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| January 2006
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CAMPUS NEWS |
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Wrestling Garners Spring Spotlight, Volleyball Finishes Successful Fall AU’s wrestling squad is ranked 25th in a recent poll on WrestlingReport.com that reflects projections from coaches about the upcoming NCAA tournament. Five individual wrestlers are also ranked in the top six for their weight class in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association’s rankings. “I definitely feel we’re moving in the right direction,” says Mark Cody, head coach. “We’re just trying to improve every day.” This is the first time in the program’s history that it has had such high NCAA placements. Muzaffar Abdurakhmanov, a senior ranked no. 2 in the 165-pound EIWA category and no. 5 nationally, is the only Eagle wrestler who has a perfect record, 14-0, so far this year. Last year, Abdurakhmanov became AU’s first EIWA champion. Sophomore Josh Glenn, ranked no. 2 in the 184-pound EIWA category and no. 4 nationally, currently holds a 20-1 record and is the only underclassman nationally ranked in the top nine in his weight class. Senior Matt Morkel is currently ranked 4th in his 125-pound weight class. Adam LoPiccolo, a sophomore, is ranked 14th nationally and 4th in the EIWA’s 285-pound rankings. Tom Kniezewski, a senior, is ranked 6th in the 149-pound category.
The spotlight now on the wrestling squad shone on the lady Eagles’ volleyball team this past fall. Volleyball finished the regular season first in the Patriot League with a 13-1 conference record and won the championship for the fifth consecutive year. Eight points from elimination in the third game of the Patriot League championship versus Army, the Lady Eagles went on a 30-8 run in Bender Arena. The game brought fans to the edge of their seats and with Army unable to recover from the Eagles’ sudden streak, AU dominated the fourth and fifth games and took first place. AU sophomore Chelsa Brooks was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after leading the Eagles with 14 kills, 3.5 blocks, and hitting .355 to win the title. Four Eagle volleyball players were named to All-Patriot League teams, which are created from the votes cast by the head Patriot League coaches. Senior Cutrina Biddulph and junior Elizabeth Maloney were selected for the All-Patriot League First Team, while freshmen Rubena Sukai and Christina Nash were named to the All-Patriot League Second Team. The Lady Eagles were defeated by the Duke Blue Devils in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Nebraska in December 2005. For more information about AU Athletics, visit: http://aueagles.collegesports.com/ -Tara Shlimowitz '08 |
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