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Four Cavaliers Named to NWCA All-Academic Team
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia wrestling program ranked 14th in the 2011-12 Division I National Wrestling Coaches Association Top 30 All-Academic Teams rankings, released Tuesday by the NWCA. Four Virginia wrestlers were named to the 2012 NWCA All-Academic Team, tied for the third-most individuals from any program in the nation.
Virginia tied Lehigh and Penn State with the third-most wrestlers on the list. American and Nebraska tied for the most individuals on the team with five apiece. In earning a top-15 team standing for the second-consecutive year, Virginia combined to post a 3.1239 grade-point average, which was tops among all ACC wrestling programs.
Virginia’s three ACC champions, Jon Fausey (R-So., Dalmatia, Pa.), Nick Nelson (R-Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Matt Snyder (R-Jr., Lewistown, Pa.), all were named to the All-Academic Team, and they were joined on the team by fellow NCAA qualifier Matt Nelson (Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa.). Fausey and Snyder each were named to the team for the second straight year.
For teams to be eligible for consideration, the team GPA is comprised of 12 student athletes, including the 10 wrestlers that were the entries in the NCAA tournament conference qualifier. If teams had less than 10 entries for their respective qualifier, they may fill those spots with wrestlers that competed in at least one varsity dual during the season.
A kinesiology major, Fausey claimed the ACC championship at 184 pounds. He was seeded 12th at the 2012 NCAA Championships and reached the round of 12, falling one win shy of All-America status. He posted a 24-5 record, including a 10-0 mark in dual matches and a perfect 5-0 mark in ACC duals. Over half of his wins resulted in bonus points.
Matt Nelson had a remarkable season as he competed for the first time in nearly five years after sitting out because of concussion problems. An economics major, Nelson went 19-7 on the season, including a 7-2 mark in duals and a 4-1 record in ACC duals. He placed third at the ACC Championships in March to earn an automatic berth in the NCAA Championships, where he posted a 2-2 record.
Nick Nelson earned the ACC crown at 141 pounds with a double-overtime win over All-American Darrius Little of NC State. The No. 7 seed at 141 at the 2012 NCAA Championships, Nelson (27-4) went 2-2 at the event. Nelson finished his UVa career with 91 wins, which is tied for 10th-most in program history. After earning his undergraduate degree in economics in 2011, Nelson is currently completing his master’s degree in commerce.
The 2012 ACC Champion at 125 pounds, Snyder finished the year with a 24-5 record, including a team-high eight falls. A kinesiology major who will earn his undergraduate degree in a few weeks, Snyder went 8-0 in duals, including a 5-0 mark in ACC duals. He was the No. 11 national seed at the NCAA Championships and went 2-2 at NCAAs, with both losses coming in narrow decisions to fellow seeded wrestlers.