Alfred University Athletics

Alicia (Ballard) Cordle is the most decorated women’s tennis player ever at Alfred University. She played first singles all four years with the Saxons and earned First Team Empire 8 all-conference honors four times.

She was Empire 8 Rookie of the year in 2001 and was the conference’s Player of the Year as a junior in 2003 and as a senior in 2004, when she led the Saxons to an unbeaten season that culminated in the program’s only Empire 8 Conference championship tournament title.

Alicia was also named a Second Team New York State all-star in 2004.

At the time of her graduation, she held school career records for singles wins (43), doubles victories (28), and combined singles-doubles wins (71).

She lists her team winning the Empire 8 crown in 2004 as her greatest thrill as an AU student-athlete. In particular, she cited teammate and first doubles partner Jodi Butterfoss winning the decisive third singles match in a regular season 5-4 win over Nazareth, which kept the Saxons’ unbeaten record intact heading into the E8 championships.

Alicia earned a bachelor’s degree in ceramic engineering from AU in 2005.