The NCAA News - News & Features

National Wrestling Coaches Association names all-academic teams

Four II wrestlers receive honor for the third time

More than 180 wrestlers are recognized on division all-academic teams selected by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

In Division I, to be eligible for the individual award, a varsity student-athlete must have a 3.000 grade-point average or better (4.000 scale) and meet one of the following athletics criteria:

* Win at least 60 percent of his matches.

* Place in the top four at a conference meet.

* Qualify for the NCAA championships.

The Division I top-25 academic teams are ranked by using the GPAs of 10 wrestlers who competed for that institution in the NCAA qualifier, plus those of two student-athletes who wrestled in at least one varsity match. True freshmen and first-year transfer students are eligible. Brigham Young posted the highest Division I team GPA, 3.261.

In Division II, to be nominated for the team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.000 GPA. He also must be in at least his second full year of school, be a varsity member of his team, demonstrate a high degree of skill and have a minimum of two letters of recommendation (academic advisor and coach) submitted on his behalf.

Colorado School of Mines recorded the highest team GPA in that division for the second year in a row.

Team grade-point averages were calculated in Division II by averaging the cumulative GPA of wrestlers on each team, eight of whom must have competed in their team's national qualifying tournament.

Four student-athletes -- Tony Albertelli of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, Kevin Bates of Northeast Missouri State, Pat Kelley of Nebraska-Omaha and Myles Muckerheide of Wisconsin-Parkside, were honored for the third time by coaches.

To make the Division III team, student-athletes needed a 3.200 GPA or better during the two previous semesters (spring 1994 and fall 1995). Consideration also was given to those who did not meet this criterion but had a 3.200 or better overall GPA. Athletically, wrestlers either must achieve a season record of .500 or better and place in the top six in their national qualifier or win at least two-thirds of their matches.

Division I

Team ranking

1. Brigham Young, 3.261 grade-point average; 2. Stanford, 3.250; 3. James Madison, 3.030; 4. Michigan, 3.020; 5. Central Michigan, 2.998; 6. Virginia, 2.984; 7. Illinois, 2.960; 8. Pennsylvania, 2.940; 9. Army, 2.935; 10. Wyoming, 2.930.

11. Northwestern, 2.920; 12. North Carolina State, 2.843; 13. Air Force, 2.840; 14. Cal State Fullerton, 2.826; 15. American, 2.813; 16. Columbia, 2.770; 17. Purdue, 2.758; 18. Bucknell, 2.742; 19. Indiana, 2.741; 20. Pittsburgh, 2.733.

21. Cal State Bakersfield, 2.725; 22. Nebraska, 2.724; 23. Buffalo, 2.707; 24. Iowa, 2.704; 25. Penn State 2.663.

Individual

First team: Jeffrey Walter, Wisconsin; Jason Nurre, Iowa State; Leslie Gutches, Oregon State; Ryan Tobin, Nebraska; Justin Harty, North Carolina; Tony Pariano, Northwestern; Coby Wright, Cal State Bakersfield; Bill Lacure, Michigan; Rohan Gardner, Northwestern.

Second team: Brian Picklo, Michigan State; Eric McAllister, Army; Will Reisman, Northwestern; Airron Richardson, Michigan State; Jason Foresman, Virginia Military; Tom Hickenlooper, Wyoming; Brandon Alderman, Wyoming; Gary Sanderson, Brigham Young; Bryan Matusic, Pittsburgh; Howard Miller, Virginia.

Division II

Team rankings

1. Colorado School of Mines, 3.296; 2. Northeast Missouri State, 3.199; 3. Chadron State, 3.187; 4. Minnesota-Morris, 3.109; 5. South Dakota State, 3.082; Northern Colorado, 3.072; 7. Northern State, 2.941; 8. Gannon, 2.898; 9. North Dakota State, 2.893; 10. Fort Hays State, 2.740.

Individual

First team: Tony Albertelli, Pittsburgh-Johnstown; Troy Barbush, Pittsburgh-Johnstown; Kevin Bates, Northeast Missouri State; Tony Benallo, Northern Colorado; Jason Carter, Southern Ilinois-Edwardsville; Shane Carwin, Western State; Braumon Creighton, Nebraska-Omaha; Howard Fullhart, South Dakota State; Pat Kelley, Nebraska-Omaha; Jeremy LaVigne, North Dakota State; Dave Marich, Chadron State; Jason Moehlman, Central Missouri State; Myles Muckerheide, Wisconsin-Parkside; Tim Pomfret, Ashland; Andy Riegstad, St. Cloud State; Williams Roberts, Minnesota-Morris; Joshua Sammons, South Dakota State; Mike Shadwinkel, Adams State; Scott Shipman, West Liberty State; Matt Skattum, Northern State; Roger Spears, Wisconsin-Parkside; George Thompson, North Dakota State; Patrick Timm, South Dakota State; Kyle Vandruff, Central Oklahoma; Jason Wagner, North Dakota.

Second team: Brian Allender, Fort Hays State; Travis Bartels, Augustana (South Dakota); Brian Ferra, Gannon; Jorge Fischer, Minnesota-Morris; Steve Furlong, Ashland; Brent Henriksen, Augustana (South Dakota); Chris Johnson, Central Missouri State; Kristopher Lynk, Minnesota-Morris; Jake Menke, Northern Colorado; Jason Moore, Gannon; Joseph Morales, Colorado School of Mines; Matthew Perrotto, Northern State; Michael Schultz, Shippensburg; Simon Shannon, Minnesota-Morris; Rob Sistek, Northern Colorado

Division III

Individual

118-pound class: Bryan Beck, Buena Vista; Josh Goldberg, Wesleyan; Eric Gould, Springfield; Andrew Mundsinger, Cornell College; Kelly Seery, Wartburg; Rome Seifert, Wisconsin-Whitewater.

126-pound class: Quinn Elliott, Upper Iowa; Brian Stamper, Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Mark Buckland, Olivet; Tim Ellsworth, Oneonta State; Jeff Hoopes, Delaware Valley; David Janaszak, Augsburg; Michael Kohl, Oswego State; Jesse Morrison, Western New England; Anthony Spizzirri, Knox.

134-pound class: Brad Bruhn, Wisconsin-La Crosse; Leo Carney, Messiah; Daniel Cliburn, Illinois College; John Pinkerton, Ohio Northern; Scott Stefl, Loras.

142-pound class: Brent Dunlap, Central (Iowa); Adam Fedewa, Olivet; Kevin Lesoine, King's (Pennsylvania); Joseph Maiani, Ohio Northern; Spencer McCombe, Roger Williams; Matt Misco, Wisconsin-Whitewater; Kelly Patterson, Binghamton; Billy Peace, Wilmington (Ohio); Christopher Nord, St. Olaf; Joshua Roe, Cortland State; Christopher Roman, John Carroll; Matthew Strobl, St. John's (Minnesota); Michael Tressel, Cornell College.

150-pound class: Jason Brokenshire, King's (Pennsylvania); Mark Browning, Binghamton; Mark Facciani, Williams; Michael Farmer, Cornell College; Kevin Fiedler, St. Thomas (Minnesota); Ernie Goodwin, Springfield; Todd Harrington, Messiah; Jason Kessen, John Carroll; Benjamin Kulbartz, Coe; Kevin Miller, Wartburg; Richard Mokros, Ohio Northern; Steve Richards, Washington and Jefferson.; Bret Stamper, Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Daniel Tschudi, St. John's (Minnesota).

158-pound class: Steve Bilheimer, Springfield; Travis Brown, New York University; Robert Huang, Case Reserve; Clinton Koedam, Buena Vista; Jason Miller, Heidelberg; Matthew Ryan, St. John's (Minnesota); Jacob Wenger, Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

167-pound class: Michael Ashley, York (Pennsylvania); Michael Braddy, Cornell College; Tom Buhr, Wartburg; Sean Camp, Hunter; Michael Hoskins, Lawrence; Phillip Lazowski, King's (Pennsylvania); Kevin Royal, Thiel; Michael Safris, Buena Vista.

177-pound class: Gregory Almy, Olivet; Jason Bowie, Plymouth State; Daniel Emerson, Wabash; Daniel Garner, York (Pennsylvania); Jay Jakubowski, Rochester Institute of Technology; Andrew Lien, St. John's (Minnesota); Andrew Majetic, Monmouth (Illinois); Thomas Murphy, Brockport State; Adam Truitt, Cornell College; Jim Twitchell, Binghamton; Nathan Van Deusen, Messiah; Jason Venne, Norwich; Bradford Woodworth, Williams.

190-pound class: Chad Bembenek, Wisconsin-Stevens Point; Jared Goodman, York (Pennsylvania); Benjamin Hellweg, MIT; Aaron Keteles, Messiah; Steve Leurquin, Wisconsin-Whitewater; Dan Lewandowski, Augsburg; John McGuire, John Carroll; Dennis McMillin, Monmouth (Illinois); Matt Metz, Delaware Valley; Ryan Reasland, Cornell College; Matthew Wentland, St. John's (Minnesota); Blake Williams, Wartburg.

Heavyweight class: Scott Bayer, Monmouth (Illinois); Joe Gaboury, Springfield; John Pena, Augsburg; Brandon Ream, Gettysburg; Brian Walch, Ithaca; Ron Zuckley, Delaware Valley.