The 2018 Ben Light Male Athlete of the Year is an honor presented to the senior male student-athlete who has demonstrated excellence in sport leadership in competition and ability in the classroom. Velez became the second IC wrestler in as many years to earn the honor, following 2017-honoree
Carlos Toribio '17.
Velez had a remarkable 2017-18 season to cap an accolade-filled career on the mats at Ithaca. He posted a 35-6 record on the year, which included place-finishes at all of his major tournament competitions on the year. He finished the year with 21-4 mark in tournament style format, as well as a 14-2 mark in dual meets. Over half of his wins came with bonus points, as he marked seven major decisions, five technical falls and nine falls in his 35 total victories. Wrestling in the 165-pound weight-class throughout the year, he finished third at the Ithaca Invitational and posted second-place finishes at the New York State Collegiate Championships and the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships, while he captured the 165-pound title at the ECWC Championships. He capped his IC career with an excellent run in the NCAA Division III Championships in Cleveland, Ohio, advancing all the way to the 165-pound title match, earning a Runner-Up finish.
For his career, Velez marked an overall career record of 134-32 during his time on South Hill. His 134 wins rank second-most in the history of the program. Of his 134 victories, nearly 60-percent racked up bonus points, as he has 37 major decisions, 22 technical falls and 21 falls during his career. He qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships during all four of his collegiate seasons, while he twice went on to earn All-America honors. In addition to this past year's Runner-Up finish, he also had a seventh-place finish as a sophomore during the 2015-16 campaign. He was a three-time NCAA Regional Runner-Up (2015, 2017, 2018), while he took home the 165-Pound Regional Title during his sophomore season in 2015-16. Velez was a three-time ECWC Champion at 165-Pounds (2016, 2017, 2018). He also was a four-time All-New York State performer, improving his finish each of his four seasons, culminating his career with a Runner-Up run as a senior.
