News broke yesterday that the Schwartz Report’s number one ranked wrestler in New England, Gabe Bouyssou (Scituate, RI), has committed to wrestle for Cornell University out of Ithaca, NY.
Bouyssou, ranked fourth on Mat Scouts and 18th on FloWrestling, has already accomplished a lot in his three years of high school wrestling. Bouyssou’s resume already includes three Rhode Island state titles, two New England titles, a 2023 NHSCA title, and a spot on the US Pan-American team.
The Scituate, RI native is projected to wrestle at 149 lbs, potentially filling in the shoes of Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell’s latest 4x NCAA champion. Bouyssou, however, is up for whatever the coaches think—whether it’s throwing him in the lineup right away or taking a year to train.
“I’m not opposed to the idea of a redshirt,” Bouyssou told the Schwartz Report. “Although some people tend to go overkill with their age and when they start with a redshirt year, I feel it’s necessary for certain athletes to take an extra year to mature to make sure they are ready for the college level.”
Bouyssou’s top two schools were Cornell and Pittsburgh, both big-time programs. Ultimately, he said Cornell’s education prowess is what led him to join the Big Red.
“Although Cornell is a top 3 Division 1 program, the education I would receive is what really sealed the deal in my decision. I was very torn between Pitt and Cornell. After much thought, I realized an education from Cornell was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I knew I would end up regretting if I chose otherwise. Wrestling isn’t all there is to life, so I need to set myself up to be successful in all aspects. It really means so much to me to represent such a prestigious program.”
Cornell is one of the greatest programs in history, especially recent history, earning four top 10 finishes in the last five NCAA tournaments. (Note: There was no tournament in 2020 and no Ivy League competition in 2021.) Bouyssou is honored to represent the smallest state in the country on one the biggest stages in the sport.
“Being a Division 1 wrestler has been one of my biggest dreams,” said Bouyssou, “and I’ve dedicated so much of my life to do so. Representing my state and team at the highest level possible, I hope that I am able to inspire others to realize their full potential.”
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