Cornell Big Red wrestling

Cornell Big Red
UniversityCornell University
Head CoachMike Grey
ConferenceEIWA
LocationIthaca, NY
ArenaFriedman Wrestling Center
(Capacity: 1,100)
NicknameBig Red
ColorsCarnelian red and white[1]
   

The Cornell Big Red wrestling team represents Cornell University of Ithaca, New York in collegiate wrestling. It is one of the most successful and storied collegiate wrestling programs in the nation with over 20 individual NCAA champions, 43 Ivy League championships, and 28 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association championships since the program's 1907 founding.

Since 2021, the Cornell wrestling team has been coached by two-time NCAA All-American and former Cornell wrestler Mike Grey, who took over for Rob Koll, who left for Stanford after 28 years as head coach.[2] Koll led the team to eight top-five finishes in the NCAA Division I wrestling tournament, including second-place finishes in 2010 and 2011. The 2010 and 2011 finishes were the best ever for an Ivy League team.[3] In 2012, Cornell wrestling finished fourth in the NCAA tournament, while crowning three individual national champions Kyle Dake (157 lbs), Steve Bosak (184 lbs) and Cam Simaz (197 lbs).[4] This was the first time in program history when there were multiple national champions (3) in the same year.[5] Additionally, Kyle Dake went on to become the only wrestler in U.S. history to capture four individual national championships in four different weight classes (141 lbs, 149 lbs, 157 lbs & 165 lbs).[6][7]

Outside of the NCAA tournament, Cornell has been Ivy League champion a record 43 times and was league champion for 17 consecutive seasons between 2003 and 2019. During that streak the team won 92 consecutive Ivy League dual meets. Cornell has won the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association championship 28 times, including 11 consecutive titles between 2007 and 2017.[5] These streaks remain the longest in wrestling history for their respective divisions.[8][9]

In December 2023 the Ivy League announced that beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year the league would hold its own post-season tournament and would no longer be a part of the EIWA.[10]

  1. ^ "Colors". Cornell University Brand Center. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  2. ^ "2009-10 Wrestling Coaching Staff". Cornell Big Red: The Official Site of Cornell University Athletics.
  3. ^ Ackman, Dan. "Ivy-League Cornell Takes On College Wrestling's Giants". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  4. ^ "NCAA Champions". Cornell Big Red: The Official Site of Cornell University Athletics.
  5. ^ a b "Cornell Wrestling History". Cornell Big Red: The Official Site of Cornell Athletics.
  6. ^ "Dake wins historic national title". NCAA.com.
  7. ^ "Kyle Dake wins fourth national title". ESPN.com. Associated Press. March 23, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  8. ^ "Cornell Wrestling Clinches 10th-Straight Ivy League Title". ivyleaguesports.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-14. Retrieved 2012-10-04.
  9. ^ "Cornell grabs another EIWA crown". NCAA.com.
  10. ^ https://ivyleague.com/news/2023/12/18/general-ivy-league-to-launch-wrestling-tournament-starting-in-2025.aspx [bare URL]