It’s easy for Sam Cornelison to draw a foul in basketball. Waterpolo is the sport that sparks the challenge for the sophomore.

“There’s a difference in intensity,” he said. The game is so intense that he often forgets to breathe. “I’m so caught up in the moment.”

With water slamming into his face and jamming down his throat, Cornelison is still able to throw one of his unique left hand shots directly in the corner of the post to score goals. He currently has 28 goals overall this year.

Cornelison is humble about his skills while his coach, Marcus Sherman, has no hesitation when he described one of his “top players” as “dangerous.” Sherman sees his desire for the ball. “He’s a threat on both offense and defense,” because, Sherman said, “He wants the ball.”

Sherman not only sees his desire but hears it. “He’s very vocal.”

Despite his strong desire for the ball, Sherman still describes Cornelison as a “quiet leader” of the team.

The silent but deadly player wasn’t always good at waterpolo. In fact, he believes his recent rise in skill is due to “luck.”

Cornelison welcomes any contact that comes his way. He’s a “do unto others what he wants done unto him” kind of guy. This transfers into his sportsmanship.

He remembers a basketball game when his team was up by 30 points. Yet when it came time for the buzzer to end the game, Cornelison took a shot to score a mere two more points. “I was just like, ‘Why did I do that?'” he said. Now, being a good sport drives his game.

“Actions speak louder than words,” Sherman said. Cornelison is definitely a man of action.