The Cornell Big Red wrestling team represents Cornell University of Ithaca, New York, in collegiate wrestling. The Cornell wrestling program has a storied history filled with legendary coaches and athletes who have shaped its legacy.
Since 2021, the Cornell wrestling team has been coached by two-time NCAA All-American and former Cornell wrestler Mike Grey. Change comes to the Big Red wrestling program following the departure of long-time head coach Rob Koll to Stanford.
Here's an exploration of the coaches and wrestlers who have contributed to Cornell's wrestling legacy.
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Early Coaching History
In 1907, E.J. O'Connell became the first coach in Cornell wrestling history. He led the team for two seasons with back-to-back winning records as well as a third-place finish at the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association meet in 1907.
Walter O'Connell became the next head coach and began a historic 39-year career. Under his direction, Cornell won 11 titles and had 63 individual winners at the EIWA Championships.
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The Miller Era (1947-1974)
In 1947, Jimmy Miller took over as head coach and led the Big Red to 203 dual meet wins in his 27-year tenure.
Cornell crowned two national champions in 1953, Frank Bettucci (147 lbs) and Donald Dickason (167 lbs).
Three years later, Bettucci was able to win matches at the 1956 Olympic Trials, though he did not qualify.
Notable Wrestlers during Miller's Tenure
- Frank Bettucci: NCAA champion (1953)
- Donald Dickason: NCAA champion (1953)
J. Andrew Noel: Building a Foundation
J. Andrew Noel took over as head coach in 1974. In his 14 years, Noel led Cornell wrestling to four Ivy League Championships.
During this time, Cornell wrestling grew its network and visibility both in the town of Ithaca and the college wrestling world.
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Noel's teams won four Ivy League titles and finished second four times. He coached All-Americans Gene Nighman, Patrick Waters and Patrick Welch, a two-time Eastern Champion.
He also served on the NCAA Rules Committee and worked hard on other national committees to promote and sustain wrestling.
Jack Spates: A Brief but Impactful Tenure
Jack Spates became head coach in 1988 and led the team to five straight Ivy League Championships before leaving his post for the University of Oklahoma.
Rob Koll: An Era of Unprecedented Success (1993-2021)
Rob Koll began his tenure as head coach of the Big Red in 1993 and held it until leaving for the head coaching position at Stanford University in 2021.
Koll represented an era of Cornell wrestling that reached unprecedented success including 19 Ivy League Championships (including 16 consecutive between 2003 and 2018), 11 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championships, 15 individual national champions, and 14 top ten finishes in the NCAA.
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During his tenure, the Big Red won 17 consecutive Ivy crowns - the longest streak by any school in any sport in conference history - and ended the streak during the 2019-20 season having won 92 straight Ivy matches. Koll's teams also captured 12 New York State Intercollegiate titles during his tenure.
In 1994, David Hirsch won the 126-pound title at the NCAA Championships. He also won a career high 41 matches in his senior season and was a three-time first-team All-Ivy pick.
Koll also coached dominant Cornell wrestler Travis Lee, who won the national title at two different weight classes: 126-pound in 2003 and 133-pound in 2005.
The Friedman Wrestling Center, the nation’s only stand-alone facility devoted solely to collegiate wrestling, was opened in 2002.
Facilities include a strength and conditioning center, training room, locker room, lounge, a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, and the Arno P. Niemand Arena.
In 2005, Cornell had four All-Americans for the first time in team history. Rob Koll was also named the National Wrestling Coaches Association's Division I Coach of the Year.
In 2007, Cornell wrestling won its first Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association championship since 1993 and advanced eight wrestlers to the NCAA tournament.
Jordan Leen added to Cornell's list of national champions, winning the title at the 149 lb weight class in 2008.
Troy Nickerson also won the national title the next year at the 125 lb class.
The 2010-2011 season was a stand out performance by the Big Red. The squad won its ninth straight Ivy League Championship and fifth consecutive Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championship.
In 2012, Cornell crowned three national champions for the first time in program history. Steve Bosak and Cam Simaz each won national titles at the 184 lb and 197 lb weight classes respectively.
Junior Kyle Dake made his own history by winning his third national title in three separate weight classes (this year at 157 lbs).
Key Accomplishments Under Rob Koll
- 19 Ivy League Championships
- 11 EIWA Championships
- 15 Individual National Champions
- 14 Top Ten Finishes in the NCAA
Koll accomplishes this through a number of means; however, as of fall in 2010 he invented an unofficial wrestling mascot known as Redman.
While the mascot for Cornell University is the Big Red Bear, Koll felt the need to create a mascot solely for the wrestling team. His appearance is representative of the sport itself, wearing red spandex's covering from head to toe, coupled with a white Cornell Wrestling singlet.
Additional attributes include: sunglasses, Cornell C tattoo, wrestling shoes and wrestling headgear.
Although Redman's identity remains secret, he promotes the program through his acrobatic dance moves at wrestling events.
Mike Grey: Continuing the Legacy (2021-Present)
For the 2021-22 season, former assistant Mike Grey was hired to replace Koll as head coach for the Big Red.
In his first season at the helm, Cornell regained the EIWA and Ivy league titles and finished in 7th place at the NCAA tournament.
In 2023, he led Cornell to its first NCAA tournament team trophy under his tenure, placing third.
Since joining the Big Red staff, Grey has helped the program to 12 Ivy League and nine EIWA titles, as well as top 10 NCAA team finishes each year.
Cornell has posted a 158-38 dual meet record and a 69-1 mark in Ivy competition with Grey on the sidelines.
In four seasons in charge of the program, Grey has won four Ivy League and three EIWA Championships and coached four national champions, 13 All-Americans and 12 EIWA champions.
The Big Red has finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in all four seasons under Grey, including third place in 2023 and second place in 2024.
Mike Grey's Coaching Highlights
- Multiple Ivy League and EIWA titles
- Top 10 NCAA finishes
- Coached numerous All-Americans and national champions
Individual Wrestling Achievements
Dave Auble
One of the greatest wrestlers in Cornell history, Auble won three straight Eastern tournaments in the 123-pound weight class and was voted by Eastern coaches as the outstanding wrestler two of those years (1959 and 1960).
He won two NCAA titles in the same weight class and was voted the outstanding wrestler of the national tournament his senior year.
His collegiate record from 1958 to 1960 was a sparkling 51-1, with his only loss came in the opening round of the National Intercollegiates in his sophomore year.
Auble's combined record in collegiate and AAU competition between 1958 to '60 was an incredible 75-2, with the other loss coming in the 1959 National AAU final round in the 125.5 class.
He won the 1959 Pan American championship. team by virtue of his second close loss at the hands of Terry McCann.
In 1962, Auble placed fourth in the world championships in the 125.5-pound class. He made the Olympic team in 1964, finishing fourth in his weight class.
Yianni Diakomihalis
The fifth four-time NCAA champion in history, twice apiece at 141 and 149 pounds, Diakomihalis was also a four-time EIWA and Ivy League Wrestler of the Year.
He was the Amateur Wrestling News, Ivy League and EIWA Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 2018 en route to an NCAA title.
He completed his freshman season with a 37-1 overall record and bettered that by going a perfect 29-0 as a sophomore.
Diakomihalis became just the second Big Red rookie to secure a national title, joining four-time NCAA champ Kyle Dake.
After claiming his second title 2018-19, he took an Olympic redshirt season in 2019-20, then COVID canceled the 2020-21 campaign.
He again went unbeaten in 2021-22, winning his third NCAA title with a 28-0 mark. He was 21-1 as a senior, earning a spot as a Hodge Trophy finalist for the third time.