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Wrestling Announces 2009-10 Recruiting Class
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia wrestling coach Steve Garland has announced the signing of nine student-athletes to National Letters of Intent for the 2009-10 academic year. Once again, Garland and his staff – associate head coach Scott Moore and assistant coach Matt Pell – will welcome one of the nation’s premier classes.
The 2009-10 class includes three wrestlers who are listed in the top 100 of InterMat’s individual rankings – Jon Fausey (No. 16), Zach Clemente (No. 34) and Nicky Gordon (No. 83).
While updated national recruiting rankings have not yet been released, this class was highly regarded in the national rankings after the early signing period. The class ranked fourth nationally, according to W.I.N. Magazine, at that time. In the last three years under Garland, each of Virginia’s recruiting classes has ranked among the nation’s top 25, including a No. 5 ranking in 2007.
The class is comprised of eight true freshmen as well as one transfer student-athlete: Jon Becker (Rahway, N.J./Bergen Catholic), Zach Clemente (Clifton Park, N.Y./LaSalle Institute), Matt Cubillos (Schenectady, N.Y./Guilderland), Stephen Doty (St. Louis, Mo./Kirkwood), Jon Fausey (Dalmatia, Pa./Line Mountain), Gabe Gomez (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield), Nicky Gordon (Kingston, Pa./Wyoming Seminary College Prep), Matt Snyder (Lewistown, Pa./Bloomsburg University) and Andrew Williams (Yorktown, Va./Tabb).
A Breakdown of the 2009-10 Class (with projected weight class):
Jon Becker (Rahway, N.J. – 184/197)
High School: Bergen Catholic
• Ranked No. 10 nationally at 189 pounds
• 2007 Cadet National Champion
• 2007 New Jersey State Runner-Up
• Three-time New Jersey State Placer
Zach Clemente (Clifton Park, N.Y. – 141/149)
High School: LaSalle Institute
• Ranked No. 2 nationally at 145 pounds
• Two-time New York State Champion (2008, 2009)
• 2009 High School Senior National (NHSCA) Runner Up
• 2008 Junior National Runner Up – Greco
• 2008 Junior National fourth-place finish – Freestyle
Matt Cubillos (Schenectady, N.Y. – 133)
High School: Guilderland
• Career Record 167-35
• Took fourth place at 2009 New York State Championships
• Earned fifth place at 2008 New York State Championships
• Two-time Sectional Champion and two-time Sectional Runner up
Stephen Doty (St. Louis, Mo. – 174)
High School: Kirkwood
• Career Record: 121-8
• Went 55-0 this season, falling one short of the Missouri state record for wins in a season
• 2009 Missouri Class 4 Champion at 171 pounds
• Placed sixth at state in 2008
• Had 80 high school career pins
• Also was crowned Missouri USAW state champ in freestyle and Greco Roman recently
• He began wrestling as a sophomore at 152, then wrestled 171 the last two years
Jon Fausey (Dalmatia, Pa. – 184)
High School: Line Mountain
• Career Record: 148-15
• Ranked No. 3 nationally at 189 pounds
• 2009 Pennsylvania State Champion
• 2009 Winner of Dapper Dan (defeated No. 1 Chris Perry of Oklahoma)
• Three-time Pennsylvania State Placer
• 2008 NHSCA Junior National Runner-up
• 2008 Junior National sixth-place finish – Freestyle
• 2008 Junior National third-place finish – Greco
• Attended same high school as current UVa wrestler Kellon Balum
Gabe Gomez (Broomfield, Colo. – 125)
High School: Broomfield
• Career Record: 147-20
• State champion in 2008
• Two time state runner-up (2006, 2009)
• Took third place at state in 2007
• Two time Ironman placer (sixth as senior, eighth as junior)
• Took seventh at junior nationals last year
Nicky Gordon (Kingston, Pa. – 141)
High School: Wyoming Seminary College Prep
• Career Record: 217-32 (Pennsylvania high school career win record)
• Five-time National Prep Place Winner (6th, 3rd, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd)
• Three-time National Prep Finalist
• Two-time Pennsylvania Prep State Champion (2007, 2009)
• Took second at Beast of the East (2008), third in 2007
• Fifth at 2008 Ironman Tournament
• Third at 2006 Cadet National Freestyle Tournament (Fargo)
Matt Snyder (Lewistown, Pa. – 125)
Last School: Bloomsburg University
High School: Lewistown
• Tallied a 25-12 record last season at Bloomsburg during his redshirt season while competing in open tournaments
• Finished second at 119 pounds at 2008 Pennsylvania AAA state championships
• Finished senior year with a record of 40-2; was third in the 2007
Pennsylvania State AAA championships at 112 pounds
• Ranked 13th best senior in country at 112 pounds by Wrestling USA
• Was third at 2006 PIAA “AAA” championships at 103 pounds
Andrew Williams (Yorktown, Va. – 133/141)
High School: Tabb
• Career Record: 158-15
• Career Pins: 98
• Four-time Virginia 2A State Champion
• Four-time Beast of the East Placer
• Two-time Walsh Ironman Placer