut grass of legendary competition fields, Cornell varsity athletes have proudly worn their varsity "C." From the River Thames to Madison Square Garden, the Big Red has played on fields of dreams for aspiring athletes and sporting fans for more than 100 years.
Of course, other schools would point to legendary facilities on Cornell's own campus that might be on their respective lists, such as Lynah Rink and Schoellkopf Field. Add in Barton Hall, and hundreds of Big Red student-athletes practice every day on surfaces that other student-athletes would dream of competing on.
With the Big Red men's basketball and ice hockey teams having played at Madison Square Garden this fall, and the golf team competing in the Ivy League championship this spring at Baltusrol Golf Course (home of seven U.S. Open championships), this is a perfect time to reminisce about some of the greatest venues and locations at which Cornell's athletic teams have competed over the years.
Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke Universitys West Campus, Durham, N.C. See larger image
Cameron Indoor Stadium
Arguably the most well-known college basketball arena, Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke University's West Campus in Durham, N.C., seats 9,314, but it feels like twice that number is staring down at you. With its students, the "Cameron Crazies," chanting in unison much like the "Lynah Faithful" in our own Lynah Rink, it can be one of the most intimidating places to play in the entire country. The Duke Blue Devils routinely put a national championship-caliber team on the floor, directed by a Basketball Hall of Fame coach. It's no wonder that the home team has won more than 83 percent of its games on this campus. Sports Illustrated ranked it fourth on a list of the world's top 20 sporting venues, and USA Today referred to it as "the toughest road game in the nation."
For Cornell, it was just that when the two programs faced off during the 1974-75 (100-62 Duke win), 1986-87 (85-59 Duke win) or 1988-89 (94-59 Duke win) campaigns. Those blowout losses against a formidable Blue Devil squad looked likely to continue when Cornell marched into Cameron on Jan. 6, 2008. Instead, the Big Red gave No. 8 Duke fits all night before eventually falling 81-67. That loss would be the last of the Big Red's season until the NCAA tournament, sparking a school-record 16-game win streak and a perfect 14-0 run through the Ivy League to capture its first conference title in 20 years. In the nationally televised January 2008 contest, Cornell led by as many as three points (27-24) with 6:25 left in the first half and kept the Duke lead in single figures for a vast majority of the second half.
From that point on, Cornell men's basketball has posted a 37-11 overall record and a 25-3 mark in the Ancient Eight heading into the 2009-10 season. Many credit that game as the turning point.
The Cornell heavyweight rowing team has competed seven times in the Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames in England; the lightweight rowing team has made 10 appearances. See larger image
The River Thames
When compared with other rivers, the River Thames may appear small. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in history. The River Thames has shaped the trade, transportation and life of the cities along its banks. The longest river in England, it served as a harbor, a source of food, a transportation route for goods and a principal source of water. Eventually, the River Thames became the historic heartland of rowing in the United Kingdom, as it hosts the Henley Royal Regatta each July. Established in Henley-on-Thames, England, on March 26, 1839, the Regatta has been held annually ever since, except for the war years, 1915-19 and 1940-45.
The Cornell heavyweight rowing team has competed in the HRR seven times, with the lightweight rowing team making 10 appearances. While the heavyweights first traveled to the HRR in 1891, it wasn't until 1957 that the Big Red took home the Grand Challenge Cup, as it defeated Yale by half a length to earn the victory. The lightweight team, on the other hand, is newer to the prestigious race, with its first entry coming in 1963. The Big Red lightweight won the Thames Challenge Cup in 1967 and was the runner-up in the Temple Challenge Cup in both 2006 and 2007.
Madison Square Garden in New York City, where the Big Red mens hockey and basketball teams have competed. See larger image
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden hosts upwards of 320 events per year, serving as the home venue for the NBA's New York Knicks and the NHL's New York Rangers in addition to hosting a plethora of concerts, the circus, and the annual Millrose Games track meet and Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
MSG, which opened in 1968, is also home to the preseason and postseason National Invitational Tournaments in college basketball, along with being a part-time home venue for the St. John's men's basketball team. The arena has hosted the NBA and Stanley Cup finals. The building also has a legendary boxing history, hosting some of the sport's biggest bouts.
Cornell's men's hockey and men's basketball teams have played numerous times at MSG, beginning with the men's hoops team hitting the hardwood Dec. 26, 1958, when it faced Utah and Syracuse on consecutive days as part of the ECAC Holiday Festival. It was the first of three times that the Big Red would compete in the most famous of the college basketball holiday tournaments.
The Big Red skated onto the MSG ice for the first time in 1962 when Cornell hockey played in the ECAC Holiday Tournament. Cornell would go on to play in the tournament seven times, winning the championship in 1967, 1969 and 1975. The Big Red played at MSG against Boston University on Nov. 24, 2007, a 6-3 win for the Terriers. The game was such an overwhelming success that the two teams were scheduled to meet again at MSG on Nov. 28, 2009.