Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh announces class of 2007
9/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Wrestling
On the heels of a fourth place finish at the NCAA Championships and with all eight qualifiers returning in 2003-04, Lehigh wrestling announces its class of 2007. The Mountain Hawks lose only four seniors from this season’s team, meaning the incoming class is not as big as last season’s largest class of the Strobel era. Let’s take this chance to meet next year’s newcomers.
125/133: Patrick Berger (pronounced Ber-ZHEY), Fair Haven, New Jersey/Rumson Fairhaven - Berger placed fourth in the state at 119 in 2003, and shared his region’s Outstanding Wrestler Award. He spent most of the season at 125 and was ranked No. 1 in the state at 119. He also won the Outstanding Wrestler Award in his district after winning his third district title. As a junior, he was a district champ at 112 and placed seventh at 103 in the New Jersey state tournament in 2001 as a sophomore, with a 29-4 record. He is also the brother of Lehigh manager Christelle Berger.
133/141: Jeff Santo, Wind Gap, Pennsylvania/Pen Argyl - Santo finished eighth at 119 at AA states in ’01; third at 119 last year and second this year at 130. He was undefeated going into the state finals, wrestling in the 130-135-140 classes. Santo was rated as InterMat’s No.1 in AA in the state of Pennsylvania at 130 lbs. and No. 1 in all divisions in the Allentown Morning Call picks for the Lehigh Valley. This exciting wrestler lost 5-3 in Pennsylvania AA finals, after beating same wrestler 14-13 in regional finals.
133/141: Gerrit Swaneveld, North Warren, New Jersey/North Warren – Swaneveld, a two-time Distirct 1 runner-up, placed second at 130 in District 1, losing 2-1 in double overtime in finals. District 1 consists of parts of western New Jersey, including Phillipsburg. He was named first team Skyland Conference, was a two-time Mt. Olive Christmas Tournament finalist, a team captain in 2002 and 2003, and the North Warren Scholar Athlete, 2003. Swaneveld finished his career with a mark of 77-35
149/157: Dave Nakasone, Ellicott City, Maryland/Centennial – Nakasone is a two-time Maryland state champion (140 in '02; 152 in '03). He began wrestling as a high school freshman, posting a 9-14 mark, before a two-year finish of 66-3 with 39 pins. He finished his career with a record of 97-21 and 52 pins. As a senior, Nakasone was 35-0 to win his second state title (152), after the first coming as a junior at 140. In the 152 lb. finals this year, he won by 19-11 major decision. This spring, he was rated the No. 9 senior (all weights) in the state of Maryland and an honorable mention nationally by InterMat.
165/174: Daniel Murrer, Williamsville, New York/Williamsville East - An InterMat top junior in New York, Murrer placed fifth at 160 at the New York State Championships last year, and third at 160 in 2003, losing in the quarters 6-5 to the second place finisher. He completed his senior season at 35-1, with 26 pins, after going 33-3 as a junior. Murrer was a three-time team captain and three-time team MVP. He holds the school marks for most pins and wins and won a pair of Section 6 titles.
174/184: Bryan Bernal, Loma, Colorado/Fruita Monument – Bernal placed sixth, fifth and first in Colorado (5A) from 2001-03. He is ranked No. 5 nationally as a senior at 160 by InterMat. As a freshman, he went 16-14, followed by 29-6 as a sophomore, 40-4 his junior year, and 37-1 as a senior (Career: 122-25; last two years: 77-5). Bernal is a three-time regional winner and three-time Palisade Invitational champion. He twice won the Lehi Tourney (in Utah, 2000, 2001), was the Outstanding Wrestler in 2001, and also won the Rocky Mountain Rumble in Orem, UT in 2002. In three appearances at the Warrior Classic, Bernal placed sixth, third, and second.
HWT: Tommy Curl, Gibbstown, New Jersey/Paulsboro – A transfer from the University at Buffalo, Curl was 18-17 for the Bulls as a true freshman. Last year, he was ranked No. 1 nationally in high school polls, and was a two-time New Jersey state champ, plus a National High School Champ. Curl turned in a perfect senior season (37-0) to win his second state championship. He recorded most falls in New Jersey state history (94) and won more matches than any heavyweight in state history with his school record 141 victories. Curl also earned four letters and was an All-State football selection and was also the state champ in both the shot put and discus.
"I’m very pleased with this class," head coach Greg Strobel remarked. "This class fills some needs, from the lightweights right up to heavyweight. It adds more stock to our program and not only are these kids all good wrestlers, but they’re good students as well."
Lehigh will open its 2003-04 season when they open the Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall on November 14 against Iowa St.
For more information, please contact Geoff Goyne, Lehigh Sports Media Relations.
Posted Friday, May 02, 2003
