The wrestling team is used to winning. They are used to winning because, in all honesty, that’s what they do best. You can see it in the face of head coach Rob Koll when he talks about this team, his team. He has faith in these young men; this team, his team. They will win, he says. How does he know this? He just knows.

On one of the biggest nights for Cornell sports so far this season, the wrestling team, defending Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) team champions three years running, will be opening its season tonight at 6:30.

Early morning practices, core workouts in the gym, and of course, the sweet smell of horses — the Cornell equestrian team knows it all. It seems that hard work and dedication are the themes this year for a team that has its sights set on victory.

Those victories are looking more and more likely, as the Red is already off to a great start early in the season.

In the 116th meeting between Penn and Cornell, the Quakers are hoping to wrap up sole possession of the Ivy League title after knocking off preseason favorite Harvard last weekend. Cornell, on the other hand, has watched as its best chances at picking up a third win in 2009 all dissolved into losses.

In its first two tournaments this year, the women’s fencing team, under head coach Iryna Dolgikh, has demonstrated considerable improvement from last year, placing well individually at the Temple Open and winning all eight of its contests at the Vassar Invitational.

On a March night in 2008, the women’s basketball team stood alone atop the Ivy League, celebrating its first-ever championship by cutting down the nets in Newman Arena. After a somewhat disappointing campaign in 2008-09, the Red enters this season with new hopes of reaching the top once again.

Although Cornell squash is considered to be one of the top programs in the country, the men’s and women’s teams are often underestimated on a Division I campus driven by traditional contact sports. Both squads will work hard to maintain their No. 6 preseason national ranking and gain the respect they deserve from fellow Cornell students.

This weekend, the No. 7 women’s hockey team will venture on the last road trip for the semester that, according to head coach Doug Derraugh, will be one of the toughest of the season. The Red (5-3-0, 5-1-0 ECAC Hockey) will first face the No. 10 Princeton Tigers (5-2-1, 4-1-1) tonight at 7 p.m., followed by a game at Quinnipiac (6-4-2, 4-1-1) tomorrow at 4 p.m.

The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams look to improve after seeing mixed results in their 2008-09 campaigns. Last season the women didn’t win a single league meet. However, a strong finish has the team looking up. As a young team last year, the Red made steady strides towards the end of the season.

Most people graduate from Cornell happy to have earned a degree –– perhaps even honors. Others, like the members of last year’s gymnastics team, will leave Cornell as national champions. Do they think they can win the USAG title again in 2010?

“Absolutely,” said junior captain Maddie Pearsall. “I don’t think we would go into the season thinking anything less.”