Vito Arujau

As a freshman, Arujau started off competing at 133 pounds and went 5-1 before moving down to 125 pounds.[5] After moving down, he compiled 26 wins (17 with bonus points) and 3 more losses.[1] In the post-season, he made his way to the finals of the EIWA Conference Championships, where he lost to Pat Glory in a tight 8-10.[6] As the eight seed at the NCAA's, he defeated his first two opponents via major decision before falling to Northwestern's Sebastian Rivera, the top seed. He rebounded in the consolation bracket, earning victories over the fourteenth, fourth and second seeds (the latter being Nick Piccininni) before losing once again to Rivera[7] to place fourth and earn All-American honors.[8]

After redshirting 19'-20' as a sophomore, Arujau was expected to return to the NCAA in this season and was likely to compete at 133 pounds.[9] However, it was announced on November 13, 2020 that the Ivy League has cancelled all winter sports for this upcoming season.[10]

As an age-group level wrestler, Arujau was a two-time World Silver medalist and a UWW and USAW National Champion.[11][12]

Arujau made his senior freestyle debut at the U23 Nationals & World Team Trials in early June. He won all of his eight matches and outscored the opposition 90 points to 5, including technical fall victories over the accomplished wrestlers Roman Bravo-Young and Nick Piccininni.[13] He was then expected to compete at the U23 World Championships,[14] but was forced to pull out.[15]

He made his return at the US Open in late April. He reached the quarterfinals with a series of victories but was defeated by that year's Pan American Games champion Daton Fix. He reached the bronze medal match with wins over the eight and third seeds but was finally defeated by Zane Richards.[16]

At the end of the year, he competed at the US Nationals of December. He reached the semifinals with three wins (one of them over Nick Suriano) before losing to the heavily decorated and winner of the championship Spencer Lee. In the consolation bracket, he defeated one more opponent and earned the third place finish after Suriano forfeited the final match.[17]

Arujau was scheduled to compete at the 20' US Olympic Team Trials on April 4 at State College, Pennsylvania.[18] However, the event was postponed for 2021 along with the Summer Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving all the qualifiers unable to compete.[19]

Arujau wrestled Rutgers' Sammy Alvarez on July 25, at FloWrestling: Dake vs. Chamizo.[20] He defeated Alvarez by technical fall in the second period.[21]

Arujau was slated to wrestle Jack Mueller at the annual Beat The Streets event on September 17.[22] However, he pulled out of the bout 5 days prior and was replaced by Rustam Ampar.[23]

Arujau competed at the US National Championships on October 9–11 as the top-seed.[24] He ran through the 57 kilograms bracket, with notable victories over 20' ACC champion Jakob Camacho, two-time NCAA Division I All-American Jack Mueller and two-time age-group Greco-Roman World Team Member Dylan Ragusin.[25]

Arujau represented the Spartan Combat RTC at 57 kilograms in the FloWrestling: RTC Cup on December 4–5.[26] He compiled wins over Jack Mueller, two-time US Open National runner-up and '16 NCAA champion Nahshon Garrett (twice) and '17 NCAA champion Darian Cruz to help the team reach the third-place.[27]

To start off the year, Arujau defeated Michael Colaiocco by technical fall on January 8, at the SCRTC I.[28] Shortly after, he competed at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France on January 17.[29] Arujau suffered his first loss in almost a year when he was downed by the accomplished Thomas Gilman in the quarterfinals, and then defeated Anvar Suviniitty and Razvan Kovacs in the consolation bracket, before suffering his second loss in the bronze-medal match, to '13 Junior World Championship bronze medalist from Georgia Beka Bujiashvili, placing fifth.[30]