BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh wrestling team was recognized Monday for its work in the classroom in addition to on the mat as the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced its All-Academic Individuals and top 30 teams. All four of Lehigh's senior starters: Mason Beckman, Nathaniel Brown, John Bolich and Max Wessell, plus deferred freshman NCAA qualifier Gordon Wolf were named to the individual All-Academic team, while the Mountain Hawks' 3.106 GPA ranked 25th among Division I programs.
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The team grade-point average was determined using a system that includes 12 student-athletes from each program. A total of 10 of these came from the wrestlers that were entries in the NCAA tournament conference qualifier. If teams had less than 10 entries for their respective qualifier, they were allowed to fill those spots with wrestlers that competed in at least one varsity dual during the season.
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The individual All-Academic Team has qualifying standards based on grade point average and season record/accomplishments. Beckman was named to the All-Academic Team for the third consecutive year while the other four Mountain Hawks were recognized for the first time.
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Beckman finished his Lehigh career as a two-time All-American who posted a 104-37 career record. After finishing sixth at the NCAA Tournament at 133 in both 2014 and 2015, Beckman reached the round of 12 in his senior season, falling just one win short of his third All-America medal. He is also a three-time EIWA finalist, winning a title in 2014. Beckman earned his degree in supply chain management last May and carries a 3.66 GPA in his technical entrepreneurship graduate program.
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Brown capped his career with a seventh place finish at the NCAA Championships for his second career All-America honor. In 2015 Brown reached the NCAA finals at 184 to earn his first All-America medal. He is a three-time NCAA qualifier and four time EIWA place winner who won a title at 174 in 2013. Like Beckman, Brown graduated last May with a degree in behavioral neuroscience. Brown holds a 3.76 graduate school GPA in healthcare systems engineering.
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Bolich is the third member of Lehigh's senior class to earn his degree in May of 2015, doing so with a degree in industrial engineering. He is enrolled in a technical entrepreneurship graduate program where he holds a 3.74 GPA. On the mats, Bolich was a two-time NCAA qualifier for the Mountain Hawks at 197. He finished with a 63-43 career record.
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Wessell enjoyed his best season in the Brown and White in his senior campaign, posting a 27-7 record and winning an EIWA title at 285 before earning All-America honors with an eighth place finish at the NCAA Championships. He finished his career as a three-time EIWA place winner and two-time NCAA qualifier. Academically, Wessell maintains a 3.33 GPA in marketing.
Gordon Wolf at NCAAs
Wolf won the Lehigh wrestling team's Scholar-Athlete award at the annual Lewis Wrestling Dinner. He olds a 3.49 GPA in Lehigh's College of Business and Economics. Wolf began the season at 157 before moving up and earning the starting spot at 174. He finished his freshman season with a 14-10 record and went 1-2 at the NCAA Championships after qualifying with a fifth place finish in the EIWA Tournament.
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This year's Individual All-Academic Team featured 123 total athletes, five NCAA Champions, two NCAA runners-up, 36 All-Americans and 108 NCAA Qualifiers. Lehigh's five honorees matched Oklahoma State for second most, behind Penn State's six.
Lehigh finished in the top 30 of the NWCA's All-Academic Teams list for the fourth time in five seasons. Harvard topped the team rankings for the second straight year at 3.412 followed by Sacred Heart (3.384) and Brown (3.36). Twelve of the 16 EIWA member schools ranked in the top 30. Â
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