Then-sophomore wrestler Jude Swisher walked away with a runner-up finish at last year’s Ivy League championships.
It seemed like an inevitable finish. After all, Swisher was facing off against Cornell’s Meyer Shapiro, then ranked No. 3 in the country after going undefeated in Ivy League duels. During the 2024-25 regular season, Shapiro only dropped one bout. He ultimately finished fifth at the NCAA Wrestling Championships.
Swisher strived for success entering his third year donning the Red and Blue. He started the season off strong, earning a bronze medal at the Southern Scuffle and capturing his second Keystone Classic title.
By the time the Ivy League Championships rolled around, Swisher had steadily climbed the national ranks, rising from No. 18 at the beginning of the season to No. 13 just before the conference championships. By contrast, Shapiro was ranked No. 2 in the nation entering the Ivy League tournament.
Like last year, Swisher made it to the final round with ease, trouncing Harvard’s Jimmy Harrington during the semifinals. The State College, Pa., native wasn’t going to go down easily in the final round.
Instead of giving Shapiro his second Ivy League title, Swisher fought tooth and nail in the ring. After repeatedly taking Shapiro down, Swisher was awarded the crown in a decisive 8-3 victory. He also earned conference recognition as the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.
Swisher carried that momentum into the NCAA Wrestling Championships in late March, closing the competition in the consolation blood rounds. Over the course of the season, Swisher ultimately earned five wins in eight matches against top-16 opponents.
Honorable mentions: softball improves its record by 14 wins; women’s squash beats No. 1 Princeton for the College Squash Association National Team Championship
Check out the rest of the end-of-year awards for the 2025-26 season here.
