Springfield, Mass. - March 10, 2010 - Joe Grippi was named to the inaugural d3wrestle.com All-Freshman Team after a tremendous first year for the Springfield College wrestling team.Adding to an already stellar season, Grippi was one of only 10 wrestlers in the country to acheive this honor. By virtue of Grippi’s title in 133-pound weight classification during the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Championships, he earned Springfield College’s only bid to the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.
The Bedford Hills, N.Y. native traveled to Iowa for the National tournament posting a 1-2 record losing to the eventual 3rd and 4th place finishers. Grippi held a 23-4 record, including a 5-0 record in the NEWA Championships to close out an impressive freshman season.
d3wrestle.com All-Freshman Team
125 – Austin Mogg, Buena Vista – 36-10, 5th IIAC, 5th NCAA
133 – Joe Grippi, Springfield – 23-4, 1st NEWA, NCAA Qualifier
141 – Jake Strausbaugh, Wabash – 41-11, 1st Midwest, NCAA Qualifier
149 – Emanual Ajagbe, Delaware Valley – 28-9, 2nd Midwest, NCAA Qualifier
157 – Ryan Warcynski, Dubuque – 15-15, 2nd IIAC, NCAA Qualifier
165 – Jordan Schulte, UW-Stevens Point – 24-11, 2nd WIAC, NCAA Qualifier
174 – Kyle Kwiat, Ohio Northern – 41-6, 1st OAC, 4th NCAA
184 – Lukas Pariso, Brockport – 22-11, 2nd Empire
197 – Brian Broll, Buena Vista – 31-13, 3rd IIAC, NCAA Qualifier
285 – Jamison Sacco, Western New England – 25-3, 1st NEWA, NCAA Qualifier
The d3wrestle.com Freshman of the Year for 2009-2010 is Kyle Kwiat of Ohio Northern University.
Jason Holder will enter his second season as head wrestling coach in 2012. Holder had a standout first season at the helm of the Pride, leading Springfield to the NEWA Duals Championship and taking three wrestlers to the NCAA Championships.
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