Around the Water Cooler: Hibernation Time

Updated 12/18/10 12:26 a.m.

The most wonderful time of the year is almost upon us, but first we have to slog through what is certainly the least wonderful time. Yes, finals are here. And even worse, Ivy League sports have slowed down too, with many athletes either in the throes of exams or enjoying their first few days of winter break. But that’s okay: we still have some interesting stuff to share with you. So put down your books for a second, and let’s take a timeout around the water cooler.

Yes, we know, it’s been a long time since football season ended. But it’s not our fault the awards keep rolling in.

Columbia tight end Andrew Kennedy and Harvard defensive lineman Josue Ortiz joined the 2010 Walter Camp Football Championship Subdivision All-America Team. Kennedy had a strong year for the Lions, tallying 616 receiving yards and nine touchdowns for the Lions. Meanwhile, Ortiz ripped it up for the Crimson, finishing second in the Ancient Eight with 7.5 sacks.

Additionally, 11 other Ivy League players were named to the FCS All-New England All-Star Team, including the Ivy League Co-Players of the year, Dartmouth’s Nick Schwieger and Harvard senior Gino Gordon.

Speaking of sports that aren’t in season, 10 former Ivy League players were selected in Major League Lacrosse’s Supplemental Draft yesterday. Cornell led the way, with four former Big Red players taken. Only one former Harvard player got the nod, as the Boston Blazers selected Jason Duboe ’10 in the sixth round.

All right, time to get back to winter sports.

Men’s hockey finds itself in a 16-day break. Action resumes in full force on Dec. 29, when Cornell and Princeton face off against St. Cloud State and Bowling Green, respectively.  But the match to watch will be Yale vs. the Russian Touring Team. It just might be the first real test that the Bulldogs have faced in a while. Voted the top team in the nation for the second week in row, the Yalies did again on Dec. 8 what they’ve done all year: win, and win easily, beating Vermont, 3-0. With six consecutive wins, the Bulldogs hold the nation’s longest winning streak.

The Ivy League’s women of the ice are also enjoying a long winter’s nap, and the only news is really nothing new:  Cornell, for the third-straight week, is the top-ranked team in the country.

Basketball, on the other hand, doesn’t get the same luxury of all that time off over winter break. In fact, the day after finals end, the Harvard men’s team travels south to face off against Connecticut. That’ll be a good test for the Crimson, who fell to the Huskies, 79-73, last year. But as we said last week, men’s basketball in the Ivies is on the rise: Penn was able to keep up with a very good Villanova team, eventually losing, 65-53, and Harvard soundly defeated Boston University, 87-71 last week.