MOUNT VERNON – Only 27 games into her collegiate career, sophomore Erin Knowles eclipsed the 500-point mark Wednesday night as Cornell's women's basketball team raced to its first win of the season, 56-34, over Rockford inside the Small Athletic and Wellness Center.
 
Knowles paced the Rams' balanced attack with a game-high 13 points in a contest they never trailed. Cornell (1-1) led 23-9 after one quarter and 38-13 at the half to put the game away early.
 
Knowles, who scored a school-record 479 points in 2024-25, finished 6-of-10 shooting and also grabbed five rebounds.
 
The Rams pressured Rockford (0-1) into 32 turnovers, converting them into 27 points. Cornell collected 21 steals – three shy of the single-game program record – with Kiley Edris and Caroline Kron posting four steals apiece.
 
Heidi Jorgensen tossed in 10 points for the Rams, followed by first-years Kallyn Stroup and Darby Haley each with eight off the bench. Maggie Thompson had five rebounds and Savanna Robinson dished four assists.
 
The Regents struggled offensively on 20.4-percent shooting, including 1-of-18 from 3-point range.
 
Coming up – The Rams host the Cornell Classic this weekend. Saturday's lineup matches Cornell vs. Nebraska Wesleyan at 5 p.m., followed by Saint Benedict vs. Dubuque at 7 p.m.
 
On Sunday, Nebraska Wesleyan plays Saint Benedict at 1 p.m., followed by Cornell vs. Dubuque at 3 p.m.