The Lehigh wrestling program was recognized for its work in the classroom as the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced its All-Academic Individuals and top 30 teams late Monday. The Mountain Hawks tied for sixth in the country with a 3.23 team GPA, while seniors Robert Hamlin and Shane Welsh and junior Joey Napoli were named to the individual All-Academic Team.
Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro has announced the addition of six student-athletes, who will join the Mountain Hawks’ wrestling program in the fall. Six states are represented among the incoming class, which features three grapplers who project at 125 pounds. In addition, two of the six incoming wrestlers are siblings of current Mountain Hawks.
Lehigh looked back on an impressive season Saturday at the 90th annual Lewis Wrestling Dinner, held in the Wood Dining Room in Iacocca Hall on Lehigh’s Mountaintop Campus. Close to 200 wrestlers, coaches, families and supporters of Lehigh wrestling were on hand for the dinner, which featured highlights from the 2012-13 season and remarks from head coach Pat Santoro and Lehigh’s six seniors.
Lehigh senior Robert Hamlin fell short in his bid to win a NCAA title as the Mountain Hawks’ three-time All-American dropped a 12-4 major decision to Ed Ruth of Penn State in the 184 pound finals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena. As a team, Lehigh finishes the tournament in 25th place with 18.5 points.
For the second time in three years, Lehigh’s Robert Hamlin is headed to the NCAA finals as the Mountain Hawks’ three-time All-American defeated Ben Bennett of Central Michigan 3-2 in the semifinals of the NCAA Championships Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena. A first period takedown was the difference for Hamlin, who will face No. 1 seed Ed Ruth of Penn State in Saturday’s finals.