Wrestling

Wrestling Eyes Nationals

Zack Slabotsky — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

After finishing ninth in the nation last season, the wrestling team is poised to continue its assault on some of the nation’s top teams. Cornell was fourth in the preseason rankings, behind a trio of Big Ten schools — Iowa, Ohio State and Iowa State. The Red returns six All-Americans, each with a realistic chance of capturing an individual National championship.

“Our team goal is to win the Ivy League title, win the [EIWA] title and win a national title,” said head coach Rob Koll.

Jordan Leen: Road to the Championship

Meredith Bennett-Smith — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Senior captain Jordan Leen has a long season ahead of him as he builds up to his last NCAA tournament, and the rare chance to repeat as the titleholder at 157 pounds. Leen is in good position on his personal road to a repeat. But despite his confident exterior, his experience at last year’s championships was far from easy, as the then-junior, ranked No. 8, upset the top-2 seeds en route to becoming only the second NCAA champion from his home state of Tennessee, and the lowest-ranking wrestler of the meet to capture a title.

3/20/2008

Def. Ryan Hluschak

4-3

Lewnes Aims to Improve on Stellar Rookie Season

Zack Slabotsky — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Last season, Mack Lewnes had one of the most successful campaigns of any freshman in Cornell wrestling history. He went undefeated in the EIWA championships, advanced farther at Nationals than any other freshman and was named the National Freshman of the Year by Amateur Wrestling News. With a year of experience under his belt, Lewnes hopes to achieve even greater results this season.

Lewnes was a four-time Maryland State Champion while attending Mount Saint Joseph High School. He graduated in 2006, but did not immediately come to Cornell. “He went to Colorado Springs [Colo.] for a year to take a few courses to lighten his course load and train at the Olympic Training center,” said wrestling head coach Rob Koll.

Wrestling Dominates Penn St. in Early Season Faceoff

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The wrestling team opened its schedule with an impressive victory over No. 14 Penn St. Cornell — which was ranked fourth in preseason polls — won seven of 10 matches en route to defeating Penn State Friday night by a score of 24-10. The Red continued its successful weekend at the Body Bar Invitational the next day, winning two individual titles and taking third overall.Vertical limit: Senior 174-pounder Steve Anceravage takes down Penn St. freshman Quentin Wright at Newman Arena on Friday in a 6-1 decision.

Penn St. Defeat Integral To National Title Goal

Meredith Bennett-Smith — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Senior captain Jordan Leen is confident about tonight’s season opener match against Penn St. Head coach Rob Koll said he feels confident, too. No. 4 Cornell (0-0) hasn’t beaten No. 8 Penn St. (0-1) in its last five tries in dual-meet play and the Nittany Lions lead the two clubs’ 97-year rivalry 56-10-2.

The Red, however, have good reason to feel like this year is finally the year.

“This year we probably have one of our best teams ever,” said assistant coach Damion Hahn. “We’re really looking forward to [the match].”

Leen, one of the team’s six returning All-Americans and the current National champion at 157 pounds, understands the history between the two teams, but thinks the Nittany Lions’ streak is ready to be broken.

Inspiration From Tragedy

Josh Perlin — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

I started to cry. I haven’t cried in a long time.

I don’t know why it happened, but something about his story leveled me. It made me horrified, saddened, inspired and reflective, all at the same time. Maybe you’ll feel the same way.

Adam Frey, a junior and Cornell wrestler, has always been a man of incredible physical and mental strength. On March 25, only a few days after competing in the NCAA championships, Adam was in a car crash. A car came at him in the wrong lane, and going 55 mph his car fishtailed, rolled, hit a tree and sent him flying to the back of the vehicle.

The first time I read the words describing this, I was sitting in my chair at my desk, unaware of what I would learn next. It was Thursday, two days after the accident.

A Cornell Sports Weekend King Leonidas Would Be Proud Of

Josh Perlin — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Madness? THIS IS SPARTA … I mean ITHACA!

I am not even kidding: if there has ever been a time to show your school spirit and attend a Cornell sports event, this is it. Cornell sports are absolutely amazing this Friday through Sunday.

You have a chance to see three teams with projected NCAA entrants: that’s three teams with some of our nation’s best athletes, right here, at Cornell!

THIS IS BLASPHEMY!

Cornell sports … advancing on a national level?

Grapplers Upset No. 12 Hofstra in Decisive Win

Meredith Bennett-Smith — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The buzzer-beater, the Hail Mary, the walk-off home run: these are the moments the sports world lives and dies by. Cornell’s wrestling team had its own taste of last-minute heroics Saturday night, as junior Steve Anceravage’s takedown with less than a second left in the match swung the score in his favor, electrifying the standing-room only crowd and dashing opponent Hofstra’s hopes for a comeback victory. No. 18 Cornell (2-5) stunned No. 12 Hofstra (11-6), 28-14, in front of the raucous wrestling faithful at Friedman Wrestling Center.

With the dual match win, Cornell goes into next Saturday’s meet against Columbia, the first Ivy League match of the season, riding a wave of newfound confidence.

Three's the magic number.

Robert Bonow — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 01:45:07 -0400

Sophomore Troy Nickerson, pictured above in a match against Princeton earlier in the season, defeated Indiana's Angel Escobedo 3-0 in yesterday's morning session to earn a third place finish at the NC

Leaving his mark

Robert Bonow — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 01:40:47 -0400

Senior Jerry Rinaldi, pictured, ended his final season in a Red singlet by finishing in sixth place at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Nationals.

Wrestling Finishes 12th at Nationals

Tim Kuhls — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 01:37:32 -0400

Deckhead:

Nickerson takes third place at 125 pounds

Body:

AUBURN HILLS, Mich — Four Cornell wrestlers were honored on collegiate wrestling’s biggest stage yesterday. Taking part in the night session’s parade of All-Americans, senior Jerry Rinaldi, sophomore Troy Nickerson, sophomore Jordan Leen and sophomore Josh Arnone all were recognized for their accomplishments at this season’s NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships held inside the Palace of Auburn Hills just outside Detroit. After three days of non-stop wrestling, Nickerson finished third in the country at 125 pounds, Rinaldi finished sixth at 197, while Leen and Arnone finished eighth at 149 and 184 pounds, respectively. Although the team finished in a disappointing 12th place overall, there were still positives to take away from this year’s event.

Wrestlers Earn Four All-America Honors

Tim Kuhls — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 01:48:58 -0400

Deckhead:

Team falls to 13th place after four sessions

Body:

AUBURN HILLS, Mich — Day 2 was one to remember, and yet one to forget for Red wrestling at the NCAA Division I Wrestling championships held inside the Palace of Auburn Hills yesterday. After sitting in sixth place after Day 1, Cornell wrestlers went 2-6 during the day’s morning session, only to rebound in a night session which saw two Cornell wrestlers win their first-ever All-America honors. In all, Cornell was secured of four All-Americans, amongst them sophomores Troy Nickerson, Jordan Leen, Josh Arnone and senior Jerry Rinaldi. Despite the accolades, the Red left the Palace disappointed from a team standpoint after several miscues — all of which resulted in a No. 13 standing after four sessions. Currently, the team sits five team points behind No. 10 Ohio State with the four All-Americans all wrestling in today’s morning session. Unfortunately, Cornell was denied of having at least one finalist in today’s night session for the first time in three years.

Wrestling Squad Banged Up

Tim Kuhls — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:42:37 -0500

Deckhead:

Reserves shining despite absence of injured starting cast

Body:

It’s a huddled mass of bodies that congregate inside the training room of the Friedman Wrestling Center these days. From sprained knees to strained anterior cruciate ligaments, the wrestling team has been bitten hard by the injury bug to start its 2006-07 campaign. Two weeks into the season, the Red has yet to see action from returning national runner-up sophomore Troy Nickerson (back), sophomore Adam Frey (knee), senior Charlie Agozzino and 184-pounder Josh Arnone (sickness).

Former Assistant Garland Receives Honor

Sun Staff — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:34:06 -0500

Body:

It was all in due time — former Cornell assistant wrestling coach Steve Garland, now head coach at his alma mater Virginia, was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year for his work last season transforming Cornell into a perennial wrestling powerhouse.

Wattenberg '04 Starts Up FLWC

Tim Kuhls — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 01:25:50 -0400

Deckhead:

That's Kuhls, Baby

Body:

Everything still feels so new, it’s as if they started only yesterday — their makeshift desk sits in the front right corner of the training room inside the Friedman Wrestling Center, which is where they set up camp. Flyers, they admit, might have been a little late getting out to the public. But to Mark DiSalvo and former Cornell assistant coach Clint Wattenberg ’04, everything is unfolding according to schedule in regards to their master project, the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club.