Prepping for Ivy League Play

Above, the game program from the November 1986 Sun Met Classic, a doubleheader in Fresno, California which featured Fresno State, Cornell, McNeese State and Texas Pan American.

When scheduling the nonconference games each season, Cornell Head Coach, Steve Donahue attempts to get the Big Red into some in-season tournaments where his squad can simulate the grueling back-to-back, Friday-Saturday night scheduling environment of Ivy League play.

During 2009-2010, Cornell will get tested in a pair of such tournaments. During November, Cornell plays three games in three days as part of the Legends Classic. Later in December, the Big Red get a double-header in Madison Square Garden. Below are some of the recent in-season tournaments in which Cornell participated.

• 2001-2002- Richmond Invitational (Richmond, James Madison, also included VMI)
• 2004-2005- Marist Pepsi Classic (Marist, Northeastern, also included Birmingham Southern)
• 2005-2006- Coaches vs. Cancer Classic (Syracuse, St. Francis Pa., also included Bethune Cookman)
• 2006-2007- William & Mary Classic (William & Mary, VMI, also included Jacksonville State)
• 2008-2009- NIT Season Tip-Off (St. John's, Loyola (Md.), E. Michigan, Loyola IL, also included B.C.)
• 2009-2010- Legends Classic (UMass, Vermont, Drexel, Toledo) and Madison Square Garden Holiday Festival (Davidson, St. John's, Hofstra)