Cornell University Athletics

What began with a team organized through the Cornell Reserve Officers’ Training Corps evolved steadily over the program’s early decades, from makeshift practice spaces in Barton Hall and Upper Alumni Fields to varsity status in 1934 and the first home game in Ithaca in 1931. By 1937, the Big Red had already announced itself on the national stage, defeating Army for Cornell’s first national intercollegiate championship and beginning a legacy that would make the program one of the most decorated in college polo.

That tradition was cemented during the program’s golden eras, particularly under Dr. Stephen Roberts ’38, who led Cornell from 1942-72, excluding the war years, and helped establish the Big Red as a national standard-bearer. Cornell did not field teams from 1943-46 because of World War II, but the program roared back and soon became a dynasty, winning the Townsend Trophy in 1955 and capturing seven national titles in a nine-year span. Overall, Cornell has claimed 11 USPA Division I national championships — in 1937, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1992 and 2005 — while making an extraordinary 36 appearances in the national championship game.

The program’s modern history has been just as impressive. Since the rebuilding and opening of the John T. Oxley Equestrian Center and Arena in 1973, Cornell has remained a consistent contender, particularly under David Eldredge, who took over in 1985 and became the winningest coach in Big Red history . Eldredge guided Cornell to national championships in 1992 and 2005, with the 1992 team ending a 26-year title drought and setting a school record with 19 victories. The 2005 squad added another crown in Fort Worth, and the years that followed only reinforced Cornell’s staying power, including a runner-up national finish in 2006 and national semifinal appearances 13 between 2012-26.

Today, Cornell men’s polo continues to build on that remarkable foundation. The Big Red captured the 2024 USPA Division II national championship under head coach Anthony Condo Jr., adding a 12th national title overall to the program’s trophy case, and tallied back-to-back Eastern Regional titles in 2024 and 2025. The Big Red returned to the Division I ranks in 2025-26, advancing to the national finals for the 36th time.  In all, Cornell has won 27 Eastern Regional crowns, a testament to the program’s consistency across generations.

From its origins more than a century ago to its current home at the Oxley Equestrian Center, Cornell men’s polo remains one of the university’s signature championship traditions.