PALMER QUALIFIES FOR NCAAS AT 165; LIONS TAKE EIGHTH AT EIWA CHAMPIONSHIPS

ITHACA, N.Y. (March 7, 2003)—Overcoming a chest injury suffered during the match, Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) fought to a 7-5 victory over Cornell’s Scott Roth and gained third place in the 2003 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championships at Cornell’s Barton Hall. He was awarded a wild card berth in the NCAA Championships, which begin March 21 in Kansas City.

The first-year student bounced back from only his second loss of the season, a 12-4 semifinal setback by Frank Edwards of Navy. Moving down to the consolation bracket, the second-seeded Palmer defeated Robbie Griffin of Harvard, 7-2, to gain the consolation final against Roth. With the win, Palmer extended his season-record to 26-2; he is ranked fourth in the nation.

Columbia’s other placewinners included a fourth-place finisher, two in fifth place, and one in sixth.

Junior Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) earned the fourth at 125 pounds. Defeated in the semifinals by Penn’s Matt Valenti, 12-3, Green reached the consolation final by registering a 17-2 technical fall over Seth Dunipace of Princeton. However, he lost the match for third to Terence Clendenin of Lehigh, 5-0.

Junior Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) and sophomore Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.) both finished fifth. Norgaard gained the placing at 149 pounds by defeating Jason Mercado of Brown, 3-1. He was selected the second alternate for a wild card to the NCAA’s, after Mark Smith of East Stroudsburg.

Tillman was fifth at 157 with a 9-3 defeat of Navy’s Mike Carbonaro, whom he had defeated in Friday’s quarterfinals, 7-2. That match propelled him into the semifinals, but he lost a close bout there to top-seeded Derek Zinck of Lehigh, 5-3.

Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.) finished sixth at 197 pounds. The junior posted a key 16-5 major decision over Matt Fisher of Princeton, but lost his final two bouts, 9-5 to Ryan McGrath of Rutgers and 10-2 to P.J. Jones of Harvard.

Columbia finished eighth in the 13-team field, with 52 .5 points. Lehigh won the event for the second straight year with 138 points, and Cornell was second with 122.5. Trailing the Lions were Princeton, 9th with 50.5; Navy, 10th, 49.0; East Stroudsburg, 11th, 28; Franklin & Marshall, 12th, 5.5; American U., 13th, 3.0.

Final Team Scores
1 LEHIGH 138.
2 CORNELL 122.50
3 PENN 103.50
4 ARMY 73.00
5 HARVARD 65.50
6 RUTGERS 63.00
7 BROWN 60.00
8 COLUMBIA 52.00
9 PRINCETON 50.50
10 NAVY 49.00
11 ESU 28.00
12 F&M 5.50
13 AMERICAN 3.00

Ex-Lion Wrestling Coach John Huemer Honored With EIWA Award

The late John Huemer, assistant wrestling coach at Columbia for 27 years, was posthumously honored at the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championships with the presentation of the EIWA Man of the Year Award.

Huemer, a 1965 graduate of Columbia College who passed away in 2000, was recognized for his exemplary contribution to college wrestling. Accepting the award, prior to the EIWA Championship finals at Cornell’s Barton Hall, were Huemer’s mother, Mrs. Kathryn Huemer, and brother David.

ITHACA, N.Y. (March 7, 2003) -- Matt Palmer, the heralded first-year student who came into the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships ranked fourth in the nation at 165 pounds with a 22-1 record, lived up to expectations by winning two bouts to move into the semifinals after the first day of wrestling at Cornell University.

Palmer (Gaithersburg, Md.) was joined in the semifinals by two teammates, junior Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) at 125 pounds and sophomore Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.) at 157.

Palmer, the second seed, advanced to the semis by breaking open a close bout with seventh-seeded Ron Schroeder and pinning the Army wrestler in 5:51. Previously, he had routed Richard Ferguson of Penn with a 17-0 technical fall. He will meet third-seeded Frank Edwards of Navy in the Saturday semifinals.

Green, who was fifth in last year’s EIWA’s, earned a bye in the first round and then edged 6th-seeded Sam Gray of Navy, 2-1, in the quarterfinals. Tillman also earned a first-round bye, and then upset 4th-seeded Michael Carbonaro, also of Navy, 8-2. In the semifinals, Green will face the second seed, Matt Valenti of Penn, while Tillman will wrestle top-seeded Derek Zinck of Lehigh.

Three other Lions were still "alive" in the consolation bracket. They included unseeded senior Steve Popovitch (Transfer, Pa.), who stayed in contention by beating Matt Gulosh of Navy, 14-7 at 133; junior Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.), an 8-1 victor over Anthony Dunkin of Army at 149; and junior Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.), who earned a consolation round bye at 197. Norgaard, one of the favorites as the fourth seed at 149, was upset by Greg Austin of Rutgers, 9-4 in the quarterfinals.

The Lion advancers helped Columbia to ninth place in the 13-school field, with 27 points. However, the Lions were only 4.5 points out of fifth, trailing Army, fifth with 31.5; Navy, sixth with 30.0; Harvard, seventh with 28.5; and Brown, eighth with 27.5. Lehigh, the defending champion, led the field with 65.5 points, followed closely by Penn with 59.5 and Cornell with 58.

The first and second-place finishers in each weight class, plus 16 "wild-cards" voted on by the coaches, advance to the NCAA Championships in Kansas City in late March.

NEW YORK, N.Y. (March 6, 2003) -- Two top recruits made their decision to attend Columbia and to join the Lions wrestling team for next season, Anthony Constantino (Mentor, Ohio) and Antonio Mangione (Morristown, N.J.).

Mangione is a three-year place-winner in the state tournament for the Delbarton School, and currently sits on top of the state ranks at No. 1. Last season, he placed first, after second and fourth place finishes in his respective freshman and sophomore seasons. Mangione has not yet competed for this year's state championship. The New Jersey native is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation at 140-lb. by Amateur Wrestling News.

Constantino is a senior at Lake Catholic High School where he has been a four-year placewinner in the state tournament. He has finished sixth, second (twice) and third. Currently ranked No. 7 by W.I.N Magazine at 135-lb., Constantino also took fifth place at the 2002 FILA Cadet World Trials in freestyle.

"We are very excited to have these outstanding recruits from two of the most competitive wrestling states in the country," said head coach Brendan Buckley. "They have a promising future at Columbia and are helping us build off last year's No. 7 nationally ranked recruiting class."

Last season, Buckley and his coaching staff produced a star-studded class that was ranked No. 7 (W.I.N. Magazine) and No. 12 (Wrestling USA) nationally, bringing in four national placewinners in current Lions Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.), Ricky Turk (Crestline, Calif.), Sven Hafemeister (Lemoore, Calif.) and Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.). In his first year as Columbia’s head coach, Brendan Buckley recruited a class that was considered for a Top 25 ranking.

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Feb. 26, 2003) -- The Lions matmen jumped into the EIWA team rankings for the first time this season and made waves, ranking at No.5 in the team category. Columbia is through competing in dual meets for the season and takes a three-match win streak into the Eastern championships next weekend.

Individually, juniors Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) and Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) remain ranked at No.4 in their weight classes, 125 and 149 respectively. Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.) and Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) remain ranked at No. 5 in their respective weight classes, 157 and 184.

Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) remains in the No. 2 spot in the conference ranks, and continues to be ranked in the national polls, along with co-captain Norgaard. Palmer ranks at No. 7 (Amateur Wrestling News), No. 4 (InterMat) and No. 14 (The Wrestling Mall). Junior Norgaard is currently ranked at No. 17 (Amateur Wrestling News) and No. 20 (The Wrestling Mall)

The Lions grapplers are preparing for the EIWA Championships, which are being held in Ithaca, N.Y. on March 7 and March 8. Cornell University is hosting the event in Barton Hall. For information about the event or how to purchase tickets go to the following link from the Cornell athletics website:
http://cornellbigred.ocsn.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/eiwa-champs-03.html

LIONS ROLL TO 31-9 VICTORY AT FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL

LANCASTER, PA. (Feb. 22, 2003) -- The Lions had some new faces in tonight's line-up, but showed their depth as the squad rolled to a 31-9 win at Franklin and Marshall tonight.

Columbia jumped out to a strong lead as Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) and Steve Popovitch (Transfer, Pa.) each pinned their opponents at 125 and 133, respectively. Wrestling started at 125 as Green pinned Will Filbert at the 4:30 mark. Popovitch won by fall at 2:10 to defeat Joe Perretta.

Arash Najafi (Pomona, N.Y.), Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) and Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.) all won their bouts. Norgaard's win was the 23rd for him this season. Devin Mesanko (Toms River, N.J.) wrestled for the Lions at 165 again, and notched his second win in as many days, defeating Matt Veres, 9-3. Nick Carrier (Hernando, Fla.) notched an 8-2 victory over Isaiah Hankel at 174.

The Lions forfeited at 184, but bounced back as Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.) defeated Derek Michalowski, 7-5. Ben Tecmire (Howell, Mich.) stepped into the heavyweight slot tonight for the injured Bart Seemen (Suffern, N.Y.). He dropped a tough 3-1 decision in overtime.

"Tecmire's decision could have gone either way," said Coach Buckley. "We wrestled really well tonight. It's definitely a good way to go into the EIWA's. We'll just need to get some guys healthy again and be ready for the Eastern Championships".

Columbia finishes the season 5-6 in dual meets, 2-3 in Ivy competition. The Lions are off next week and are looking ahead to the EIWA Championships in Ithaca on March 7 -8.

COLUMBIA MATMEN DROP BEARCATS IN FINAL HOME MEET 26-17

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Feb. 21, 2003) -- Co-captain Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.) notched a victory by pinning the Bearcats' Derman Lewis at 4:16 and Bart Seemen (Suffern, N.Y.) had a key win in the final bouts to clinch the Lions' decision.

Wrestling started at 141, with the Bearcats notching team points first as Josh Ruff scored a win over Arash Najafi (Pomona, N.J.). Columbia bounced back with Erik Norgaard's (Leonia, N.J.) 12-0 decision over Joe Gartiser. The New Jersey native controlled the bout and gained an advantage from riding time (2:06). He is now 22-7 on the season.

First-year Devin Mesanko (Toms River, N.J.) stepped up for the Lions, wrestling at 165. He won an 11-3 decision over Justin Horn to tie up the team score. His season record is now 8-6.

Senior Nick Carrier (Hernando, Fla.) made the most of his final home bout, winning a tight 6-2 decision over Jeff McAveney. This was the 14th win of the season for the Florida native.

Tonight's match was senior night, as three Lions matmen were on-hand for their final home match. Carrier, a four-year letterwinner for CU, has won 32 bouts wearing the Light Blue. A mentally tough wrestler, his concentration in both practice and competition sets a positive example for everyone on the team.

Matt Pierce has been a continued source of inspiration and leadership as the coaching staff built a cohesive, successful team. Also an outstanding student, the New York native has made the Dean's List every semester while at Columbia.

Co-captain Steve Popovitch is a true leader to this team. He has compiled 57 wins in over 100 bouts while at Columbia. The Pennsylvania native has always placed wrestling as one of his top priorities and sets a fine example of what it is to be a Lion. The coaching staff thanks these men for their time at Columbia, and wish them the best in their future endeavors.

Columbia's record improves to 4-6 with tonight's win. The Lions travel to Franklin and Marshall tomorrow in their final non-conference dual meet of the season. The match is set to start at 7:30.

LIGHT BLUE HAVE TOUGH LOSS AT HARVARD, 25-18; EARN VICTORY OVER SACRED HEART, 22-21

CAMBRIDGE, MASS (Feb. 15, 2003) -- The Lions split their two dual meets today, falling first to Ivy foe Harvard, 25-18, and bouncing back to a 22-21 non-conference win against Sacred Heart.

Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) had an undefeated day, pulling out a sudden victory overtime win, 5-4, against the Crimson's David Germakin. In the second meet of the day, Green pinned Phil Kalil of Sacred Heart at the 4:44 mark. The 125-lb junior has a season record of 16-6.

First-year Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) continued to roll, winning his 21st and 22nd bouts of the season. He notched a 9-2 victory over Harvard's Robert Griffin, and won by technical fall over Ron Wright of Sacred Heart, 17-2. The Blair Academy grad is now 22-1 in the 2003 season.

Returning back to his form was another first-year, Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.), who won both his matches today. Davis pinned his Harvard opponent at 4:59 to earn some points for the Lions and notched an 11-3 victory over Derek Venne from Sacred Heart. Davis improves his season record to 14-7.

Senior heavyweight Bart Seemen (Suffern, N.Y.) notched a victory for the Lions as he defeated John Miller from Sacred Heart by major decision, 13-3.

Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) dropped a tough decision at 149 against Harvard. He was up 2-0 in the match before getting pinned by Jesse Jantzen at 3:50. He went on to win in the next match against Sacred Heart, earning a 4-1 decision. He is 21-7 on the season.

The Lions are 3-6 in dual meets and close out the Ivy season at 2-3. They return home next week to take on Binghamton on Friday. The meet will be in the University Gym at 7:30 p.m.

WRESTLERS NOTCH SECOND IVY WIN OF THE SEASON AT BROWN, 34-7

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Feb. 14, 2003) -- Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.), Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) and Nick Carrier (Hernando, Fla.) all notched pins over their opponents en route to Columbia's 34-7 Ivy League victory over Brown this afternoon. This is the first time that the Lions have beaten Brown since the 1988-89 season, when they won the meet 21-18.

Green's win by fall was recorded over Lucas Magnani at the 4:33 mark and improves his season mark to 14-6. Palmer scored the 20th win of his first collegiate season when he pinned Chris Ayers at 4:59 in the 165-lb. class. Senior Carrier's victory came with 5:22 gone into the 174-lb. match-up, and evens his season mark to 13-13.

Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) scored a big win at 149, as he won a 2-0 decision over Clint Frease. The victory over Frease, who is nationally ranked at No. 8 and No. 12 by the Wrestling Mall and Amateur Wrestling News, respectively, marked the co-captain's 20th win of the season. Frease typically wrestles at 141 and he was bumped up a class to take on Norgaard for today's match.

Wrestling began at 157, as Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.) scored a 9-2 decision over Brown's Michael Savino. Tillman improves to 16-6 for this, his sophomore, season.

Senior co-captain Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.) scored his second Ivy League victory of the season, in as many matches. He defeated Doran Heist, 10-4. Gerstl is now 15-12 in 2003 competitions.

Bart Seemen (Suffern, N.Y.) won a sudden victory-overtime bout over Lee Beane. Seemen was given the choice of starting position, and escaped to score a win his 10th victory for the season.

Steve Popovitch (Transfer, Pa.) earned his first Ivy League victory of the 2003 season, handily beating Anthony Marconi, 12-3. The co-captain improves to 6-10.

In the two matches that the Lions dropped, Arash Najafi ( Pomona, N.Y.) was defeated by Mike Ashton at 141, dropping a 12-3 decision. First-year Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) lost a 10-5 decision to Nick Ciarcia at 184.

"It was great," said head coach Buckley. "Anytime someone scores a pin, it's exciting. Those three pins were a big factor in today's win."

This is the first time that the Lions have defeated Brown in Buckley's three seasons at Morningside Heights.

The Lions improve their season dual meet record to 2-5, and even their Ivy League mark to 2-2. The Bears fall to 8-10, 1-2 Ivy League. This is the first day of a two-day match-up for the Light Blue, as the team will take on Ivy foe Harvard tomorrow in Cambridge at 1 p.m. The Lions will then meet Sacred Heart in non-league action at 2:30 p.m.

NORGAARD'S 2-0 WEEKEND PROPELS HIM TO EIWA WRESTLER OF THE WEEK HONORS

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Feb. 11, 2003) -- Junior co-captain Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) was named the EIWA Wrestler of the Week for his 2-0 weekend. The New Jersey native helped his team kick off the celebrations around the 100th year anniversary of the first intercollegiate dual meet by winning a 9-2 decision over Midlands champion Dustin Manotti of Cornell. Manotti was ranked in the top eight in the nation at 149, and came into the meet with a record of 20-3.

Norgaard then went on to win a 7-2 decision over Princeton's Joe Clark in Saturday's Ivy match-up. The co-captains's record improved to19-6 after this weekend and his performances moved him back into the national ranks. In this week's Amateur Wrestling News poll, the 149-pounder was ranked at No. 19.

The dual meet with Cornell took place Friday evening at the New York Athletic Club, and was the kickoff event of a weekend of festivities marking the first intercollegiate dual meet between Columbia and Yale in 1903.

COLUMBIA WRESTLERS REMAIN IN THE CONFERENCE, NATIONAL RANKS

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Feb. 11, 2003) -- Two wrestlers, Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) and Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.), moved up a notch in the EIWA poll released yesterday. Both are ranked fourth in their weight classes, 149 and 157, respectively.

Junior Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) and first-year Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) remained ranked at the same spots, at No. 6 for 125 and No. 2 for 165, respectively. Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) dropped down one spot to No. 6 in the EIWA.

In the national ranks, Palmer remains in the same area that he has held all season, ranked No. 16 by the Wrestling Mall and No. 18 by Amateur Wrestling News. The first-year was 2-0 this weekend, winning by decision over Cornell's Scott Roth and pinning Charlie Wiggins of Princeton at 4:10.

Co-captain Norgaard moved back into the national rankings as well this week, moving into the No. 19 slot at 149 by Amateur Wrestling News. The New Jersey native won EIWA Wrestler of the Week honors after going 2-0 on the weekend. Norgaard won by a 9-2 decision over Cornell's Dustin Manotti on Friday's meet, and went on to notch a 7-2 victory the following night over Princeton's Joe Clarke.

LIGHT BLUE LEADS PRINCETON FROM START TO FINISH IN 33-6 VICTORY

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Feb. 8, 2003) -- Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) started the match with a win, and the Lions never looked back as they crushed the visiting Tigers, 33-6, in the historic University Gym tonight.

Green's 125-lb. weight class started the night for the Ivy teams. Dominating the entire match, the senior won by technical fall at 5:22 over Seth Dunipace. Arash Najafi (Pomona, N.Y.) notched his first dual meet win of the season, winning by decision over John Knorring, 12-6.

The excitement continued as Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) won his bout in a 7-2 decision over Joe Clarke. Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.) continued the Lions' roll as he took on Milo Adams, winning a 5-0 decision. Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) won by major decision in the sixth match of the night, 13-3 over Charlie Wiggins. Nick Carrier (Hernando, Fla.) broke out of his recent slump, winning a 7-4 decision over Jack Fleming. First-year Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) took on his second nationally-ranked opponent in as many days and lost a tough bout. The final was an 8-2 decision won by Greg Parker.

The Lions clinched the win in the final two bouts of the night, as Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.) won a 13-5 decision over Matt Fisher. Bart Seemen (Suffern, N.Y.) sealed the deal, winning a 12-7 heavyweight match over Allen Sista.

The Lions are now 1-5 in dual meets, and 1-2 in Ivy League action. They next see action on the road, facing Brown and Harvard next weekend.

This was a homecoming of sorts as the Lions are marking the centennial of collegiate wrestling, and of wrestling at Columbia this weekend. Honorary keynote and wrestling great Dan Gable was present at the match. Led by CU athletic director Dr. John Reeves, Gable was welcomed by over 500 alumni and fans at the end of five bouts, in recognition of the athletes who have donned the Light Blue and been honored by the Ivy League, the EIWA and by the NCAA. Four former coaches were on-hand as well, as the gym welcomed Stan Thornton, Jerry Seckler, Ron Russo and Lou Montano.

COLUMBIA DROPS ONE TO NATIONALLY-RANKED CORNELL, 23-12

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Feb. 7, 2003) -- The setting was perfect in tonight's Ivy League match-up between the Lions and the Big Red at the New York Athletic Club. The room was filled to capacity as almost 400 fans cheered for their teams. The Lions were unable to pull out a win, as they fell to sixth-ranked Cornell, 23-12.

One of the most exciting matches of the night was Erik Norgaard's (Leonia, N.J.) face-off against Dustin Manotti at 149. The bout was scoreless at the end of the first period, and Norgaard was the first to get on the board. He scored first with 12 seconds left in the second period to go up 2-0. Norgaard carried the lead until the end of the match, earning points on back-to-back escapes, a takedown and a near fall. The final was 9-2.

First-year Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) continued his string of victories. In a tight match, neither Palmer nor his opponent, Scott Roth could get much going. At the end of the first period, it was 2-1, and remained that way through the end of the second. Palmer earned more points off an escape and a takedown, holding the advantage in riding time. The clock went up to 4:06 to his favor.

Cornell notched three straight victories, going into the heavyweight match leading with a team score of 23-6. Bart Seemen (Suffern, N.Y.) had his best performance of the season as he notched a victory over Buck McLamb in a high scoring 13-11 decision. The two scored throughout the first two periods, until Seemen took control in the final period.

The final victory of the night came in the final match-up as Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) took on Doug Jesse. Green held a 2-0 advantage at the end of the first period, and scored two more points, holding the score in his favor, 4-0 at the end of the second. In the final period, Green took over and won a convincing 9-2 decision.

First-year Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) took his opponent, Clint Wattenberg, who is ranked No. 2 in the country, to the wire. An exciting match, it was tied up at 3-3 at the end of the first period. Davis had Wattenberg on his heels for much of the match, but the senior pulled out a 10-6 decision.

Wrestling started at 133 as Steve Popovitch (Transfer, Pa.) fell in a close match to Alejandro Alvarez, 10-8. Alverez held the advantage in riding time, 1:57, giving him 11 points at the end of the bout. Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.) took on Matt Greenberg, who is nationally ranked as high as No. 13 by the wrestling publications. Gerstl fought, but a takedown and riding time advantage were too much as he fell, 6-1.

Also wrestling for the Lions were Arash Najafi (Pomona, N.Y.), who fell to Byron Warner, 13-5 at the 141-lb weight class, and Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.) who lost a major decision to Gabe Webster at 157. Senior Nick Carrier (Hernando, Fla.) lost by fall at the 7:00 mark to Tyler Baier.

This was the first meet of a two-day celebration of the centennial of collegiate wrestling at Columbia Wrestling. The Lions are now 0-5 in dual meets in the season, and 0-2 Ivy League, while the Big Red remain undefeated in League match-ups. Columbia takes on Ivy foe Princeton tomorrow at the University Gym in a 5 p.m. dual.

Final Results
125: Daniel Green (Col.) win by dec. over Doug Jesse (Cor.), 9-2
*133: Alejandro Alvarez (Cor.) won by dec. over Steve Popovitch (Col.), 11-8
141: Byron Warner (Cor.) won by dec. over Arash Najafi (Col.), 13-5
149: Erik Norgaard (Col.) won by dec. over Dustin Manotti (Cor.), 9-2
157: Gabe Webster (Cor.) won by major dec. over Dustin Tillman (Col.), 11-0
165: Matt Palmer (Col.) won by dec. over Scott Roth (Cor.), 6-1
174: Tyler Baier (Cor.) won by fall over Nick Carrier (Col.), 7:00
184: Clint Wattenberg (Cor.) won by dec. over Kirk Davis (Col.), 10-6
197: Matt Greenberg (Cor.) won by dec, over Mike Gerstl (Col.), 6-1
HWT: Bart Seemen (Col.) won by dec. over Buck McLamb, 13-11

CU MATMEN TO KICK OFF WEEKEND HOSTING NATIONALLY RANKED CORNELL

NEW YORK, N.Y. (FEB. 5, 2003) -- The Columbia University wrestling team begins the weekend celebration of 100 years of collegiate wrestling this Friday as they take on Ivy League opponent Cornell at the New York Athletic Club at 6:30 p.m. There will be a $10 admission fee at the club, located at 180 Central Park South. Fans are asked to enter at the NYAC entrance on 58th Street.

Columbia comes into the match after a tough home loss to Penn, 19-12. Several Lions performed well, including first-year Matt Palmer (Blair Academy/Germantown, Md.) who continued to shine. Palmer defeated Matt Herrington by a 4-1 decision in the 184-lb. class. Currently ranked No. 18 by Amateur Wrestling News, the Blair Academy graduate is ranked as high as No. 15 by the Wrestling Mall.

As the oldest wrestling institution in the nation, Columbia University is proud to host a celebration of the 100th anniversary of collegiate wrestling on Feb. 7-8, 2003. In 1903, Columbia and Yale met in the nation's first dual meet, which was held in the center of the Morningside campus. To celebrate the momentous occasion, Columbia University wrestling has organized a weekend full of activities to recognize the event. Former athletes, coaches and supporters will be invited to share in this very special distinction as the nation's first wrestling program.

QUAKERS RALLY TO DEFEAT LIONS, 19-12

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Feb. 2, 2003) -- The Lions jumped out to a lead early on the day with wins from Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.), Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) and Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.), but lost to a tough Penn team in Ivy action today in Levien gym.

The Lions played tricks with the line-up today as Tillman and Palmer each moved up a weight class, and first-year Devin Mesanko (Toms River, N.J.) was inserted into the line-up wrestling at the 157-lb. weight class.

Tillman notched a 5-2 victory in his bout against Richard Ferguson, gaining a point advantage from riding time. Palmer's 4-1 victory over Matt Herrington continued the Lions' early lead in the match.

First-year Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) lost a 10-5 decision to Ethan Bullock, giving Penn some points on the board bringing the team score to 6-3.

Gerstl had two takedowns and an escape en route to his 6-3 victory over Nick Thomas at 197 gave the Lions a 9-3 lead.

After a slow start, Bart Seemen (Suffern, N.Y.) lost a 5-2 dec. in the heavyweight category against Matthew Feast. Seemen notched two escapes in the final period to put some points up in his favor in the bout.

At 125, Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) won an exciting 8-7 bout. Green had two takedowns early, then held on to win the decision over Mike Silengo. The Lions were up 12-6 at this point in the match, with four bouts left.

The Quakers won the final four bouts, the most pivotal victory coming in the major decision win by Doug McGraw over Arash Najafi (Pomona, N.Y.).

The Lions were still in the match, down only 12-16 going into the last weight class. Mesanko was twice tied with Brett Vanderveer: in the first period at 3-3 and in the final period, 7-7. The bout was tied at seven-all with 13 seconds remaining. Vanderveer scored a quick escape, then tacked on one point for riding time at the end.

The Lions are now 0-4 in dual meets, 0-1 in the Ivy League. This was Penn's first victory in the league. They are now 3-2, 1-1. Columbia continues with Ivy League competition as they host Cornell at the New York Athletic Club on Friday, Feb. 7. The meet kicks off the weekend festivities surrounding Columbia's 100th year celebration of collegiate wrestling.

Final Results
125: Daniel Green (CU) dec. Mike Silengo (P) 8-7
133: Matt Eveleth (P) won by dec. over Steve Popovitch (CU), 6-3
141: Doug McGraw (P) won by major dec. over Arash Najafi (CU), 11-1
149: Jody Giuricich (P) won by dec. over Erik Norgaard (CU), 3-0
157: Brett Vandervear (P) won by dec. over Devin Mesanko (CU), 9-7
*165: Dustin Tillman (CU) won by dec. over Richard Ferguson (P), 5-2
174: Matt Palmer (CU) won by dec. over Matt Herrington (P), 4-1
184: Ethan Bullock (P) won by dec. over Kirk Davis (CU), 10-5
197: Mike Gerstl (CU) won by dec. over Nick Thomas (P), 6-3
285: Matthew Feast (P) won by dec. over Bart Seemen (CU), 5-2

*indicates starting weight

FIVE LIONS RANKED IN THE TOP-SIX IN EIWA

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Jan. 23, 2003) - Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) remained the No. 2 ranked wrestler in the EIWA at the 165-weight class in the conference rankings release earlier this week. Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) and Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) also remained in their slots at No.6 and No. 5, respectively.

Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) remained ranked, but moved up one notch to the fifth ranked 184-pounder in the EIWA.
Moving into the rankings for the first time this season is Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.). He was ranked No. 5 at the 157-weight class.

Both Green and Norgaard had impressive showings last weekend at the New York State Championships, each finishing first in their weight classes. Tillman placed third in the New York State Championship meet last week. Palmer and Davis were unable to compete due to illness.

This is the first time this season five Columbia wrestlers have been ranked by the EIWA.

In the national rankings, first-year Palmer remains in the Top 20 of the 165-pounders. This week's Amateur Wrestling News poll slotted him at No. 17, while the Wrestling Mall has the Blair Academy grad at No. 15.

GREEN, NORGAARD WIN STATE TITLES AS LIONS TAKE THIRD

ITHACA, N.Y. (Jan. 18, 2003) – Despite being without three starters who missed competing due to illness, Columbia finished third at the New York State Championships. The Lions were led by Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) and Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.), who were individual champions at 125 and 149, respectively.

Green advanced by technical fall, a pin, a major decision, then had a 14-5 major decision in the final. Norgaard won by pin, regular decision, major decision, and a 7-2 victory in the finals.

Columbia had three other placewinners: Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.) and Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.) were third, and Nick Carrier (Hernando, Fla.) was fourth.

PALMER TAKES FIRST AT AGGIE OPEN; DAVIS, NORGAARD EACH PLACE SECOND

DAVIS, CALIF. (Jan. 11, 2003) - First-year Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) went undefeated today en route to taking the 165-lb. championship at the 17th Annual Aggie Open at UC Davis. Seven other Lions placed in the tournament that included match-ups against competitive teams from Fresno State, Penn, Air Force and Embry Riddle.

Palmer started the day with a 10-4 decision over Leonel Sanchez, Cal-State Fullerton, in the second round of the tournament. He cruised to a 9-0 decision against Sean Sheets, Fresno State and won the championship semifinal round, 5-2, over David Rivera, Embry Riddle. In the championship round, Palmer won a 11-4 decision over UC Davis’ Mike Font.

Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) was runner-up at 184, going 3-1 on the day. He defeated Menlo College’s Jeff Dahl, 5-1 in the second round of the tournament, and followed up with a 1-0 victory over Josiah Jensen, an unattached competitor from Oregon. Davis defeated Ethan Bullock from Penn in the semifinal round, winning the bout 11-6. In the final round, he dropped a 10-7 decision to San Francisco’s Mauricio Wright.

Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) was 3-1 in tournament action and the runner-up at 149. He notched victories over Alden Lee, University of Nevada Club, (5-2), Jared Shuh, Cal State Fullerton, (4-0) and Scott Thometz, unattached from Boise State (med. forfeit, 9-0). His lone loss was a 9-6 decision to Jody Giuricich from Ivy rival, Penn, in the finals.

The 157-lb. class featured two Columbia matmen in the place-winners, sophomore Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.) and first-year Devin Mesanko (Toms River, N.J.). The duo met in the final round, with Tillman winning the bout, 9-7. His matches consisted of a 10-8 opening round victory over Shane Siebert, Fresno State, a 5-0 decision over Penn’s Brett Vanderveer; Tillman’s lone loss was to Stanford’s Matt Gentry, 9-7.

Three of the Light Blue wrestlers placed sixth in their respective weight classes. Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) was 3-3 in the 125-lb class on his way. He split his first two bouts, opening up with a 2-1 win against Chris Hammer, University of Nevada club, and then falling 6-4 to Joey Bareng from San Francisco State. He came back to earn victories over his next two opponents, Jack Anaya, Bakersfield, and Nathan Peterson, Stanford, respectively. In a tight 11-10 decision in the decision for fifth place, Green fell to Joel Mittleman, unattached Cal-Poly.

Nick Carrier (Hernando, Fla.) went into the match for fifth place with an even 2-2 record, including a win by fall victory over Penn’s Dustin Whiles at the 3:25 mark. Carrier lost by fall at the 3:00 mark to Matt Herrington from Penn. He faced Stanford’s Harold Penson in the finals, dropping a 13-0 bout.

Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.) went 4-2 in his bouts at 197 en route to his sixth place finish. Gerstl dropped one to Ryan Kaiser, Air Force, in a tight 2-1 decision for the opening round, but he was able to bounce back and take three straight victories. Gerstl recorded a 5-2 victory over John Padilla from Pima College, a 7-3 victory over Shawn Mahugh from Bakersfield and a 5-0 decision over Flynn Flicker, a UC Davis wrestler who competed unattached. In the fifth round, Gerstl was paired up with a familiar face in the match up against teammate Ben Tecmire. Gerstl won by fall at the 1:00 mark. Drew Dunbar, San Francisco State, was the victor in the battle for fifth place, winning 11-4.

There was no team score in the tournament. The Lions dual meet record remains at 0-3. Next weekend, the Lions are headed to Buffalo for the N.Y. State Championships.

PALMER KEEPS HOLD ON NATIONAL RANKINGS, HITS NO. 11

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Jan. 9, 2003) - First-year Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) remained nationally ranked this week with his highest spot of the season at a tie for the No.11 slot by TheMat.com coaches poll. He also holds the No. 14 spot in Amateur Wrestling News, No. 13 in the InterMat poll and No. 15 by the Wrestling Mall.

Palmer has a 12-1 record thus far, which includes his tournament victory in the 165-lb. class at the East Stroudsburg Open. He was named the meet's Outstanding Wrestler after his undefeated day, which included a victory over a returning All-American from Penn State, Chris "Doc" Vecchio. At the Penn State Open in early December, Palmer placed third in his 165-lb. class.

The Lions are in California for their annual trip, and will be competing at UC-Davis in the Aggie Open this Saturday. The team is 0-3 in dual meets this season. The next time the Light Blue will meet an opponent in a dual meet is on Feb. 2, when it hosts Penn in Levien Gym.

GRAPPLERS DROP TWO IN CALI

FRESNO, CALIF. (Jan. 3, 2003) – Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) and Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.) each went undefeated on the day, but the Lions were unable to earn their first dual meet win of the season as they dropped two meets tonight.

The first match of the day for the Lions pitted them against the Bulldogs of Fresno State, a team that finished last season ranked No. 18 in the nation. The final team score was 23-14, in the Bulldogs’ favor.

Wrestling started off at the 197-lb. weight class as Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.) lost his bout to Marcio Botelho, 6-2.

The first win of the night came in the 149 lb. match-up, with junior co-captain Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) notching a 3-0 victory over Fresno’s Zhon Kuraspediani.

Sophomore Tillman went on to win the following match, earning an 8-3 decision versus Sean Sheets.

Palmer’s 7-2 decision over Ben Baca gave him the second dual meet victory for his collegiate career, bringing his overall season record to 10-2.

First-year Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) showed strength in the first collegiate visit to his home state, as he notched as technical fall win over Jatinder Singh, with a final score of 20-3.

“There were some highlights to the Fresno match,” said coach Buckley. “Norgaard’s match was a solid one; Tillman did a great job dominating Sheets on top; Palmer’s match was exciting and Davis wrestled very well.”

The second match of the day for the Lions against Oregon State was another tough loss, as the team fell to the Beavers 29-7. Two forfeits were a decisive factor, as Oregon State was spotted 12 points from those alone.

Tillman notched his second bout victory of the day with a 12-3 decision at 157.

Palmer’s 8-4 win added more team points to the Lions’ total.

Nick Carrier (Hernando, Fla.) lost a tough match, as he was unable to pull through falling, 16-3.

Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) was forced to forfeit at 125, and Davis forfeited due to injury.

Bart Seemen (Suffern, N.Y.) had one takedown on his opponent from Oregon State, before he lost by fall at the 3:17 mark.

“We showed some heart, but came up short in the end,” said coach Buckley. “We are looking forward to seeing better results at Davis.”

The Lions are now 0-3 in dual meet action. The team continues its California road-trip when they head to UC-Davis for the Aggie Open on Jan. 11.

HAFEMEISTER, MESANKO AND TECMIRE TRAVEL TO WILKES OPEN

WILKES BARRE, PA. (Dec. 28, 2002) - First-year Devin Mesanko (Toms River, N.J.) went 5-1 before his medical forfeit on the first day of competition at the 157 lb. weight class. Classmate Sven Hafemeister (Leipzig, Germany) was 2-2 on the day at 174, with Ben Tecmire (Howell, Mich.) going 0-2 at 197. All three wrestlers were wrestling unattached.

Mesanko split his first two decisions on the day, then went on to win four straight bouts. Despite his strong finish, he was unable to compete the second day of the tournament due to illness. His only loss came to Dave Miller, who was wrestling unattached and who Mesanko competed against while he was in high school.

"It was a lot of wrestling," said CU grad assistant Yero Washington. "He [Mesanko] did well."

Hafemeister's 2-2 record for the day included a win by fall at three minutes over Michael Seluritsky from Nassau Community College.

Tecmire's opponents were Joel Edwards from Penn State and Andrew Helms, who wrestled unattached.

The Columbia squad returns to the mats this Friday, Jan. 3 when it travels to head coach Buckley and grad assistant Washington's alma mater Fresno State in Fresno, Calif. While there, CU also will compete against Oregon State and Embry Riddle. The day begins at 3 p.m. local time.

PALMER, NORGAARD RANKED NATIONALLY BY AWN; EIWA HONORS TWO OTHERS

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Dec. 11, 2002) - First-year Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) maintained a hold in the national rankings this week by Amateur Wrestling News magazine, at No. 9, and junior Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) hit the ranks at No. 18 for the first time this season. The rankings come after last weekend's action when the Lions traveled to the Penn State Open.

Palmer went 4-1 on the day, and placed third overall in the tournament. His only loss was to Noel Thompson of Hofstra, the eventual champion of the weight class. Palmer also is ranked nationally by The Wrestling Mall, as he is No. 12 according to the Dec. 11 poll. The EIWA currently has him ranked No. 2, behind nationally ranked Troy Letters from Lehigh.

Norgaard ran a 4-2 record on the day, placing fourth in the consolation round to Nathan Galloway, who was wrestling unattached. His victories included a win by decision over Ivy League opponent Craig Wright from Penn. Norgaard also was given some ink by the EIWA, as he was ranked fifth in the conference this week.

The EIWA rankings for the week of Dec. 9 honored two other Lions matmen. Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) was ranked No. 6 in the 125-weight class. Green placed fourth at the tournament in State College, Pa. last weekend, including a victory over Hofstra's Pat Flynn, who's ranked No. 12 in the country.

Also honored was Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.), ranked sixth in 184-weight class. Davis was a third place finisher in the Penn State Open, notching a victory over a No. 19 ranked opponent from Hofstra, Brad Christie.

There was no team score in the tournament, leaving the team's dual meet record at 0-1. The Lions will not compete again until January 3 when they head out to Fresno, California for a trio of duals against Fresno State, Oregon State and Embry Riddle.

FIVE LIONS ARE PLACERS AT PENN STATE OPEN

STATE COLLEGE, PA. (Dec. 9, 2002) - Five Lions placed in the Penn State Open yesterday with first-year's Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) and Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) both coming in third overall in their weight classes.

Palmer was third in the 165-lb class, losing in the semi-finals to the eventual champion. En route to his third place finish, Davis beat a pair of nationally ranked opponents at 184.

Three other Columbia wrestlers finished in fourth place at the tournament. At 125, Daniel Green (Tulsa, Okla.) beat out No. 12 nationally ranked Pat Flynn from Hofstra to be a fourth place finisher.

Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) notched a pin on his way to a fourth place finish on the day. In the semifinal round, a controversial call against Norgaard for an illegal slam proved to be a determining factor in the final decision.

Nick Carrier (Hernando, Fl.) was the fifth grappler from CU to place in the tournament, beating the third seed at the174-lb. class, on his way to fourth place.

There was no team score in the tournament, leaving the team's dual meet record at 0-1. The Lions will not compete again until January 3 when they head out to Fresno, California for a trio of duals against Fresno State, Oregon State and Embry Riddle.

TEAM CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED. WEATHER FORCES A SCHEDULE CHANGE

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Dec. 6, 2002) - Returning co-captain, senior Steve Popovitch (Transfer, Pa.) and returning letterwinners Mike Gerstl (Westtown, N.Y.) and Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) have been named the team captains for the 2002-03 Lions wrestling team.

All three athletes placed in tournaments last season. Popovitch placed third at the New York State Championships at the 133-lb. weight class and was fourth at EIWA's. Gerstl finished second at the Aggie Open in Davis, Calif. last season as a sophomore, while classmate Norgaard placed fourth at the 2001 East Stroudsburg Open and eighth at the New York State Championships.

"Our team's work ethic has steadily improved each year," said head coach Buckley. "With the leadership provided by Erik, Mike and Steve, our program is only on to bigger and better things."

The Lions most recently competed at the East Stroudsburg Open, and are 0-1 on the season. The weather on Thursday prevented the team from going to the Las Vegas Invitational this weekend. Instead, the matmen are headed to Penn State on Saturday to compete in the Penn State Open.

DAN GABLE TO KEYNOTE COLUMBIA'S BIRTH OF COLLEGIATE WRESTLING BANQUET

NEW YORK, N.Y. (12/2/02) - Wrestling legend Dan Gable will deliver the keynote address at Columbia University's 100th Anniversary of Collegiate Wrestling Celebration Banquet on Feb. 8, 2003. The banquet, the centerpiece of the celebration, is black-tie optional and will be held in Columbia's historic Low Library following the Lions' dual against Ivy League-rival Princeton.

"To have an icon the caliber of Dan Gable speaks volumes about the celebration," said Columbia head wrestling coach Brendan Buckley. "He is an incredible ambassador for wrestling and for collegiate athletics in general."

Dan Gable first gained acclaim as a collegiate wrestler at Iowa State University where he won 99 straight matches, with a NCAA record-string of 25 pins in a row. His only defeat came in the NCAA finals his senior year. Gable was a two-time NCAA champion, three-time All-American and three-time Big Eight champion.

Gable dominated the 1972 Olympics en route to a gold medal. The wrestling legend did not allow a single point. Following his gold medal exploits, Gable would become a coaching legend at the University of Iowa. During his tenure, Gable amassed a career mark of 355-21-5. The legend coached the Hawkeyes to 17 NCAA team titles and 24 consecutive Big Ten championships. His wrestlers earned 45 NCAA individual titles and All-American status 152 times. In addition, Gable twice served as the U.S. Olympic head coach.

The celebration commemorates the nation's first collegiate dual meet held in 1903. Columbia and Yale battled in the center of the Morningside campus in that historic match-up. This year's squad currently is 0-1, following its season opener against East Stroudsburg.

For information or to reserve tickets for the 100th Anniversary of Columbia Wrestling Banquet, call the Columbia University Office of Communications at 212-854-7064 or go on-line at www.GoColumbiaLions.com.

FIRST-YEAR GRAPPLER PALMER GARNERS EIWA WEEKLY HONORS

NEW YORK, N.Y. (11/27/02) -- Columbia Lions wrestler Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) garnered honors from the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association this week, when he was named the EIWA Co-Wrestler of the Week.

Palmer earned this award after winning 5 bouts en route to a victory at the East Stroudsburg Open last weekend. The 165-pounder downed Penn State All-American Doc Vecchio, 10-5, in the championship round to win the weight class. For his performance, he also was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the meet.

Palmer was 1-0 prior to the tournament last weekend, earning his first collegiate victory in the Lions' season opener against East Stroudsburg's Brandon Mihalko by major decision, 17-1. He is now 6-0 on the season.

The award was given to a trio of grapplers, all from the Ivy League.

The wrestling team next competes Dec. 6-7, when they travel to the competitive Las Vegas Invitational.

FIRST-YEAR PALMER WINS AT EAST STROUDSBURG OPEN. THREE LIONS PLACEWINNERS AT THE TOURNAMENT

East Stroudsburg, Pa. (11/23/02) -- First-year Matt Palmer (Germantown, Md.) was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler as he walked away with the victory in the 165 weight class, with a victory over 2001 Penn State All-American Doc Vecchio.

Three Lions grapplers placed third in their respective divisions. In the consolation rounds, junior Erik Norgaard (Leonia, N.J.) won by decision at 149 over Rob Becker from George Mason, 2-0. First-year Devin Mesanko (Toms River, N.J.) won by decision over Keith Smith, 2-1, who was wrestling unattached at 157.

Kirk Davis (Arroyo Grande, Calif.), who was unable to wrestle in last week's season opener due to an injury, placed third overall in the 184 class, winning by fall over Shawn Smith at 1:42. Smith was wrestling unattached.

Dustin Tillman (Fremont, Calif.) was 3-0 in action on the day before being forced to end on injury default.

The tournament included opponents from Ivy League foe, Harvard, to EIWA powerhouse Lehigh.

"There was no team score, but they all wrestled great," said head coach Buckley.

The Lions' hit the road again as they travel to the competitive Las Vegas Invitational Dec. 6-7 in Nevada. The tournament will run both Friday and Saturday.