The 2013-14 Apprentice School wrestling season officially came to a conclusion on Monday night with the annual Awards Banquet held at Teppanyaki Grill in Hampton.
2013-14 Highlights and Awards
Team
- Finished 19-6
- Started year with first nine dual match wins and 10 of first 11
- Won the Scranton Electric City Duals - knocked off NCAA Division III 15th-ranked Wilkes University winning 24-21 to snap a 19-match winning streak by Wilkes.
- Went 4-2 to finish fourth at NCWA Collegiate Cup Duals
- Won Builder Duals going 3-0
- Second at Builder Invitational
- Won USCAA National Invitational for third straight year
- Head coach Bruce Shumaker won his 100th career match as the Builders defeated E. Tenn. State 49-6 on Jan. 24
- Ironically in the same match, Ian Jones won his 100th career bout as he won by fall in 4:56 against E. Tenn. State
Iron Builder (NCWA All-American)
Ian Jones – Junior – Painesville, OH – Heavy Metal Fabricator
Jones finished fourth at heavyweight to earn his third straight NCWA All-American award. He is now one of only seven wrestlers to have earned three NCWA All-American honors.
Most Improved
Kyle Lowry - Junior – Warren, MI - Electrician
- Went 16-11 on the year
- Finished third at the NCWA Mid-Atlantic Conference meet as he went 6-1 on the day as he won a season-best five matches in a row to capture third place at 157 pounds.
- Had five wins by fall
- Was 12-6 against NCWA opponents.
Rookie of the Year
Patrick Foxworth - Freshman – Hanover, VA - Pipefitter
- Finished 24-13 on the year
- Won Virginia Beach Open at 149 pounds
- Took second at USCAA National Invitational
- Took fourth at NCWA Mid-Atlantic Conference
- Had a five-match winning streak
- Won 12 out of 15 matches from Jan. 24 – Feb. 9
Heart of the Builder
Tyrell Watkins – Freshman - Burns, OR, Rigger
- Finished 24-18 on the year
- Went 20-14 against NCWA opponents.
- Won the USCAA National Invitational at 141 pounds
- Finished second at Virginia Beach Open at 149 pounds
- Won nine matches by fall
- Season best four-match winning streak
- Wrestled 141, 149 and 157 pounds
MVP
Ian Jones – Junior – Painesville, OH – Heavy Metal Fabricator
- Finished 42-9 on the year
- Through three years he sports a record of 115-28
- Opened season with school-record 14 straight wins
- Won 10 in a row over a two-week span in early January
- Went 18-1 from Jan. 10 – Mar. 1
- Won the USCAA National Invitational Championship
- Went 23-1 in dual matches and 27-5 against NCWA opponents.
- Won his 100th career match with a win by fall against E. Tenn. State on Jan. 24, 2014
Woman of the Year
Addi Bobo – Assistant Athletic Trainer
Honored for all her behind the scenes work with the wrestling team.
Builder Award
Chris Kennedy – Sophomore – Smithfield, VA - Electrician
- Finished 25-24 on the year
- Went 18-12 against NCWA opponents
- Won six matches by fall
- Went 9-3 during an early stretch of the season
The Builder Award is presented on behalf of the Apprentice Athletic Club to a student-athlete from each sport that has demonstrated excellence in four areas of their apprenticeship – Craftsmanship, Scholarship, Leadership and Sportsmanship. A candidate is selected based on their average shop grade over the course of their apprenticeship, their cumulative academic GPA in the World Class Shipbuilding and/or Advanced Curriculum, conduct on the job and the classroom, attendance and overall athletic contributions to their sport over the course of the past year. Each year the Apprentice Athletic Club presents this award to the student-athlete who embodies the true characteristics necessary to be not only a great Builder, but more importantly a great Shipbuilder.