Cornell women’s basketball has been ranked seventh in the Ivy League Preseason Poll, according to an announcement from the league on Thursday, October 23. The poll is determined by votes from two media members representing each conference school.
The Big Red received 45 points in the poll. Last season, Cornell finished with a 7-20 overall record and a 3-11 mark in league play, placing sixth in the final standings.
Princeton was selected as the preseason favorite to win the Ivy League championship, earning 163 points and 17 out of 21 first-place votes. The Tigers are aiming for their third title in four years. Columbia was picked second with 147 points and three first-place votes, followed by Harvard with 126 points and one first-place vote. Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, and Yale rounded out the poll.
Cornell will return nine players from last season’s roster. Senior Emily Pape is among those returning after averaging 10.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game during the previous season. Juniors Rachel Kaus and Clarke Jackson also return, having averaged 9.6 and 7.1 points per game respectively last year.
The Big Red will begin their 2025-26 season on Friday, November 7 with an away game at Bryant in Smithfield, Rhode Island. Their Ivy League opener is set for Saturday, January 3 against Columbia.
