A NEW START
Although it’s rare for new programs to do well in their first year, Muhlenberg’s first-ever varsity women’s wresting season ended at the national championships. Freshman Kelsey Gelb qualified for the NCWWC Championships in Coralville, Iowa, by placing fourth at 160 at a Region 2 qualifier meet at East Stroudsburg. What’s more “16 of Gelb’s 21 first-season wins were earned by pins.
At the end of the season, two of Gelb’s teammates “freshmen Karla Lazaro and Alessandra Rodriguez “earned high honors for their work off the mat, when they were named NCAA Women’s Wrestling Scholar All-Americans by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
A TIME-HONORED TRADITION
Meanwhile, the well-established men’s wresting team earned the eighth-highest GPA in the country, as well as individual academic awards from the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Nine members of the team were named NCAA DIII Men’s Scholar All-Americans “recognizing success in the sport as well as a GPA of 3.2 or higher.
One of those Scholar All-Americans, senior Andrew Franklin, was also the first Mule men’s wrestler ever to be named Centennial Conference Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The team finishing third at the Centennial Conference Championships and sent a program-record seven athletes to the podium at the regional meet.
