[1] Following his high school career, he committed to coach Stan Morrison at the University of the Pacific of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA, now known as the Big West Conference), selecting the Tigers over schools such as Louisville, USC and Cal State Fullerton.

[2] Despite weighing only 183 pounds (at 6 feet, 8 inches tall) upon enrollment, Cornelius proved to be an immediate impact player for the Tigers.

At the close of his sophomore season, Cornelius was named the PCAA Player of the Year and first-team all-conference.

The Tigers' team performance slipped, but Cornelius continued to be highly productive, ultimately finishing with career averages of 18.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

After not making the team, he spent the rest of his career playing in various leagues in Europe for about ten years.