ITHACA, N.Y. – Senior Mofoluke Obiri came to the Cornell women's soccer team as one of her high school's most prolific attackers with 74 goals, and now she will leave the Big Red as an All-Ivy League selection after establishing herself as one of the top defenders in the league.
 
Obiri was named to the All-Ivy League second team for women's soccer as announced by the league on Wednesday, punctuating a noteworthy ascension through her collegiate career. Named the team's Most Improved Player in consecutive underclass seasons in 2018 and 2019, Obiri not only established herself as a every-game starter but one of the league's most proficient neutralizers of an opposition's top attackers.
 
"This year has been phenomenal to see her taking on a leading role as a senior," head coach Rob Ferguson said. "She's been one of the best defenders in the league, and possibly the best 1-v-1 defender in the league, in my opinion. She's superb in the air; really clean technically on the ground … executed well and attacked well, got services in the box and got shots off."
 
Obiri becomes the Big Red's first second-team selection since 2018, when a similarly athletic backliner – Abby Adams '20 – earned an identical honor. At that time, Obiri was just cutting her teeth as a defender after essentially walking on to the team. Her steady improvement led to increased playing time and more trust from a coaching staff that lauded Obiri for her approach to both the game on the field and her coachable demeanor.
 
"An all-out, top-class human being," Ferguson added. "Mo is humble and honest. She keeps the emotion out of it."

Also announced on Wednesday was the selection of senior Evanthia Spyredes to the Academic All-Ivy League team. Spyredes, who is on track to graduate from the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration, scored a pair of goals as one of the team's most heavily-used forward and midfield options off the bench. 

Cornell concluded its season 3-11-2 overall and 1-6 in the Ivy League in its first season under Ferguson's direction.
 

2021 All-Ivy League Teams

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
*Brittany Raphino, Brown
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kayla Duran, Brown
 
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR­
Hannah Bebar, Harvard
 
COACH OF THE YEAR
* Kia McNeill, Brown
 
FIRST TEAM ALL-IVY^
* Hannah Bebar, Harvard
* Brittany Raphino, Brown
Kayla Duran, Brown
Jade Rose, Harvard
Lucy Rickerson, Princeton
Grace Barbara, Princeton
Allie Winstanley, Dartmouth
Angela Caloia, Harvard
Madison Curry, Princeton
Ally Clark, Columbia
Sophie Hirst, Harvard
Ava Seelenfreund, Brown
Natalia Ramirez, Columbia
 
SECOND TEAM ALL-IVY^
Kayla Thompson, Brown
Sizzy Lawton, Penn
Lauren Teuschl, Penn
Chloe Laureano, Yale
Mofoluke Obiri, Cornell
Emily Pringle, Penn
Evelyn Calhoon, Brown
Tatum Gee, Princeton
Hannah Curtin, Dartmouth
Gabi Juarez, Princeton
Aria Nagai, Princeton
Izzy Glennon, Dartmouth
Lara Schenk, Harvard
 
HONORABLE MENTION ALL-IVY
Erin Kawakami, Dartmouth
Laurence Gladu, Penn
Cameron Brown, Brown
Marcia Ojo, Columbia
Maesyn G'Bye, Brown
Sophia Cavaliere, Columbia
Maddie Mills, Dartmouth
Josefine Hasbo, Harvard
Marissa Hart, Princeton
Alanna Butcher, Yale
 
* Unanimous Selection
^ Second Team Expanded Due to Tie in Voting