News and Notes: Tuesday Edition

Below, news and notes for Tuesday...

• Above, Jeff Foote (Cornell '10) is seen working a practice with the Miami Hurricanes where he is a graduate assistant coach.

• The Ithaca Journal writes, "BASKETBALL'S ALMOST HERE: Tuesday's 70-degree weather belies the fact that we're five weeks into fall and winter sports seasons are nearly upon us. In fact, Cornell's hockey teams are already at it, and the basketball teams aren't far behind.The Big Red women's team was picked to finish fifth in the Ivy League preseason media poll, announced Tuesday by the conference. No surprises at the top, as reigning champ Pennsylvania and Princeton — which won the title the four previous seasons — tied for first in the balloting with 123 points apiece. Harvard received one first-place vote and was picked third. The men's preseason poll was announced last week, with Cornell picked to stay right where it finished last year — at the bottom of the Ancient Eight. Coach Bill Courtney's squad is coming off a nightmarish 2-26 season (1-13 Ivy), but will have star forward Shonn Miller back as it attempts to make a run up the standings. Miller was Ivy Rookie of the Year in 2012. The 6-foot-7 Miller, who missed all of last year with a shoulder injury, had 18 points in the squad's "Red-White" game this past Saturday, leading the Red team to a 51-35 win. Also back this year is senior guard Galal Cancer, who didn't play last year for personal reasons. Both squads open their season on Nov. 14, the women at home against Hartford and the men at George Mason University in Virginia."

• Sports Illustrated ranks Cornell No. 301 out of 351 headed into the season.

• Ivy Hoops Online lists Cornell at Syracuse as the 8th best nonconference game of the season and writes:

8. Cornell at No. 24 Syracuse – Dec. 31 – 6:00 p.m. (ESPNU)
Somehow, as mentioned above, Cornell gave Syracuse all it could handle at the Carrier Dome in the first half of last year’s matchup before the Orange outscored the Big Red by 28 in the second stanza to pull away. Of course, 23 of Cornell’s 60 points were scored by Nolan Cressler, who transferred to Vanderbilt in the offseason, but with Shonn Miller, things could get interesting again for a half or so.