ECAC Wrestling League Announces Yearly Awards, All-Conference Teams
DANBURY, Conn. - The ECAC Division II Wrestling League has announced its major award winners and all-conference selections for the 2018 season, as voted by the league's head coaches.
Limestone College junior Matt Rudy was named the ECAC DII Wrestling League Wrestler of the Year which is the second consecutive award for the Saints. Nick Daggett garners Rookie of the Year as he helped UNC Pembroke take a share of the ECAC title. Coach of the Year honor goes to Cy Wainwright from Newberry College.
Newberry and UNC Pembroke return as the highest recipients of All-ECAC recognition. The Braves have the most first team selections with four being represented by Nick Daggett, Tyler Maksoy, Rodney Shepard and Faris Teia. The Wolves had three first team selections, Nolan Whitley, Austin Palmer and Patton Gossett. Limestones lone first team selection is the ECAC Wrestler of the year Matt Rudy. Rounding out the first team is King’s Bryce Killian and Belmont Abbey’s Jake Glunt.
Rudy’s Wrestler of the Year honor comes after a stellar junior season where he went 25-6 on the season wrestling at 197 lbs. This is Rudy’s second yearly honor after being recognized as Rookie of the Year in 2016. In ECAC competition the junior from Summerville South Carolina, went 6-1 and posted an 11-1 record in dual meets aiding the Saints to a 11-7 season and a 4-2 finish in ECAC matches. He finished in second-place at the NCAA DII Midwest Super Regional. He also earned All-American honors at the NCAA Division II Championship with a fifth-place finish. To round out his awards for the 2017-18 season Rudy was named to the NWCA Division II All-Academic Team.
Daggett is named Rookie of the Year after a successful campaign aiding the Braves in capturing a share of the ECAC title. The true freshman, wrestling at 125 lbs., had an overall record of 33-15, where he went 6-1 in ECAC matches and 15-6 in dual meets. His marks were instrumental in helping the Braves to a 12-10 overall record after starting the season 2-5. Throughout the season he racked up five technical falls, eight major decision wins and eight pins. He placed in four out of the five tournaments he wrestled in. In the NCAA Division II Championship, he was able to avenge two losses from earlier in the season by beating those opponents the second time around.
Wainwright garners his second ECAC Coach of the Year honor, his first with Newberry, after guiding the Wolves to a share of the ECAC Title, the third straight for the program. Newberry went 12-6 on the season with a 5-1 mark in ECAC competition. The season was highlighted by wins over No. 18 Findlay and No. 23 Lake Erie in January. He also coached Austin Neal (125 lbs.), Isiah Royal (141 lbs.) and Austin Palmer (157 lbs.) to compete in the Division II Wrestling Championships. Wainwright also helped six wrestlers gain all-conference accolades highlighted by the three selections for first-team, Nolan Whitley (133 lbs.), Austin Palmer (157 lbs.) and Patton Gossett (Heavyweight). Newberry finished the season ranked 16
th in the nation.
The complete 2017-18 ECAC DII Wrestling League All-Conference Teams can be found below.
All-ECAC First Team
125 lbs. – Nick Daggett – UNC Pembroke, fr.
133 lbs. – Nolan Whitley – Newberry College, Sr.
141 lbs. - Bryce Killian - King University, r-Sr.
149 lbs. – Tyler Makosy- UNC Pembroke, r-So.
157 lbs. – Austin Palmer - Newberry College, So.
165 lbs. – Rodney Shepard – UNC Pembroke, r-Jr.
174 lbs. – Jake Glunt – Belmont Abbey College, r-Sr.
184 lbs. – Faris Teia -UNC Pembroke, r-Jr.
197 lbs. - Matt Rudy - Limestone College, Jr.
Heavyweight – Patton Gossett - Newberry College, Jr.
All-ECAC Second Team
125 lbs. – Austin Neal – Newberry College, Fr.
133 lbs. – Dustin Kirk – King University, r-Sr.
141 lbs. – Troy Gregor – Belmont Abbey College, r-Jr.
141 lbs. – Isiah Royal – Newberry College, Fr.
149 lbs. – Jay Sheppard – Emmanuel College, Jr.
157 lbs. - Eric Milks - UNC Pembroke, r-Sr.
165 lbs. – Alex Rice – Newberry College, Sr.
174 lbs. – Brandon Sloop – UNC Pembroke, r-So.
184 lbs. – Kody Eichlin – King University, r-Jr.
197 lbs. – Richard Walker – Emmanuel College, So.
Heavyweight – Eldon Valery – King University – r-Sr.
Heavyweight – Daniel Bland - Limestone College, So.
*Additional wrestler due to tie
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