Virginia Announces Signing of Nine to Letters of Intent for 2012-13

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia wrestling head coach Steve Garland has announced the signing of nine student-athletes to National Letters of Intent for the 2012-13 school year.

The decorated class consists of: George DiCamillo (Highland Heights, Ohio/St. Ignatius), Nick Herrmann (Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa), Cameron King (Trinity, N.C./Trininty), Will Mason (Virginia Beach, Va./Cape Henry Collegiate School), Dustin Roemer (Pinehurst, N.C./Pinecrest), James Suvak (Parma Heights, Ohio/St. Edward’s), Justin Van Hoose (Kirksville, Mo./Kirksville), Zach Watson (Chattanooga, Tenn./Baylor) and Chris Yankowich (Norristown, Pa./Germantown Academy).

“From a pure wrestling perspective, these guys are accomplished,” Garland said. “There is no doubt about that. When you look at this class as a whole I think it is right up there with any class we’ve brought in here in my time as head coach. I am extremely proud to welcome these young men into the Virginia wrestling family.”

Here is a breakdown of the student-athletes, with their prospective college weight classes:

George DiCamillo (125 pounds)
• Ranked No. 3 overall nationally at 120 pounds and in top 35 of all weight rankings by InterMat
• 2011 Ohio Division I State Champion
• Three-time Ohio state placewinner (third in 2010, seventh in 2009)
• 2011 Flo Nationals Champion, two-time Walsh IronMan Champ

Nick Herrmann (133 pounds)
• Three-time high school National Champion (has won freshman, sophomore and junior NHSCA nationals)
• Three-time Texas state champion

Cameron King (197 pounds)
• NC State Champion, third as sophomore
• Two-time high school All American (placed at both sophomore and junior NHSCA Nationals)

Will Mason (125 pounds)
• 2010 National Prep Champion
• Three-time VISAA champion
• Three-time Beast of the East placewinner (fourth in 2010, sixth in 2009)

Dustin Roemer (157/165 pounds)
• North Carolina Class 4A State Champion (145 pounds)
• Two-time state qualifier (took sixth in 2010)
• Father wrestled at UNC from 1987-90

James Suvak (184/197 pounds)
• NHSCA Sophomore National Champion
• NHSCA Junior National All American (fifth place)
• Took third place at Ohio state championships in 2011
• Wrestles for No. 1-ranked high school team in America (same high school as UVa’s Nick Sulzer, Shawn Harris and Gus Sako)

Justin Van Hoose (141 pounds)
• Three-time Missouri Class 2 state champion
• Captured state titles at three different weight classes – 112, 125 and 130 pounds

Zach Watson (133 pounds)
• Four-time Tennessee state champion (aiming to become just the second five-time state medalist in Tennessee high school wrestling history)
• Took second at NHSCA Sophomore Nationals (2010) and third at NHSCA Junior Nationals (2011)
• Has career record of 147-3
• From same high school as UVa assistant coach Jordan Leen

Chris Yankowich (141/149 pounds)
• 2011 National Prep Champion
• 2010 National Prep qualifier

“Every year you sit down with your staff and try and take a hard look at your team,” Garland said. “You try and see where you are thin and where you need help and that is how you attack recruiting from the most basic levels. Of course we also try to do everything we can to ensure we are bringing in the types of kids that are going to be able to handle the academic, mental and physical stresses that they will be faced with once they get here.

“Finding that special kind of kid is certainly not easy and it takes a lot of work. We feel though that this year’s class meets both criteria. We feel that we’ve been able to sign guys that love wrestling very much and are willing to do what it takes to earn a degree from one of the most well respected institutions for higher learning in the nation. On top of that we filled some needs in terms of our weight classes as well.”