RHS Lax Player Cornell University's First 2016 Commit

A Ridgewood High School lacrosse player became Cornell University’s first class of 2016 commitment last week, according to a report by the lacrosse blog laxlessons.com.

Cooper Telesco, a rising sophomore at Ridgewood, committed to the Cornell admissions process on Aug. 16.

Telesco, who also plays Maroons hockey and football, told the website that he decided on Cornell after meetings with Harvard and the University of Virginia, but found the Ithaca, NY school to be the best fit in academics and athletics.

“[Cornell] Coach [Ben] DeLuca was a huge influence for me as well,” he said. “When I went up to Cornell to meet with him, he not only showed me how great a school Cornell was, but also gave me confidence that playing lacrosse for him would be the best.”

Telesco also credited Ridgewood Coach Mike Pounds and his older brother Tripp, a player at Lehigh, for helping him advance in the sport.