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2019-20 Ivy League preview: Will it be Penn and Princeton again for the title?

By Matt Ward

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 11: Bella Alarie #31 (C) of the Princeton Tigers elates with her teammates with the win over the Harvard Crimson during an Ivy League semifinal matchup at The Palestra on March 11, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Princeton won 68-47. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 11: Bella Alarie #31 (C) of the Princeton Tigers elates with her teammates with the win over the Harvard Crimson during an Ivy League semifinal matchup at The Palestra on March 11, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Princeton won 68-47. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /
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Veteran coach Dayna Smith helps Cornell ride momentum

Cornell

Last season: 12-14 overall (6-8 in Ivy League)

Predicted finish: 4th

Key Returners (Last season’s stats)

F- Laura Bagwell-Katalinich, 6’0, Sr- 16.1 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 45% FG, 28.9 MPG

G- Samantha Widmann, 5’11, Sr- 10.8 PPG, 6.9 RPG,

Biggest Losses (Last season’s stats)

G- Samantha Clement, 5’9- 4.2 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 29% FG, 32% 3FG, 14.7 MPG

Newcomers

G- Ania McNicholas, 5’7, Fr

G- Shannon Mulroy, 5’8, Fr

F- Anna Hovis, 5’11, Fr

Head Coach- Dayna Smith (18th season)

Key Non-Conference Games

Nov 8 at Albany

Dec 31 at West Virginia

Outlook

Cornell was just one of those teams last year that many knew would compete and play hard, but you looked up in March, and there they were in the middle of Ivy Madness, taking on Penn in the league semifinals. Head coach Dayna Smith who enters her 18th season this year, is certainly a major reason for that. They went on the road in the final weekend of the regular season last year, scoring a huge win over Dartmouth, sending them to their first Ivy Madness in program history.

Smith and the Big Red will look to build on last season’s momentum and the return of senior forward Laura Bagwell-Katalinich should help them do just that. After averaging 16.1 PPG last season, Cornell will need to improve upon those numbers even further if they want to get back to the conference tournament. Joining Bagwell-Katalinich is senior guard Samantha Widmann. Widmann was second on the team in scoring last season.

Cornell will need both of these returning seniors to help them improve upon some of their abysmal offensive numbers from last year. They finished last in the league in scoring offense, 3-point %, and 3-point field goals made. Newcomer KC Carter could help improve these numbers immediately. The freshman is a proven bucket-getter, as she scored over 2,000 points for Holderness School (NH), and has the ability to really fill up the stat sheet.

If Cornell can find improvement on the offensive end, this team could be the surprise of the league this year. Their defense is stout and terrific, and should only get better. Coach Smith has always gotten her teams to play hard and compete, specifically on the defensive end. They finished second in the league last year in scoring defense, while finishing first in rebounding defense and steals. They get after it defensively. It was good enough for a spot in Ivy Madness last year. Will it be again this year?

What Will Happen?

To answer my own question, I think the Big Red defense will be good enough to get to Cambridge. Outside of Bagwell-Katalinich and Widmann, Cornell will return three more starters in Halley Miklos, Kate Sramac, and Danielle Jorgenson, giving them all five starters back from last year’s team. Add a strong group of newcomers, led by scoring guard, Carter, Cornell will be right there again this season.

Coach Smith will get Cornell back to Ivy Madness for a second consecutive season, as their defense may just be best in the league this year, and defense travels. We saw that in the final weekend of the season last year. We will see that again this year.

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