Big Red athletic teams "made the sun shine for us" this winter, said Cornell President David Skorton at an April 6 celebration in Newman Arena to recognize the teams' many successes this season.

Yet a cloud hung over some -- those who knew that basketball coach Steve Donahue, after 10 years at Cornell, had accepted an offer from Boston College earlier in the day to become its head coach. (His resignation will be publicly announced at 4 p.m. April 7.)

Before the group of athletes, coaches, fans, staff, pep band and cheerleaders, Skorton called this "the best winter ever so far for Big Red. … I've been proud of a lot of student athletes, in a lot of sports, in a lot of circumstances. I've never been more proud of any student athletes than I am of you this winter," he said.

About 100 supporters filled the arena with energetic applause along with music from the pep band as each team was recognized for its accomplishments and gave the teams a standing ovation at the end.

The media is calling this "the most terrific single season record in the history of Cornell University athletics, and I have to agree," added Andy Noel, director of athletics and physical education.

Big Red men's basketball garnered national attention with a 29-5 record this season (13-1 in the Ivy League). The team made it to the NCAA Sweet 16 by beating both Temple University and the University of Wisconsin. This is "the finest group of basketball players ever to represent Cornell University," said Noel.

The women's ice hockey team was the Ivy League champion for the first time in 14 years, won its first Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) title and came in second in the NCAA tournament. Coach Doug Derraugh was named Division I Women's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year, and freshman Laura Fortino became Cornell's first first-team All-American.

Cornell's all-female fencing team placed 14th in the NCAA this year, even though "the men's points combine with the women's points for the final finish" of the national championship, said Noel.

The wrestling team won its eighth consecutive Ivy title and its fourth consecutive Eastern championship, said Noel. The team also placed second behind Iowa in the national championship.

All four All-Americans were recognized: Troy Nickerson, Cam Simaz, Mack Lewnes and champion freshman wrestler Kyle Dake. In addition, the women's gymnastics team placed first in the Ivy Classic "with the best score in the history of the program," said Noel.

And the men's ice hockey team won the ECAC regular season as well as the ECAC tournament.

Hanna Roos '10 is a writer intern for the Cornell Chronicle.