East Bay Athletic League football and Cornell University go together like a Big Red machine.

Consider that Monte Vista High senior Mason Melin, a standout tight end, will soon be joining halfback Sean Miller (San Ramon Valley, 2012) and wide receiver Lucas Shapiro (De La Salle, 2011) on the Cornell football squad.

Of course, Melin’s school colors won’t change much. He’s going from the Mustangs’ Red and Black to The Big Red in Ithica, N.Y.

Melin (6-foot-3, 230 pounds) had 46 receptions for 683 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Another ex-Monte Vista star, quarterback Brett Nottingham, will play for Columbia next season, after transferring from Stanford. Columbia will visit Cornell on Nov. 16. Circle the date.

The Ivy League seems like a popular destination for elite EBAL student-athletes. Princeton senior guard Niveen Rasheed (Monte Vista) completed her brilliant college basketball career last season. She was named the unanimous Ivy League Player of the Year for the second straight year

Amador Valley quarterback Kyle Moreno, a graduating senior and first-team all-EBAL pick, is headed to Brown.