ITHACA, N.Y. -- All-American and Ivy League Player of the Year in two sports - in the same season. Jeomi Maduka '09 made her mark as one of the greatest athletes in Ivy League history and has been named the top women's varsity athlete at Cornell by a distinguished panel of Big Red athletics observers.
As a member of both the women's track and women's basketball programs at Cornell, Maduka is one of the most decorated athletes in Cornell history. The national runner-up at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2009 in the long jump, she claimed seven first-team All-America honors in track and added an honorable mention selection in women's basketball in 2008, becoming the first player in Cornell women's basketball history to earn national accolades. She was the only individual, male or female, to win four individual events at one Indoor Heptagonal Championship and was named the Ivy League Performer of the Meet three times indoors and twice outdoors. Between her three seasons with the women's basketball team and four with the track team, she helped Cornell claim seven team championships during her four years (one basketball, three indoor track, three outdoor track). Collectively over her career, she garnered 16 first team All-Ivy League honors, earning the women's basketball Player of the Year award in 2008 and the Rookie of the Year award in 2006. Maduka also claimed six second-team all-conference honors to go along with seven varsity letters (three in basketball, four in track and field). Maduka graduated as the 11th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points in basketball and with nine school records in track and field (Indoor 55m, 60m, long jump, triple jump and the Outdoor 100m, long jump, triple jump, 4x100 relay and Sprint Medley Relay).
Maduka was unveiled in the No. 1 spot after two weeks of introducing the top 50. Last week, athletics announced athletes 11-50 in an unordered list. The top 10 were introduced this week, culminating in the announcement of Maduka at the top of the list.
Only varsity student-athletes since 1972 were considered and current student-athletes were not eligible. Like any similar attempt at a list like this, many deserving former student-athletes narrowly missed out on the top 50. Olympians, Hall of Famers, national champions and many other celebrated student-athletes did not receive enough votes to be included - It does not make their contributions to Cornell athletics less valuable or unimportant. Rather, their omission highlights how many incredible Big Red student-athletes have represented Cornell over the years.
Below are the Top 50 women's varsity athletes at Cornell as voted on by the Women's 50th committee.
- Jeomi Maduka (Track & Field/Basketball)
- Rebecca Johnston (Ice Hockey)
- Jaimee Reynolds (Lacrosse/Volleyball)
- Morgan Uceny (Track & Field)
- Elizabeth Bishop (Volleyball)
- Cari Hills (Field Hockey/Lacrosse)
- Stephanie Best (Cross Country/Track & Field)
- Brianne Jenner (Ice Hockey)
- Jamie Greubel (Track & Field)
- Stephanie Maxwell-Pierson (Rowing)
Athletes 11-50 in alphabetical order
- Rhonda Anderson (Basketball)
- Sarah Averson (Lacrosse)
- Jenna Campagnolo (Softball)
- Jennifer Cobb (Cross Country/Track & Field)
- Laurie Collier (Soccer)
- Elizabeth Dalrymple (Softball)
- Mary Beth Delaney Hahn (Field Hockey/Lacrosse)
- Catie De Stio (Field Hockey)
- Courtney Farrell (Lacrosse)
- Karen Force (Basketball)
- Lauren Fortino (Ice Hockey)
- Kaitlin Green (Gymnastics)
- Tina Hennessey (Lacrosse)
- Melissa Hewitt (Track & Field)
- Pamela Hunt (Cross Country/Track & Field)
- Alyson Intihar (Softball)
- Olga Istkhoki (Tennis)
- Katy Jay (Track & Fied)
- Taylor Knibb (Cross Country/Track & Field/Swimming & Diving)
- Doriane Lambelet (Track & Field)
- Nia Marshall (Basketball)
- Belen Martinez (Field Hockey)
- Lauren May (Softball)
- Elise Menaker (Softball)
- Kim Milligan (Swimming & Diving)
- Olga Puigdemont-Sola (Squash)
- Kim Ratushny (Ice Hockey)
- Gabby Rizika (Sailing)
- Kate Roach (Rowing)
- Laurianne Rougeau (Ice Hockey)
- Jill Saulnier (Ice Hockey)
- Marisa Siergiej (Field Hockey)
- Catie Smith (Lacrosse)
- Jennifer Smith (Soccer)
- Jen Strazza (Volleyball)
- Andrea Thies (Rowing)
- Kate Varde (Softball)
- Peggy Walbridge (Fencing)
- Julie Westbrock (Softball)
- Laura Woeller (Cross Country/Track & Field)
