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Cornell clinches 43rd Ivy title with win over Penn

Cornell Sports Information
Feb 10

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The final minute of Brett Ungar's match against Penn's Max Gallagher defined the No. 10 Cornell wrestling team's effort on Saturday night at the Palestra.

Ungar (125 pounds), trailing 2-1 with about 30 seconds remaining, willed his way for a three-point takedown and took a 4-2 lead he would hold. The championship-caliber effort clinched Cornell's 26-8 victory over Penn and the 43rd Ivy League title in program history.

The Big Red has won 20 of the last 21 Ivy League wrestling titles, including three straight under Mike Grey, The David Dunlop '59 Head Coach of Wrestling. Cornell won its sixth straight dual and improved to 10-3 overall and 5-0 in the Ivy.

Almost every bout required Big Red wrestlers to find ways to win close to — or at the end — of matches. All but one of its victories — Lewis Fernandes' 15-0 technical fall over John Stout — were decisions.

At 157, No. 6 Meyer Shapiro held on for a 6-3 victory over No. 23 Lucas Revano to start the dal. In the next match, No. 4 Julian Ramirez (165 pounds) battled through an injury and recorded a takedown in the third period to seal his 4-0 win over Kay Sement.

At 197 pounds, No. 7 Jacob Cardenas sealed his 7-0 win over No. 24 Cole Urbas with a four-point near fall in the third period. Three-time All-American and 2023 national champion Vito Arujau (133), getting everyone's best shot, scrapped for his 11-4 victory over No. 9 Michael Colaiocco.

Things were no different in the last match, which featured No. 23 Ethan Fernandez against Jude Swisher. Fernandez led 7-2 but had to survive a late charge from Swisher, who cut his deficit to 7-6 after an escape and a takedown. Fernandez recorded an escape and won 8-7, prevailing in the same fashion as many of his teammates.

Cornell Big Red Notes

  • The Big Red has won 107 of its last 108 Ivy League duals, including 15 in a row since losing to Princeton in 2020.

  • Cornell is 317-53-1 all-time against Ivy League opponents.

  • Cornell has captured 20 Ivy League titles in the past 21 seasons, including three in a row under Grey, who won four as a student-athlete and eight as an assistant coach for the Big Red.

  • Every four-year member of the Cornell wrestling team who has enrolled since 1980 has won at least one Ivy League title during their career.

  • Cornell wrestlers are 42-8 against Ivy opponents in duals this season. The Big Red has 28 bonus-point wins in 50 matches.

  • Cornell is 90-21-1 all-time against Penn.

  • The Big Red has won the last 21 duals in the series.

  • Shapiro won his 12th match in a row, improving to 17-2 overall. The freshman is unbeaten (12-0) in duals.

  • Cardenas improved to 9-3 against wrestlers ranked in the top 25 at 197 in the coaches' rankings.

  • Cardenas leads Cornell in wins (18).

  • Fernandez won his seventh match in a row.


    Results:
    157: No. 6 Meyer Shapiro def. No. 23 Lucas Revano 6-3 by decision (Cornell 3, Penn 0)
    165: No. 4 Julian Ramirez def. Kaya Sement 4-0 by decision (Cornell 6, Penn 0)
    174: No. 6 Nick Incontrera def. Benny Baker 9-2 by decision (Cornell 6, Penn 3)
    184: No. 7 Chris Foca def. No. 17 Max Hale 3-0 by decision (Cornell 9, Penn 3)
    197: No. 7 Jacob Cardenas def. No. 24 Cole Urbas 7-0 by decision (Cornell 12, Penn 3)
    285: No. 17 Lewis Fernandes def. John Stout 15-0 by technical fall (Cornell 17, Penn 3)
    125: No. 14 Brett Ungar def. Max Gallagher 4-2 by decision (Cornell 20, Penn 3)
    133: No. 2 Vito Arujau def. No. 9 Michael Colaiocco 11-4 by decision (Cornell 23, Penn 3)
    141: No. 16 CJ Composto def. Mark Botello 15-0 by technical fall (Cornell 23, Penn 8)
    149: No. 23 Ethan Fernandez def. Jude Swisher 8-7 by decision (Cornell 26, Penn 8)

    Up Next
    Cornell faces No. 8 NC State next Friday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m.