ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ivy League announced its 2025-26 postseason wrestling honors, and Cornell once again led the conference with multiple major awards and a strong presence on the All-Ivy teams ahead of this weekend's Ivy League Wrestling Tournament.
Headlining the honors, Meyer Shapiro was named Ivy League Wrestler of the Year for the second consecutive season. Freshman standout Jaxon Joy earned Rookie of the Year honors, continuing Cornell's tradition of producing the league's top newcomers.
In addition, the Big Red placed four wrestlers on the First Team All-Ivy, two on the Second Team, and one on the Honorable Mention list.
Shapiro, a junior at 157 pounds, remains the nation's top-ranked wrestler in his weight class and has compiled a perfect 14-0 record this season, improving his career mark to 58-6 at Cornell. Known by the nickname "Slice Dawg," Shapiro owns several ranked victories this season, including a win over then-No. 2 Kaleb Larkin of Arizona State and a gritty 2-1 decision against then-No. 7 Kannon Webster of Illinois.
The honor marks Shapiro's second straight Wrestler of the Year award after earning Rookie of the Year as a freshman, cementing his place among the Ivy League's elite. A two-time All-American, he's looking to make another strong run this post season.
Joy, competing at 149 pounds, burst onto the collegiate scene with a 25-1 overall record and a 22-1 mark in dual competition during his freshman campaign. Currently ranked No. 2 nationally at his weight, Joy earned three Ivy League Wrestler of the Week awards this season.
Joy's breakout moments included pinning Ohio State All-American Ethan Stiles at the Clarion Open and capturing the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational title, where he secured the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler award. His dominant run through Ivy League competition included wins over top-10 opponents while remaining unbeaten in conference duals.
Cornell also featured four wrestlers on the First Team All-Ivy:
Two Big Red wrestlers earned Second Team All-Ivy honors:
Ferrara continued to be a consistent force in the lineup at 133 pounds, while Cerchio made an impressive impact as a freshman after moving up from 165 pounds midway through the season.
Freshman heavyweight Cy Kruse (12-7) was named to the Honorable Mention list.
With another strong showing in the conference awards, Cornell continues to demonstrate its position as one of the nation's premier wrestling programs as the Big Red prepares to compete for the Ivy League Tournament title on Sunday, March 8, at Levien Gymnasium in New York City.
