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Cornell University is on a roll with its wrestling division. Days after Cornell wrestling’s captain got off to a great start to the season, another new member of the Big Red team made quite an impression. Meyer Shapiro joined the Ivy League powerhouse from Penn State and his home debut is turning a lot of heads.

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In September, Cornell’s wrestling team dominated the World Championship with six major medal hauls. Now, Shapiro’s home debut has the university speculating about more such achievements to be unlocked in the coming days. In a recent video clip, the Cornell Wrestling official Twitter account shared an impressive highlight of Shapiro’s first dual in the red shirt.

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2023 U20 Gold winner makes impressive home debut

The Cornell commit had his first collegiate dual yesterday against Sacred Heart University’s Michel Ritacco. Shapiro dominated his opponent and quickly jumped to a 7-0 lead with a takedown and a near fall. However, the freshman managed to extend his lead in the second match further. With three exquisite takedowns, one near fall, and a poised escape, Meyer Shapiro registered a 15-0 result at his home debut. The Cornell Wrestling X post highlighting the win reads, “10 seconds into the home debut for Meyer Shapiro …“.

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In the 157-pound category, Shapiro can be seen taking on SHU’s Ritacco. Within seconds of the first round, Shapiro almost gets a pin, but Ritacco maneuvers around to deny a point to the former. The commentators also seem excited about Shapiro’s technique and claim that the 2021 Cadet World Title winner could make a great impact in his debut for Cornell.

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The 2023 World Wrestling Championship saw a major win for Cornell. The $65 billion university spearheaded Team USA’s dominance in the championship and Shapiro won the gold medal in the U20 70kg category.

Cornell Wrestling going big

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Vito Arujau, the Cornell Wrestling team captain, posted a resolute statement months ago as the season was about to begin. According to his post, the 24-year-old is determined to retain his form after winning the PanAm title in Buenos Aires and a gold medal in Belgrade. Son of the Russian wrestling legend Vugar Orujov, Vito also carried the Cornell flag in the 2023 World Championship.

Read more: USA’s $65.1 Billion University Dominates World Wrestling Championship With Jaw-Dropping Medal Haul

With Shapiro showing his impressive skills on the mat, Cornell should rest easy that they’re in safe hands and know how to handle the responsibility on the big stage. As the tournament inches close, it remains to be seen if the Big Red Shirts manage to mirror Team USA’s performance in Belgrade.

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Diptarko Paul

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Diptarko Paul is a Senior Writer at EssentiallySports, specializing in standout performances in Olympic sports. A State Championship swimming qualifier, he brings eight years of editorial experience shaped by a deep understanding of both traditional and emerging sports. His career includes shaping editorial narratives at Yahoo India and leading content strategy at Coinbase. He has covered American sports and the esports ecosystem extensively. At EssentiallySports, Diptarko was a key member of the Paris Olympics trends desk, where he tracked emerging storylines and helped shape coverage strategy. Diptarko is a graduate of EssentiallySports’ prestigious Journalistic Excellence Program, receiving mentorship from industry veterans to refine his reporting and storytelling skills.

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BHUJAYA RAY CHOWDHURY

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