BigRedFan

I highlighted an important caveat for you.

Gotta love the fact that the match I wanted to watch was first thing...at 10:15am...on a Sunday.

Perentin with a TD and four turns in the first 30 seconds or so...and they realize the clock still reads 6:00. Challenge coming (for what?). Challenge lost, Perentin 11-0 in about a minute? Too bad Perentin had to face James his first match.

Yes, that is Cornell freshmen Alessio Perentin repping Italy.

Cortez wins 4-3 (up 4-1 early)

Yianni in the corner for Cortez, who wins 13-2 in 2:40.

Ask Anthony Knox. Greyshirts at Cornell are not all yet accepted at Cornell, for a number of reasons. They might not have the grades (yet) to get accepted. Dylan Palacio said that he was told he needed to get a 4.0 in his classes at TCCC. There might not be a place for them in the lineup their true freshman year. A gap year training might help them prepare for the D1 grind. The admission rate for a school like Cornell is ridiculously low as an incoming freshmen even for blue-chip wrestlers, unless you are a whale like Yianni, Vito, or Shapiro. However, these greyshirts are then considered *transfers*, and IIRC the admission rate for transfers is much higher. Elite schools guard their admission rates seriously, but not so much for transfer admission rates.

IIRC, Shapiro, Ruiz, and Joy were all Grey recruits. I think what they've done deserves *some* mention, right? Grey's 2025 recruiting class are now freshmen and look pretty solid, as do his 2026 class and even the 2027 class. One could look at Koll's recruiting class of Foca, Ramirez, Cardenas, and Fernandes as underperforming, with four AAs among them.

The 2026-27 year was locked in before the disappointing NCAA tournament in March. Everyone knew who was going to be on the roster (except for Shapiro, of course. Always "except Shapiro"...). Nothing Coach Grey did changed.

NIL is available to Ivy League athletes. Ethan Fernandez and Lewis Fernandes (no relation :-)) both gave up trying to get a fourth year and took Wall Street jobs instead. Those who don't want a career in wrestling are getting value out of that "piece of paper." Ivy League never gave athletic scholarships: all aid is need-based. I'm guessing that the young men who pass the sniff test from Cornell are pretty good at decision-making and "thinking" in general. Cornell's 2027 recruiting class includes five Flo Big Board wrestlers. wrt "defections:" a number followed Koll to Stanford. Knox probably wasn't going to get accepted at Cornell. Vega probably got offered a shit-ton of money. Are there others of note (not counting Shapiro) that I'm missing? Very, very few with remaining Ivy eligibility (Cornell and elsewhere) transfer. We'll see what happens with the 2026 recruiting class, which also includes five Flo Big Board wrestlers. And the "Finger Lakes CC" hasn't been around for what, five years?

Jeez... Most likely, although the upper weights are TBD: Isaiah Cortez, Elijah Cortez, Cornella, Joy, Rogers, Perentin, Ruiz, Cerchio (or maybe Diakomihalis or Mikey Dellagatta), Correa, Rocco Dellagatta (maybe).

Posted last month: "Two years ago, I accepted my offer with KPMG US. In a little more than a week, I’ll officially begin my full-time career in portfolio Valuation." https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7476678151969013760/ Just a guess, but I think he was offered more by KPMG than, say, Iowa...

I note that Cornell's Ethan Fernandez apparently was not offered enough in the portal for his grad season to forego a rumored (non-wrestling) job opportunity.

I think Cornell has nearly as many. Cortez (2)/Cortez(1)/-/Verrette (10) (not a freshman)/-/Perentin(3)/Jeter(5) (not a freshman)/Diakomihalis (10)/Correa (1)/Dellagatta (5)

Verrette isn't going to be enrolled at Cornell this year. Just announced incoming freshmen, and he ain't on the list.

Not likely. 2025 Academic All-American, so at least a 3.0. https://nwcaonline.com/news/2025/4/2/national-wrestling-coaches-association-nwca-announces-the-ncaa-d1-mens-scholar-all-americans.aspx

My notes on this interview. BLUF: did not ask or address *why* it was necessary to agree that it might be best for Shapiro to continue elsewhere. Shapiro wanted to "red shirt" the whole year last year (can you do that in the Ivy League? I guess he means not enroll?), but the staff disagreed. So they compromised by taking the first semester off. Herniated two disks in his neck summer 2025. Felt he needed a mental break in 25-26 as well. Proudest moment of the season was blood round win over Cardenas. Of course, what everyone wants to know is *why* he left Cornell. The only bit that addressed the question was Shapiro saying that after the season he met with the coaches and they all agreed that he might benefit from a change in programs. WTF? Set on Nebraska, then visited UNC and Koll almost convinced him. Giving up the Cornell degree: "I'm gonna be a wrestling coach, not a plastic surgeon" Knew he wanted to take 26-27 off; even Cornell coaches thought that was okay, "but it was a little late for that". More mystery. Will probably do some freestyle this coming year. Goal is to help Antrell be national champion this year. Make the world team next summer. Will probably wrestle a couple of years after college, then will see after that. What will he miss about Cornell? Friedman is the best room/facility in the country. Miss "the people." Had good things to say without naming names. Wasn't interested in the Iowa money; Nebraska more like Cornell in terms of "family." Most likely 157 final year. Going to 74kg for freestyle. Must get stronger. Vince Robinson is the coolest guy ever.

How many Tours de France did Lance Armstrong win?

Talk about burying the lede!

If Shapiro is not on the Cornell roster, should he be in yellow?

He's one of the smallest 157s around. I'd bet he could do 149 if he really wanted to.

If you aren't going to be a starter as a freshman, then does it make sense to pay Cornell tuition? Maybe, maybe not.

Grey shirt, er, gap year, er, red shirt, most likely. If he comes in for 2027-28, he'll have soph Perentin at 165, senior Ruiz at 174, and junior Cerchio (and maybe soph Diakomihalis) at 184 to contend with.

Potentially five freshmen starters at Cornell...