ITHACA, N.Y. -- For the Cornell hockey fans who have always longed to see the names Dryden, Shier, Tredway and Lodboa take the Lynah Rink ice once more, their wishes will come true for a pair of games in early January. The 2008-09 edition of the Big Red will honor players from the program's storied past on Jan. 9-10 against Niagara in an effort to raise money for a mission trip to the Dominican Republic this summer.
Each player on the current Cornell roster has selected the best player in program history to have worn the number they presently wear, and the current players will wear their own number with the legendary player's nameplate for the two games of the series against Niagara at Lynah Rink. The jerseys, which are the Nike Swift Jerseys that the Big Red debuted during the Florida College Classic in 2006-07, will then be auctioned off. Details of the auction (how to bid, starting and ending dates, etc.) will be announced closer to the weekend of Jan. 9-10.
Funds raised from the sale of the jerseys will go toward the purchase of materials to build a soccer field, a baseball diamond and a basketball court in a town in the Dominican Republic. The town has given land to be used for a day care facility, a school and church. In all, 16 people with ties to Cornell - several hockey players, several squash players and several members of the Ithaca community will make the trip to help build these facilities.
A list of the legendary players who will be honored follows, along with the current Cornell player to wear that number.
NOTES: Jerseys for #6 Lance Nethery and #25 Joe Nieuwendyk will also be available for auction, though no current player presently wears either number... Freshman goaltender Mike Garman will wear his own nameplate, as he is the first player in program history to wear #35... #16
Jordan Berk, who already wears the same number his father, Doug, wore during his playing days with the Big Red, will wear his father's name on the back of his jersey.
