Individual Release | Team Release
 
MANHEIM, Pa. – The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) publicized its annual academic recognitions for Division III on Friday afternoon. Although a somber time throughout the greater sports community, as the on-going spread of COVID-19 has caused the suspension of athletic competition all over the world, Ithaca's wrestling program did receive some encouraging news in the announcement. The Bombers ranked among the very best programs in Division III in terms of academic achievement.
 
Perennially strong in the classroom, Ithaca's wrestling program has become a fixture in the academic achievement ranks that the NWCA publishes each season. For a second consecutive year, the Bombers set a new record in terms grade-point average (GPA) and team ranking among its peer institutions. Ithaca's grapplers posted the second-highest cumulative team-GPA in the country for the 2019-20 season, earning a 3.731 which finished only behind Case Western Reserve (3.817). The marks shattered the program's previous records of 3.500 GPA and fifth-place finish, which IC achieved a season ago. The Bombers had nine grapplers earn individual praise as NWCA Scholar All-Americans, tying last year's number and a total that ranked in a tie with Augsburg and Baldwin Wallace for third-most among Division III programs.
 
IC was well-represented across all ages of the program. Four seniors headlined the list as Austin Whitney, Ben Brisman, Dalton Elias and Tito Colom all earned selection. Earning praise from the sophomore class were Logan Ninos and Matt Griffin, while redshirt-sophomore Sam Schneider was also tabbed for the recognition. Additionally, first-year Ithaca grapplers Matthew Beyer and Travis Jones also picked up honors in the announcement. Many repeat honorees were amongst the group with Brisman headlining the collection as a four-time honoree during his career. Whitney and Colom were three-time honorees, while Elias, Ninos and Schneider all took home the recognition for a second time during their respective careers at IC. Griffing, Beyer and Jones were first-time honorees in the release.
 
Overall, 75 institutions were recognized with at least one NWCA Scholar All-American this season. That number ranks well over 60-percent of the Division III wrestling programs nationwide. In total, 260 wrestlers were honored, which also set a new high for the NWCA.
 
In order to be eligible for selection, nominees must have earned at least a 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for the previous full academic year. Transfers and freshmen are eligible if they've been in residence at their current institution beginning in the fall of 2019. On the competition side, wrestlers had to have competed as a national qualifier in 2019-20 and have a minimum win percentage of at least .500.
 
Additional, criteria for wrestlers can also be considered if they placed in the Top-6 at their respective regional tournament, a win percentage of .500-or-better and competed in half of the institution's scheduled competition in NCAA championship events. Wrestlers also could also be considered if they have a win percentage of .670-or-better and competed in half of the institution's scheduled NCAA events.
 
"On behalf of the NWCA and our Board of Directors, I am excited to honor the amazing academic achievement demonstrated by this year's Scholar All-American teams and individuals," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "Once again, NCAA Division III institutions have demonstrated their commitment to academic excellence with such a high number of individual honorees and schools being represented."
 
Five of Ithaca's honorees were set to compete at the Division III Championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, prior to the NCAA suspending the tournament due to the on-going spread of COVID-19. Ithaca's national-qualifying group included: redshirt senior Austin Whitney, senior Ben Brisman, redshirt-sophomore Sam Schneider, sophomore Logan Ninos, and first-year Travis Jones.
 
Stay tuned for additional awards announcements from the ECWC in the coming days.