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Seven Wrestlers Named To NCWA All-Academic Team

Seven Wrestlers Named To NCWA All-Academic Team
Posted: Jul 02, 2014

Seven Apprentice School wrestlers were recently named to the 2013-14 National Collegiate Wrestling Association All-Academic team.  This team, containing 54 schools and nearly 150 student-athletes, is in conjunction with the National Wrestling Coaches Association who sponsors an All-Academic team for NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA.

The seven wrestlers for the Builders marks the third most for any school on the list – only trailing University of Central Florida (8) and Brigham Young University (10).  To be recognized you had to have at least a 3.0 grade point average and be a NCWA All-American or a 3.25 grade point average and a national qualifier.

Jacob Michael – Sophomore – Pipefitter – Bridgewater, VA.

  • He finished the year with a 30-15 record and was third on the team in falls with 15.  Michael started the year winning seven matches in a row and topped that in late January as he went on an eight-match winning streak.

Cruz Garcia - - Sophomore – Sheet Metal -  Galveston, TX

  • He finished the year with a 12-17 record.  Garcia mainly wrestled at 149 pounds, but did win his only match by fall last year moving up a weight class at 157 as he won in 1:11.

Chris Kennedy – Sophomore – Electrician – Smithfield, VA.

  • He finished the year with a 25-24 record ranking fifth on the team in wins.   Kennedy wrestled mainly at 157 or 165 pounds and went 18-12 against NCWA competition as a sophomore.

Philip Porto – Sophomore – Machinist – Va. Beach, VA.

  • He finished the year with a 36-16 record and tied for team lead with 20 wins by fall.  Porto started the year at 165 pounds and went up during the Virginia Duals to 174 where he finished the year.

Josh Rodriguez – Sophomore – Electrician – Va. Beach, VA.

  • He finished the year with a 28-14 record winning half of his matches (14) by fall.  Rodriguez had winning streaks during the year of five, six and seven matches at 197 pounds.

Ian Jones – Junior – Heavy Metal Fabricator – Painesville, OH.

  • He finished the year with a 42-9 record and shared team lead in wins by fall with 20.  Jones opened the year with a school record 12 straight wins at heavyweight.

Kyle Cox – Sophomore – Outside Machinist – Munahawkin, NJ

  • He finished the year with a 9-10 record.  Cox wrestled at 235 pounds during the NCWA season and won his opening round match at the NCWA Nationals.