Fearless.
That’s the word senior goalkeeper Natalie Medugno used to describe the women’s soccer team’s defense — and it might just be the best word that describes her, too.
In an announcement on Sept. 29, Medugno was named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week, marking the first time in her four-year collegiate career that she has received the honor.
For Medugno, the recognition was both thrilling and motivating — not just for herself, but for the team as a whole.
“It was exciting. I think it was exciting for my team,” Medugno said. “[This accolade] was our first one of the year, so [it was] just kind of motivating for everyone.”
Medugno studies human development in the College of Human Ecology and has been a mainstay for the Red since arriving in Ithaca. The Oceanside, New York, native began playing soccer at the age of four and developed her game with Long Island Soccer Club, part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
At the time, DA athletes were not permitted to play high school sports, but a later transition to the Girls Academy League allowed her to represent her high school again during her senior year — a balance she found both challenging and rewarding.
Originally a forward, Medugno transitioned to goalkeeper in seventh grade, a switch that proved to be pivotal for her career. She committed to Cornell during her junior year of high school and has continued to grow as both a player and a leader through her three completed seasons, and now into her fourth.
“I think representing Cornell is such an honor, not only for soccer, but just to be a part of the Ivy League,” Medugno said. “Just representing at a division level, a lot of people dream for this.”
Playing Defense in Division I
Representing Cornell at the Division I level, Medugno said, remains a privilege she carries with pride.
And that pride translates directly into the way she plays. Individually, Medugno said her defensive instincts and field awareness have become defining strengths.
“For me specifically, I think I have a good vision of the field, and that doesn't only come from being in the back [of the field] and seeing everyone, but I think I see certain moments and counterattack opportunities that can catch the opposing offense on their heels.”
That clarity on the pitch has grown thanks to the experienced unit in front of her. Medugno praised senior teammates Izzy Scott ’26 and Gaby Gonzalez ’26 for their dominance on the back line.
“We have two amazing center backs, Gaby and Izzy, who have been the best players for not only our team, but I do think in the Ivy League,” she noted. “They are fearless, and I think that is the definition of our defensive unit. Just fearless … we will win with our grit.”
Her teammates’ excitement over Medugno’s Ivy League recognition reflected that same team-first culture.
“Nat[alie] is a hardworking, driven, competitive, and resilient individual,” Scott wrote in a text to The Sun. “She is the glue to our team dynamic and has made such an impact not only on the field but off the field as well. Her commitment to what she cares about, whether that’s school, soccer, or people, is why Nat is one of a kind.”
Her goalkeeper coach, Danielle Reid-Espinal, said Medugno’s growth over four years has been vital to Cornell’s success.
“Each year she matured as both a player and a person and in her final season we are fortunate to have her at her best yet,” Reid-Espinal wrote in an email to The Sun. “She has been focused and deliberate with her training in preparation for this season and I am confident she will see continued success.”
She said her goalkeeper possessed essential traits that made a real difference for the team.
“Her leadership qualities, her care for her teammates as individuals and for the team as a whole, is sure to have a lasting effect on our program,” Reid-Espinal wrote in an email.
Medugno became the third Cornell player during her four years with the program to earn the Ivy League’s weekly defensive honor, joining Gonzalez and Reagan Pauwels ’23.
Medugno’s Memorable Moments
While individual accolades are meaningful, Medugno’s most memorable moments in a Red uniform have come from team milestones.
One in particular stands out: the team’s 1-0 nailbiter win against Syracuse University, a competitive Atlantic Coast Conference team.
Mia Gonzalez ‘23 opened the scoring in the 35th minute of this tough matchup for the Red, slotting a shot from the right side of the box that slipped just past the Syracuse keeper. It proved to be the game’s only goal — and all Cornell needed to secure the win.
“My sophomore year, we beat Syracuse. I think the reason why it was so great, it was like a turning point,” Medguno recalled about the game. “We knew that we were good enough to beat teams in the ACC or beat teams that had a good reputation, yeah. But finally, the results showed that.”
Beyond soccer, Medugno also serves as a player representative in the Ivy Justice Coalition, a conference-wide initiative that promotes education, leadership and action on social justice issues across Ivy League athletics.
Through her leadership both on and off the field, Medugno continues to set the tone for the Red — hardworking, relentless and, above all, fearless.
That same fearless mentality paid off again this fall.
On Sept. 27, Medugno helped the Red earn a 1–0 road victory over Yale, a result that snapped a decade-long drought as it was Cornell’s first away win since October 2015. Medugno recorded four saves in that match, posting a clean sheet early on in the season.
“It was our first [Ivy-League win] on the road in 10 years, which is insane. I think it was just again, that excitement of breaking a drought and finally being … good enough to beat Ivy League opponents on their own turf.”
Austin Curtis is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. He is a Sun Staff Writer and can be reached at acurtis@cornellsun.com.
