Cornell sports injuries to key players

Of Cornell's greatest athletes, how many have had their careers or seasons ended by injuries? Until Rob Pannell, we've been pretty lucky going back to Ken Dryden and Ed Marinaro, Eamon McEneaney and Mike French, and Max Seibald. Have we lost a Hobey-caliber hockey player in the last decade to anything other than early departure? Maybe in wrestling?

In the last decade, perhaps the only example I can think of is George Boiardi, who died in 2004 when his heart stopped after a lacrosse ball impacted on his chest during a game against Binghamton.

The other grievous instance I can think of is Greg Ratushny, Dan's younger brother, who - before he could play a single minute of hockey for Cornell - was killed in a car accident in 1992.

Hockey player Vinnie Auger also redshirted for a year after, IIRC, a back injury.

This is not a Cornell sports injury, but one that impacted Cornell sports. UVa's Steele Stanwick was plagued by injuries during the 2011 lacrosse season. I would be thrilled if Rob's 2012 season played out the same way.

Chad Levitt broke his arm against Columbia just a few yards shy of breaking (IIRC) the Ivy League rushing record.

The guy I think of when it comes to great Cornell athletes and tough season-ending injuries is guard Adam Gore, Ivy men's basketball Rookie of the Year in 2006ish (I think he broke Cornell's freshman scoring record). He tore an ACL in one knee early in his sophomore (?) season, then tore an ACL in his other knee early in his senior season. He could've been one of Cornell's best ever.

Adam is a good call Hillel. Gore was 2006 ROY, tore his ACL late in game one of his sophomore season (opening the door for another great guard, Louis Dale) and was never quite the same. He certainly could have qualified for a fifth year and been part of the 2010 team, but he was so tired of rehab that he moved on with the rest of his life (and opened the door for early PT for Wrobo).

And this of course leads to the terrible injury to Khaliq Gant, which ultimately led to the transfer of Jeff Foote.

[www.news.cornell.edu]
[www.nytimes.com]

Hillel Hoffmann
The guy I think of when it comes to great Cornell athletes and tough season-ending injuries is guard Adam Gore, Ivy men's basketball Rookie of the Year in 2006ish (I think he broke Cornell's freshman scoring record). He tore an ACL in one knee early in his sophomore (?) season, then tore an ACL in his other knee early in his senior season. He could've been one of Cornell's best ever.

Thanks. This is the kind of player I was thinking of. Also Chad Levitt. As Cornell approaches its 150th, there'll surely be lists of 150 greatest Cornellians and 150 greatest athletes. I was thinking of athletes who could have been among the 150 but for injury.

billhoward

Hillel Hoffmann
The guy I think of when it comes to great Cornell athletes and tough season-ending injuries is guard Adam Gore, Ivy men's basketball Rookie of the Year in 2006ish (I think he broke Cornell's freshman scoring record). He tore an ACL in one knee early in his sophomore (?) season, then tore an ACL in his other knee early in his senior season. He could've been one of Cornell's best ever.

Thanks. This is the kind of player I was thinking of. Also Chad Levitt. As Cornell approaches its 150th, there'll surely be lists of 150 greatest Cornellians and 150 greatest athletes. I was thinking of athletes who could have been among the 150 but for injury.

Errick Peck just this season. Had he played it's unlikely Miller would have received nearly as much PT, and hence no Ivy Rookie of the Year award.

Not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for but Joe Dragon missed all but 3 games of his freshman year due to a knee injury I think. He went on to lead the team in scoring his sophomore year. Paul Dukovac "fell down the stairs" (if you believe that) his senior year and missed all but 8 games with a broken leg I think, ending his Cornell career. He was a top 4 defenseman his senior year. These are the key injuries from '88-'92 that I remember.

These are not Hobey caliber players obviously but they were key injuries and analogous to the Auger example above. Greg Ratushny's death was awful, so young and such a great family.

Bruce Cohen '65 missed the 1964 lacrosse season with a leg injury (break?), stayed on for a fifth year in the Mechanical Engineering program to get a B.M.E. instead of a B.S. after four, and was named first-team All-American in 1966. Bruce led the Ivy League in scoring in 1963, 1965, and 1966, and was subsequently elected to the lacrosse hall of fame.

That very much unnoticed and unappreciated 1966 team had two hall-of-famers, Bruce and goalie Butch Hilliard '68. TimV can tell us about Butch, his classmate and teammate, and as good a lacrosse goalie as I have ever seen.

Al DeFlorio
Bruce Cohen '65 missed the 1964 lacrosse season with a leg injury (break?), stayed on for a fifth year in the Mechanical Engineering program to get a B.M.E. instead of a B.S. after four, and was named first-team All-American in 1966. Bruce led the Ivy League in scoring in 1963, 1965, and 1966, and was subsequently elected to the lacrosse hall of fame.

That very much unnoticed and unappreciated 1966 team had two hall-of-famers, Bruce and goalie Butch Hilliard '68. TimV can tell us about Butch, his classmate and teammate, and as good a lacrosse goalie as I have ever seen.

Butch was also an enjineer.

Swampy

Al DeFlorio
Bruce Cohen '65 missed the 1964 lacrosse season with a leg injury (break?), stayed on for a fifth year in the Mechanical Engineering program to get a B.M.E. instead of a B.S. after four, and was named first-team All-American in 1966. Bruce led the Ivy League in scoring in 1963, 1965, and 1966, and was subsequently elected to the lacrosse hall of fame.

That very much unnoticed and unappreciated 1966 team had two hall-of-famers, Bruce and goalie Butch Hilliard '68. TimV can tell us about Butch, his classmate and teammate, and as good a lacrosse goalie as I have ever seen.

Butch was also an enjineer.

And a damn smart one - had like a 3.9 majoring in Engineering Physics in the days when the average GPA was 2.5 - 2.6. He was my dorm counselor 2nd semester of my freshmen year. A real nice guy and a great goalie. He credited Ned's motivational skills as the reason for the team's success.

Don't forget the strong bench on those teams.

Butch was great not just as a stopper - he was great on the clear. He could put the ball on your ear hole when you were 40 to 50 yards downfield. Lotsa fast breaks.

TimV
Don't forget the strong bench on those teams.

Butch was great not just as a stopper - he was great on the clear. He could put the ball on your ear hole when you were 40 to 50 yards downfield. Lotsa fast breaks.

Those clearing passes are what I remember best about Butch. First a save, then off to the races. Lacrosse at its finest.