Five Cavaliers Earn NWCA Scholar All-America Honors
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Five members of the Virginia wrestling team have been awarded Scholar All-America honors by the National Wrestling Coaches Association it was announced by the organization with the release of its annual award winners.
Jay Aiello (Chantilly, Va.), Michael Battista (Ashburn, Va.), Louie Hayes (Orland Park, Ill.), Patrick McCormick (Poquoson, Va.) and Justin McCoy (New Paris, Pa.) all received the honor for excellence in the classroom and in competition. Hayes received the distinction for the third time in his career, while Aiello and McCoy both received the honor for the second straight season. Battista and McCormick are both first time honorees.
“It’s my honor on behalf of the NWCA and our Board of Directors to recognize this outstanding list of team and individual award winners,” said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. “These athletes had to navigate a season full of unknowns and the fact they were able to continue to excel in the classroom is a testament to the attack mentality that wrestlers bring to every aspect of their lives.”
In all, 191 student-athletes from 59 different institutions earned the distinction this year.