Lehigh University Athletics
Strobel and Rowland lay claim to national awards
3/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
After a season full of tremendous accomplishments, Lehigh head wrestling coach Greg Strobel and senior men's basketball player Austen Rowland were recently honored for their outstanding work, as Strobel was named the National Collegiate Wrestling Association's Coach of the Year on Sunday and Rowland was named an Associated Press All-American on Tuesday . Both are firsts in Lehigh's history and largely reflect the outstanding accomplishments of what both teams were able to accomplish this past season.
Greg Strobel has achieved a lot in his nine years at Lehigh, including being named EIWA Coach of the Year three times in the last five years. This weekend at the NCAA Championships he added a new piece of hardware for the mantle, earning the National Collegiate Wrestling Association’s Coach of the Year award for the first time. Strobel’s wrestling squad came to nationals and put on a show, finishing tied for third with Ohio State and scoring the most points of any team in Lehigh history.
The Mountain Hawks turned in perhaps the most impressive team performance in Lehigh history, as they placed the second most All-Americans (five) and scored the most points on their way to finishing third for only the fourth time ever. Not to mention a national champion, Troy Letters at 165. The finish comes as no surprise as Strobel led the team to its most successful regular season as well, winning a record 22 dual matches. The team accomplished all this, despite starting four freshmen and losing a returning All-American, Jon Trenge, to an Olympic deferral year.
Senior Austen Rowland can add another line to his basketball resume as the Hyattsville, MD native was named an honorable mention All-American on Tuesday by the Associated Press. The same media panel that votes on the national weekly poll was the one to select the 2003-04 All-American teams. Rowland just completed a brilliant senior season in which he was named a First-Team All-Patriot League selection, as well as the Patriot League Player of the Year and the Patriot League Tournament MVP. He helped lead Lehigh to the second most victories in school history with 20, as well as the school’s first ever Patriot League regular season championship and Lehigh’s first ever Patriot League Tournament Title.
Rowland led the Patriot League in scoring at 16.0 points per game (18.7 in league play), was fourth in assists (5.0), fourth in steals (1.85), third in made three-point field goals (57), 11th in free-throw percentage (72), 13th in three-point field goal percentage (.380) and 16th in rebounding (4.0). Rowland became the 24th 1,000 career-point scorer in Lehigh’s history earlier this season and finished his collegiate career with 1,230 points. Rowland is the first ever-postseason All-American in Lehigh’s history. Prior to the 1987-88 season, Lehigh’s all-time leading scorer Daren Queenan was named a preseason All-American by Street & Smith’s Magazine.
Head Coach Billy Taylor was ecstatic for Rowland and for the recognition the guard is receiving. “This is an unbelievable honor, both for Austen and for Lehigh University. This is great recognition for all of the hard work Austen has put in, and to his commitment and dedication.” Taylor continues, “In his time at Lehigh, Austen has set a great standard and has really developed into a tremendous mentor and leader. I’m very excited and proud that Austen’s impact has been recognized on a national level with him being named an All-American.”
