Best New York Ivy League Teams

There is nothing quite like the competitive spirit and rivalries in athletics at the American collegiate level. One can make the argument that college sports are more popular than professionals in America, with the pride of geography and alma maters dominating many regional sports markets. Remember, not every city or state has a professional franchise to root for, but they certainly all have colleges that compete at some level in the NCAA. Whether it is a major sport like football, basketball, or baseball, or even a sport like rowing, there is nothing like cheering on your school on the national stage! We all know about competitions like the March Madness tournament for NCAA basketball, but have you ever heard about the Empire State Bowl? It is the battle for supremacy amongst New York Ivy League schools!

The major college conferences are well known in the NCAA: the SEC, the Big Ten, the Big 12, the Pac-12, and the ACC. A majority of professional players will come from these conferences as their schools have the strongest brand name and recruiting programs, as well as the most money to spend. But there are other conferences, in particular one, that values a higher education and prestige, over athletic abilities. That is not to say that athletics are not valued as there are plenty of professionals who have attended these schools, but when one speaks of the Ivy League Conference, we immediately turn our minds to academics. 

Can I Bet On the Ivy League Conference?

The Ivy League Conference comprises eight teams and is also referred to as the Ancient Eight. These eight prestigious schools are all geographically located on the Northeastern side of the United States, and came to form the Ivy League Conference back in 1954. With the impending legalization and rollout of legal online sports betting in the state of New York, there is no better time to take pride in your Ivy League alma mater. Unlike other states, bettors will be able to wager on schools within the state of New York at any legal online sportsbook. 

With the NCAA football season winding down and heading towards Bowl games, the NCAA basketball season is just starting to heat up! There are plenty of Ivy League Conference teams that play in the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball divisions and the competition is only going to escalate as we head towards the NCAA March Madness tournament. Now with sports betting in New York, you can root for your alma mater in any sport in the always competitive Ivy League Conference!

The Best New York Ivy League Teams

With only eight different schools in the Ivy League Conference, there are not exactly a lot of programs to choose from. In fact, there are only two Ivy League Conference schools that are located directly in the state of New York. Luckily, these two schools are also considered two of the top Universities in the country, with prestigious academic reputations and fairly competitive athletic programs. If you were lucky enough to go to one of these Ivy League schools in New York, you are no doubt proud to cheer them on in Ivy League Conference sporting events.

Columbia University

The first Ivy League school in the state of New York is Columbia University, located right in the heart of New York City. Columbia University is the oldest higher learning institute in New York and the fifth oldest University in the entire country! Established back in 1754 as King’s College, the school changed its name to Columbia in 1784. It has one of the most prestigious histories of any University as it has seen the graduation of seven founding fathers, 100 Nobel Laureates, four US Presidents, 125 Pulitzer Prize winners, and even 33 Academy Award winners. But it’s not just the Arts and Academics that Columbia is known for. The university has produced 22 Olympic medalists as well showing that Columbia can definitely hold its own in the field of athletics. 

Some prominent athletes that have graduated from Columbia University include Hall of Fame baseball players Sandy Koufax and Lou Gehrig, NBA player Jim McMillian, former All-Pro NFL player Marcellus Wiley, and Christina Teuscher, an Olympic Gold medalist and named America’s best collegiate female athlete in 2000. Columbia University can also count former NBA Commissioner David Stern and New England Patriots Owner Robert Kraft amongst its famous alumni. 

Cornell University

The other Ivy League Conference school located in the state of New York is Cornell University. Unlike Columbia, Cornell is located in Ithaca, New York which is located a few hours north of Manhattan. Cornell is not quite as storied as Columbia, as the school was established in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White. Cornell has its own share of famous alumni which includes 100 current Fortune 500 CEOs, 35 billionaires, and an impressive 63 Olympic Medalists, which is nearly triple that of Columbia!

Cornell has also had some well known athletes attend its hallowed halls including noted football coach Glenn “Pop” Warner, current offensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns J.C. Tretter, NFL assistant coach Bill Lazor, and NHL Hall of Fame goalie Ken Dryden. Cornell has some high profile executives come through as well including NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and former NBA General Manager Bryan Colangelo. 

The Empire State Bowl

If you are looking to support one of your alma maters, or if you are just a fan of Columbia or Cornell sports, there is no bigger annual event than the Empire State Bowl. This annual game is an Ivy League Conference staple, and is played between the two men’s football teams. The game has been played a total of 108 times over the years, with Cornell having a distinct edge with 66 victories and 39 losses. The game has ended in a tie three times as well. The 2021 edition of the Empire State Bowl was a competitive game until the fourth quarter, when Columbia pulled away and sealed the victory by the score of 34-26. Columbia rode its defense to a victory as it completed five interceptions off of three different Cornell quarterbacks to put the game beyond reach. 

How do professional sports affect student performance?
How do professional sports affect student performance?