Cornish won’t let injuries
keep her down

By Joe Mason
For the Times

Twice during her college career, Ayahna Cornish was forced to make a decision.
Cornish, a 2003 graduate of Cardinal Dougherty High School, suffered a pair of devastating injuries while playing for the St. Joseph’s University women’s basketball team.
Prior to the start of her sophomore year, Cornish broke a bone in her right foot, forcing her to the bench. Rather than sit out the season, she decided to come back.
Then, near the end of a fine junior year, Cornish, a forward, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right leg.
Again, she had a decision to make. It didn’t take all that long to make it.
Cornish knew she likely had just one year of organized basketball left, her senior year, and this was a pretty serious knee injury. Would it be worth all the sweat of rehabbing the torn ligament for one final year on the court?
"I never really thought about it; I just knew I wanted to get back," Cornish said. "We were having a really good season my junior year, so when I got hurt, I was pretty disappointed. But I was happy I had another year left. I never thought about stopping or quitting. I only thought about my senior year."
This year, despite playing on a reconstructed knee, Cornish continued to excel. For the third year in a row, she led the Hawks in scoring. This year, in addition to averaging a career-high 16.5 points per game, she led the team in steals and ranked second in assists and rebounds.
In the process she helped the Hawks go 19-14 overall, 8-6 in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The Hawks qualified for the National Invitational Tournament but fell in the first round to Coppin State, 67-52, on March 15.
"It was a good year, and I know I had a great career here," Cornish said. "I expected to have fun and play, but I didn’t know how well I’d play. I loved playing with this team. We had so many great players, and we all played well as a team. It was a great time."
This year, the Hawks had some other local players in Nazareth Academy grad Mary Kate McDade and St. Hubert alum Ashley Logue. But without question, Cornish was the team leader and top player.
Always skilled with the ball in her hands, Cornish made great strides during her time on the Main Line. She developed as a competent jump-shooter, became a better passer and learned a lot about playing defense at the Division 1 level.
It wasn’t always easy, but the difference showed.
"At Dougherty, I would drive a lot," Cornish said. "In college, I had to become a better overall player . . . I couldn’t just get the ball and go.
"I’m really proud of the way I improved," she said. "But I had a lot of help. I had great coaches and great teammates. That’s what made me better.
"I think I learned a lot by playing AAU with the Philadelphia Belles," she continued. "I learned a lot playing at Dougherty and then I learned a lot more here at St. Joe’s. I’ve been pretty lucky to play for some great teams, and I’m really going to miss playing here."
Cornish will graduate in May with a degree in criminal justice.
"I’m not exactly sure what I want to do, but I know I want to work with kids," said Cornish, who has a 3.0 grade-point average. "I want to be someone who can help a kid who needs help.
"A lot of bad kids aren’t bad, they just need someone to give them a little guidance," said Cornish, a two-year captain at St. Joe’s. "I would really like to be someone who can make a difference, someone who can help give a kid some direction."
Her focus seemingly is on a career and the future, rather than the prospects of resuming a life of basketball.
"RIght now, I think the only option I have would be to go overseas and play somewhere," she said. "I haven’t really thought about it. We just ended the season and right now I’m focused on getting the degree, graduating."
There is always the possibility, of course, that Cornish could maintain a link to the game she loves as a coach. But even that is something down the road.
"I’m definitely not ready to start coaching yet," she said. "Someday, yeah, I think I wouldn’t mind coaching and helping out, but not yet.
"I still think of myself as a player, I’m not a coach," she said. "But I did learn a lot about the game, so I wouldn’t mind passing on that knowledge." ••
Reporter Joe Mason can be reached at joemason70@hotmail.com