Don’t worry if Cornell is missing a few key roster pieces to start the season. Greg Diakomihalis (125), Vince Cornella (141), and Ethan Fernandez (149) will be back for a second-semester push. 

The Big Red have solid lightweight options, so there's no guarantee they all make the post-season roster, but head coach Mike Grey is optimistic about what his team can do down the stretch. 

“It will be next man up for the first semester,” Grey said. “We understand that, but we’re excited to build experience with our younger guys. We’re excited to have a strong squad in the second semester to test ourselves against the country’s best.

“There’s no surprise. We’re usually slow starters as a program. We focus much more on March than we do on November. We’ll need to have as much of a peak as we can for the National Duals and have an upward trajectory when we move toward March. We’re going to need to be ready to go early in the year. Mid-November is a challenging time to wrestle your best. We’ll train differently than we normally do.”

Don’t expect to see returning two-time All-American Meyer Shapiro in the first semester, either. The two-time age-level World champion is focused on his health as he enters his final two collegiate seasons. 

“Shortening his season will help his performance,” Grey said. “He’s healthy but recovering from the episodes he had at the end of last year. He wants to finish on top in the next two years and set himself up for a great international career. That’s the focus for him. Over the summer, there was an overlap from his injuries and the coma, and all the things that happened to him. He took some time off the mat. He needs to focus on training and getting himself back on track physically.”

In all, Grey has nine returning national qualifiers, highlighted by All-Americans Shapiro and Simon Ruiz. The first four weights will have a competitive roster battle, with 133 and 141 featuring two returning national qualifiers.

Diakomihalis, Brett Ungar, and Cornella are returning after missing most of last season. 

“I think we had a lot of young pieces last year and they will be a year older this year,” Grey said. We’re excited about that. We also return three big pieces that we didn’t have in the lineup last year. We have some great depth and some wrestling to do at those weight classes, so I’m excited.” 

2025-26 Cornell Overview

Head coach: Mike Grey (fifth season)

Assistants: Kellen Russell, Scottie Boykin, David McFadden

2025 NCAA tournament finish: 7th

2025 NCAA tournament record: 24-20

2025 NCAA tournament points: 50

2025 Ivy League tournament finish: 1st

2025 dual record: 11-1

Returning All-Americans: 2 (Meyer Shapiro, Simon Ruiz)

Returning national qualifiers: 9 (Marcello Milani, Brett Ungar, Tyler Ferrera, Vince Cornella, Josh Saunders, Ethan Fernandez, Meyer Shapiro, Simon Ruiz, Ashton Davis)

Last NCAA champion: Vito Arujau (2024)

Highest NCAA team finish: 2nd (2010, 2011, 2024)

Highest NCAA team finish under Grey: 2nd (2024)

Most national placers in a season under Grey: 4 (2023)

Prospective Line-up

125: Greg Diakomihalis or Marcello Milani, JR
Diakomihalis was injured last season but will make a second-semester push to reach his first postseason. He will contend with Milani, who was 16-14 and went 1-2 at the 2025 NCAA Championships. Health is the name of the game for Diakomihalis after a 37-10 career college record. 

133: Brett Ungar, SR, or Tyler Ferrera, SO
Ungar was injured for much of last season but has a successful track record. He reached the Round of 12 at the 2023 NCAA Championships and the Round of 16 in 2024. Ferrera will compete for the spot following a 13-7 season and a 1-2 record at the 2025 NCAA Championships. 

141: Vince Cornella, SR, or Josh Saunders, SR
Another battle of national qualifiers as Cornella and Saunders face off. Cornella was injured last season but qualified for the 2023 NCAA Championships. Saunders was 19-8 last season and 1-2 at the NCAA Championships. 

149: Jaxon Joy, FR, or Ethan Fernandez, SR
Newcomer Jaxon Joy was 29-1 during his “redshirt” year with the Spartan Combat RTC. He will challenge two-time national qualifier Ethan Fernandez for the starting spot. Fernandez was 19-10 last season, going 2-2 at the NCAA Championships. 

157: Meyer Shapiro, JR

Shapiro will be on a pitch count this season, but expect the Big Red junior to contend for a national title. He finished third at the 2024 NCAA Championships and fifth in 2025. The Woodbine, Maryland, native has a 44-6 career college record. 

165: Louis Cerchio, FR
Cerchio replaces four-time Round of 12er Julian Ramirez. He was 29-6 last season, competing unattached. 

174: Simon Ruiz, SO
Ruiz had a solid freshman year, finishing fifth at the NCAA Championships with a 27-7 season record. He is one of two returning All-Americans. 

184: Christian Hansen, SR
Hansen gets his shot after being behind two All-Americans. He wrestled at the 2023 EIWA Championships but didn’t qualify for the NCAA Championships. The Huntington, New York, native was 5-2 at two tournaments last season. 

197: Aiden Hanning, JR
Hanning will likely start after an 11-5 sophomore season. He was 1-1 in duals as the starter. 

285: Ashton Davis, JR
Davis went 1-2 at the 2025 NCAA Championships, finishing the season with an 18-7 record.