MOUNT VERNON – Cornell seniors Sophie Stumbo and Nolan Schuetz were honored as the 2026 Paul Maaske Scholar-Athletes at the Homecoming C Club Breakfast Saturday in the Thomas Commons.
 
The award is named after Cornell's Hall of Fame men's basketball coach Paul Maaske, who guided the Rams to 309 wins over 26 seasons with five NCAA Tournament appearances. The award recognizes the female and male student-athlete who achieved the highest cumulative grade point average through their academic junior year.
 
Tim Maaske, Paul's son and a 1976 Cornell graduate, presented this year's awards.
 
Stumbo, of Iowa City, has competed in cross country and track & field since her arrival on the Hilltop. She carries a 4.0 cumulative grade point average.
 
Stumbo is pursuing a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology with a minor in studio art. Upon graduation, she plans to work as a medical assistant during her gap year and apply for medical school.
 
Stumbo is a six-time academic all-Midwest Conference honoree and two-time recipient of the MWC Elite 20 Award. She was twice named CSC Academic All-District. In 2025, Stumbo was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa and Chi Alpha Sigma honor societies.
 
Schuetz, of Lake Zurich, Ill., is a fourth-year member on the men's wrestling team. He holds a 3.92 GPA.
 
Schuetz is majoring in business management with a minor in Russian. His postgraduate plan is to commission into the Marine Corps as a second lieutenant in late May. Schuetz also aspires to be a full-time firefighter.
 
As a junior, Schuetz was named Cornell's 2025-26 Jacob Redington Teammate of the Year and compiled the highest GPA on the wrestling team for the second consecutive season. He was also inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society.
 
Schuetz has wrestled 60 career matches for the Rams.