TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK FACTS
This is Columbia
Location New York, N.Y. 10027
2-4
Columbia University
Founded/Enrollment Columbia - 1754/5,708
Coaches & Staff 5
Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling Brendan Buckley
6
Coaches and Staff
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education Dr. M. Dianne Murphy
The Lions 9
2009 Roster
10-15
Returning Player Profiles
16-17
Newcomer Profiles
18
2009-10 Season Outlook
Home Venue (Capacity) University Gymnasium (500) Nickname/Colors Lions/Columbia Blue and White Affiliation/Conference NCAA Division I/Ivy League Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling Brendan Buckley, Fresno State ‘97 (10th Season)
History and Records 20
2008-09 Results
21
2008-09 Season Statistics
23
All-Time Results/Captains
President, Columbia University Lee C. Bollinger
Assistant Coaches Carl Fronhofer, Pitt ‘03 (Second Season) Roman Fleszar, Hofstra ‘01 (First Season)
24
History
25
Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling Endowment
26
Wrestling in the News
27
Columbia Hall of Famers
Wrestling Phone 212-854-5261 Wrestling E-mail wrestling@columbia.edu Letterwinners Returning/Lost 12/8
Administration 29
Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger
30-31
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical
Starters Returning/Lost 6/4 Captains Cary Aldrich ‘10CC, Matt Dunn ‘10CC, Nick Standish ‘11CC
Education Dr. M. Dianne Murphy
2008-09 Record 3-14, 1-4 Ivy League Sports Information Contact Kate Lombard, Asst. Dir. of Sports Information/Media Relations kcl2102@columbia.edu • 212-854-9870 Website
gocolumbialions.com
Columbia University Athletics Mission Statement
Credits The 2009-10 Columbia Wrestling Media Guide was designed and written by Kate Lombard. Edited by Dan Lobacz, Casey Snedecor and Pete McHugh. Photos by Gene Boyars, Mike McLaughlin, Josh McNey, Jenny Hsu and Eileen Barroso. Printing by Register Graphics, Randolph, N.Y.
The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics of Columbia University in the City of New York serves the needs of its students, faculty, staff, alumni and the New York City community. To achieve and maintain excellence, we will: • Recruit student-athletes who will excel in our academic and athletic environment • Foster the physical, mental and emotional development of our studentathletes • Strengthen the bonds between the University and its alumni • Provide outstanding entertainment • Promote and exhibit appropriate sporting behavior by student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans • Instill integrity and values that enhance decision-making • Comply with all NCAA and Ivy League rules and regulations • Empower the Columbia community through a diverse and equitable athletics program that meets the needs of students, alumni, faculty and staff
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N E W YO R K C I T Y I S From its beginnings in a schoolhouse in lower Manhattan, Columbia University has grown to encompass two principal campuses in New York City: the historic, neoclassical campus in the Morningside Heights neighborhood and the modern Medical Center further uptown, in Washington Heights.
Today, Columbia is one of the top academic and research institutions in the world, conducting pathbreaking research in medicine, science, the arts, and the humanities. It includes three undergraduate schools, thirteen graduate and professional schools, and a school of continuing education.
A member of the Ivy League, Columbia sponsors 29 intercollegiate varsity sports for men and women which compete at the Division I level. Columbia has won 11 Ivy League titles over the past three years, the most in any three-year span in school history.
In New York, the greatest city in the world has everything at your fingertips. A baseball game at Yankee Stadium, a world-class Broadway show, or just a ride around the city where neighborhoods flow freely into one another, New York has it all.
COLUMBIA’S HOME
BARACK OBAMA COLUMBIA COLLEGE CLASS OF 1983 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Columbia University has produced a large number of distinguished alumni in many different fields, including but not limited to: David Altchek, CC 1978 • Renowned orthopedic surgeon Roone Arledge, CC 1952 • Former president, ABC News & Sports Caitlin “Katy” Bilodeau, CC 1987 • Two-time Olympian Katherine Boo, BC 1988 • Reporter, The Washington Post William V. Campbell, CC 1962 • Chairman, Intuit, Inc. DeWitt Clinton, CC 1786 • Former N.Y. state senator and governor Gary Cohen, CC 1981 • TV play-by-play announcer, New York Mets Brian De Palma, CC 1962 • Filmmaker Brian Dennehy, CC 1960 • Actor, Tony award-winner Amelia Earhart, GS 1919-1920 • Aviator Eileen Ford, BC 1943 • Co-founder, Ford Modeling Agency Chet Forte, CC 1957 • Director, creator of “Monday Night Football” Matthew Fox, CC 1989 • Actor, “Lost”, “We Are Marshall” Ellen Futter, BC 1971 • Barnard College President Emerita Art Garfunkel, CC 1965 • Musician, Grammy award-winner Lou Gehrig, CC 1923-25 • Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Allen Ginsberg, CC 1948 • Author, Howl and Other Poems Judd Gregg, CC 1969 • U.S. Senator, New Hampshire Maggie Gyllenhaal, CC 1999 • Actress, “The Dark Knight” Alexander Hamilton, King’s College 1774-76 • Secretary of the Treasury Patricia Highsmith, BC 1942 • Author, The Talented Mr. Ripley Eric Holder, CC 1973 • United States Attorney General Langston Hughes, School of Mines 1921-22 • Poet Zora Neale Hurston, BC 1928 • Author, Their Eyes Were Watching God John Jay, King’s College 1764 • Judge, statesman, abolitionist Jack Kerouac, CC 1940-1942 • Author, On The Road Jeanne Kirkpatrick, BC 1948 • First female U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Joel Klein, CC 1967 • Chancellor, New York City school system John Kluge, CC 1937 • Entrepreneur, founder of Metromedia, Inc. Robert Kraft, CC 1963 • Owner, New England Patriots Gene Larkin, CC 1983 • Former Major League Baseball champion Alfred Lerner, CC 1955 • Owner, Cleveland Browns Sid Luckman, CC 1939 • Football Hall of Fame inductee Jim McMillian, CC 1970 • Former NBA champion Philip L. Milstein, CC 1971 • Principal, Ogden CAP Properties Janice Min, CC 1990 • Editor-in-Chief, Us Magazine Martha Nelson, BC 1976 • Managing editor, People; founder, InStyle Cynthia Nixon, BC 1988 • Actress, “Sex and the City” Fernando Perez, CC 2004 • Current Major League Baseball player Joyce Purnick, BC 1967 • Writer, The New York Times Joan Rivers, BC 1954 • Emmy Award-winning comedienne Attoosa Rubenstein, BC 1993 • Editor-in-chief and creator, CosmoGIRL! Michael Sovern, CC 1953 • Columbia University President Emeritus George Stephanopoulos, CC 1982 • Anchor of ABC’s “This Week” Julia Stiles, CC 2005 • Actress, “Save The Last Dance” Cristina Teuscher, CC 2000 • Olympic gold medalist, swimming Russ Warren, CC 1962 • Team physician, New York Giants Marcellus Wiley, CC 1997 • Former All-Pro football player
Alexander Hamilton
Marcellus Wiley
Amelia Earhart
Cristina Teuscher
Robert Kraft
Jim McMillian
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Janice Min
Jack Kerouac
ANDREW F. BARTH HEAD COACH OF WRESTLING BRENDAN BUCKLEY
Brendan Buckley enters his 10th season as The Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling, a fully-endowed position made possible by a gift from Andrew F. Barth ‘83CC ‘85BUS. Buckley is the first head coach to be awarded the position since it was endowed in September 2005. When Buckley moved from the University of Virginia to become Columbia’s head coach in 2000, he listed major plans for the program with the purpose of transforming Columbia into a recognized force in conference, regional and national wrestling circles. The progress Buckley has made is obvious. With five years of nationally-ranked recruiting classes, 20 NCAA qualifiers since his arrival on campus and a school-record eight placewinners at Easterns in 2006-07, it’s clear that he is well on his way to achieving his goal. Over the past five years alone, Columbia has earned 23 All-Ivy League selections, 15 NCAA qualifiers, and the program’s first All-American in 23 years: Matt Palmer ‘07CC. The two-time All-American finished eighth in the 2005 and 2007 NCAA Championships at 165 pounds and 174 pounds, respectively. In 2008-09, Buckley coached heavyweight Ryan Flores to the program’s first Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) title since 1995. Buckley’s leadership has not gone unnoticed regionally. In 2005, he was named the EIWA Coach of the Year, as he led the Lions to one of the best seasons in the program’s long history. Columbia finished fourth at the 2005 EIWA Championships, the team’s best finish at the meet since 1931. The Lions also won the EIWA Wrestling Officials’ Sportsmanship Award. Columbia made further improvements in 2007, as the team earned its first-ever top 25 ranking, eight wrestlers placed at the EIWA Championships, four team members qualified for nationals and Matt Palmer earned his second All-America honor. In 2008, Buckley had his second first-year receive Amateur Wrestling News All-Rookie Team honors, as heavyweight Ryan Flores was named to the second team. Matt Palmer also received All-Rookie Team distinction in 2003. Buckley came to Columbia from the University of Virginia, where he had been the top assistant coach from 1998 to 2000. He helped lead the Cavaliers to two straight top-25 finishes in the NCAA Championships, while at the same time having a role in developing three All-Americans and seven NCAA qualifiers. One of his prize pupils, Steve Garland, reached the title match of the 2000 NCAA Championships at 125 pounds, upsetting top-seeded Jody Strittmatter of Iowa in the quarterfinals. Prior to Virginia, Buckley was the chief assistant coach at the University of California at Davis and at Sacramento City College. Serving at UC Davis during 1997-98, he was instrumental in the Aggies’ best season ever which included victories over Stanford and Southern Oregon. He coached Mike Collier, the first UC Davis wrestler ever to win an NCAA championship-round match. During his tenure at Sacramento City College, five wrestlers earned All-America status. Originally from Long Island, Buckley lived in Buffalo, N.Y., for a period before moving to Orlando, Fla. He was a high school All-American and Florida State champion at 135 pounds for Lake Howell High, then starred at Clemson where he made the freshman All-American team his first year and reached the NCAA Final 16 as a 142-lb. sophomore. When Clemson dropped wrestling after the 1994-95 season, Buckley transferred to Fresno State, where he wrestled under the famed Dennis DeLiddo. He was a Western Athletic Conference champion for the Bulldogs and earned All-America status in 1997, when he placed seventh at the NCAA Championship at 142 pounds. Buckley graduated from Fresno State in 1997 with a B.A. in speech communication. He currently lives in Manhattan and is pursuing a master’s degree in Sports Management from Columbia.
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COACHING STAFF
CARL FRONHOFER Assistant Coach Second Season Pitt ‘03
Carl Fronhofer, a former All-American at the University of Pittsburgh, and current member of the US national team, joined the Columbia wrestling coaching staff in August 2008. Fronhofer’s presencse has been felt after just one season on the Lions’ coaching staff. He worked primarily with heavyweight Ryan Flores, coaching him to his Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) title in 2009. In doing so, Flores became the first Columbia wrestler to win a conference title since 1995. Still competing himself, Fronhofer qualified for the World Team Trials after winning the Northeast Senior Regional Freestyle Championships in early April 2009. He went on to place second at the trials, earning a spot on the US National Team at 85 kilograms. Fronhofer comes to Columbia after spending the previous two seasons as the top assistant at Bloomsburg University. Prior to his time with the Huskies, Fronhofer spent three seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh. During his coaching tenure, Fronhofer helped coach five of his student-athletes to AllAmerican honors. Fronhofer accumulated a record of 123-39 while wrestling for Pitt, ranking third in the Panthers’ record book for wins. During that span, Fronhofer qualified for the NCAA’s each of his four years. He capped his illustrious career by earning All-America honors as a senior, after reaching the NCAA finals at 174 pounds. By doing so, he became the first All-American for the Panthers in three years, and was the first NCAA finalist for the program in 13 years. That same season, Fronhofer was named Academic All-American, and the 2003 Eastern Wrestling League Wrestler of the Year. Fronhofer translated his collegiate success to the senior level as well, earning Greco-Roman All-American honors four times from 1999-2002 and Freestyle All-American honors in 2005. His placement at the US Open Championships qualified him for the US World Team Trials in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2009. Fronhofer graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh in 2003 with a degree in sociology.
ROMAN FLESZAR Assistant Coach First Season Hofstra ‘01
Two-time All-American Roman Fleszar joined the Columbia wrestling coaching staff in October 2009. “We are very excited to have Roman Fleszar joining our staff,” said Brendan Buckley, the Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling. “He grew up not too far from Columbia, where he won two state titles for Kittatinny High School in New Jersey before he went on to be a two-time NCAA All-American at Hofstra University. We feel Roman has a tremendous amount of knowledge to share with the team.” Wrestling at 133 pounds, the Newton, N.J., native was a two-time All-American for the Pride, placing seventh as a junior and fifth as a senior. He was also a three-time East Coast Wrestling Association conference champion. Fleszar arrives to Morningside Heights after coaching at Centenary College for one season. Prior to his stint with the Cyclones, Fleszar worked closely with the Stillwater-Fredon Youth Wrestling Club where he built and aligned a youth program focusing on training and technique. “Roman is a mature and great individual that will relate well to our student-athletes. We know he will have an immediate impact on our program and are eager for him to begin work immediately,” added Buckley. In addition to his two state titles at Kittatinny, Fleszar was a three-time state finalist and Beast of the East Champion as a senior. A 2001 graduate of Hofstra, Fleszar majored in video/television with a minor in art history.
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STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
TOMMY SHEEHAN
Director of Stregnth and Conditioning Eleventh Season Rochester ‘90 Tommy Sheehan is in his 11th year as a full-time Athletics Department staff member, his eighth as Director of Strength and Conditioning. In that position, he supervises a two-person staff in all aspects of strength and conditioning for Columbia’s 29 intercollegiate teams. Well-known throughout the strength and conditioning profession, he was asked to produce an instructional DVD during the past year for the Cleveland Indians, on movement training in an off-season conditioning program. It was shot at the Indians’ Jacobs Field and distributed to the players in the Cleveland system. Sheehan first came to Columbia in the fall of 1990 as a graduate assistant on the football staff, reuniting him with Columbia’s head coach at the time, Ray Tellier. Tellier had originally recruited the Buffalo, N.Y., native when he was head coach at the University of Rochester. Sheehan spent three years on the Columbia staff, and earned a master’s in applied physiology. He then joined the New York State Police as a physical training instructor before attending the State Police academy and becoming a New York State trooper. He left the police force two years later and returned to Columbia as assistant strength and conditioning coach. He was named Director of Strength and Conditioning in 2001. Sheehan is one of the finest offensive players in the University of Rochester’s gridiron history. An All-American as a junior and senior, he twice earned All-ECAC and all-conference honors. He ranks among the Yellowjackets’ all-time leaders in every receiving category, and topped the list at the completion of his playing career in receiving yardage for a game (189), season (835), and career (1,982). In 2005, he was inducted into Rochester’s Athletics Hall of Fame. Sheehan and his wife, Dr. Tricia Lipani, live in Morningside Heights. Dr. Lipani, a former track and field athlete at Columbia, is a psychologist in the hematology department at Columbia University Medical Center. She holds a master’s and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Vanderbilt.
Aldo T. "Buff" Donelli Strength & Conditioning Room In 1995, Columbia opened the state-of-the-art Aldo T. “Buff” Donelli Intercollegiate Strength & Conditioning Room, which serves all of Columbia’s intercollegiate athletes. The 6,000 square-foot facility, a $2.5 million project, includes 20,000 pounds of free weights, 65 multifaceted exercise stations and 10 self-contained power areas (SCPAs).
Strength & Conditioning Philosophy Columbia’s strength and conditioning coaches are dedicated to the improvement of an athlete’s performance. Our student-athletes are not trained to be power lifters or body builders. The program makes use of multi-joint movements emphasizing triple extension of the ankle, knee and hip as it relates to movement. Columbia student-athletes train from the ground up; they work with their feet on the ground in free space. Student-athletes receive instruction in movement training. Initially, the foot is educated in strength, reaction and timing. The body is then trained to respond in synchronized motion. Our student-athletes gain balance, explosiveness, quickness and efficiency in the execution of sport-specific drills. This system develops the movement patterns to create an on-balance condition that every student-athlete must have in order to reach his or her potential. We use video to identify and correct compensations to improve balance. Balance and efficiency are keys to improving performance and reducing the risk of injury.
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MEET THE LIONS
COLUMBIA - 8 - WRESTLING
2009-10 ROSTER
Name
Wt.
Cl.
Hometown/High School
Cary Aldrich Eren Civan Ryan Doyle Matt Dunn Robert Dyar Kyle Gilchrist Andrew Grabfelder Kevin Lester Chris Manna Lou Miller Nick Mills Jake O'Hara Eric Rice Steve Santos Tyler Sheridan Nick Standish Shane Strumwasser Jonathan Weibel Stephen West
184 165 141 149 125 125 133 Hwt. Hwt. 197 184 141 157 149 157 149 149 165 165
Sr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr. So. So. So. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Jr. So. So. Fr.
Warren, N.J./The Peddie School Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman Clemmons, N.C./Forsyth Country Day School Transfer, Pa./Reynolds Birmingham, Ala./Vestavia Hills Jefferson, Ohio/Jefferson Area Collegeville, Pa./Germantown Academy Nampa, Idaho/Nampa Franklin Lakes, N.J./Blair Academy Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier South Euclid, Ohio/University School Mountaintop, Pa./Crestwood Short Hills, N.J./Millburn Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial Concord, Calif./De La Salle Washington, Pa./Trinity Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown Fresno, Calif./Buchanan
Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling: Brendan Buckley, Fresno State ‘97 (10th season) Assistant Coaches: Carl Fronhofer, Pitt ‘03 (Second season), Roman Fleszar, Hofstra ‘01 (First season)
WHERE ARE THEY FROM? Idaho - 1
New York - 1 California - 2
CLASS BREAKDOWN First-Years - 8 Sophomores - 5 Juniors - 3 Seniors - 3
Ohio - 3
New Jersey - 4 Pennsylvania - 5 Maryland - 1 North Carolina - 1
Alabama -1
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2009 LIONS
CARY ALDRICH
MATT DUNN
2008-09: Named one of the team’s captains ... picked up two wins at the Brute Open including a technical fall over Justin Sachse (Drexel) and an 11-2 major decision over Ron Piscatella (Hofstra) ... finished 3-3 at Wilkes Open ... won by major decision over Kevin Bailey (Lehigh), 13-2 ... defeated McPaul Ogbonna (Rutgers) 2-0.
2008-09: Finished the season 8-17 at 149 pounds ... went 3-2 at New York State Championships to finish fifth ... defeated Chase Smith (Wyoming) 7-2 at Sunshine Duals.
Sr. • 6-2 • 184 • Co-Captain Warren, N.J. The Peddie School
2007-08: Picked up two wins at the Wilkes Open ... defeated William Osilaja (Army) 10-2 and James Faherty (Brockport) 11-3. 2006-07: Gained much experience as a first-year backup to Justin Barent at 184 ... finished third at the New York State Championships ... picked up two wins at the Nittany Lion Open ... defeated Zach Morse (Princeton) 12-6 in dual meet. The Peddie School: Took a post-graduate year at The Peddie School ... National Prep champion and New Jersey State Prep champ, going 31-2 ... defeated Nebraska recruit Bobby Laraway twice in National Preps. Watchung Hills: District champion, seventh in New Jersey State Championships as a high school senior, with a 22-4 record ... 104-42 career. Personal: Sociology major ... son of Richard and Susan ... Cary George Aldrich, b. 1-23-87. CARY ALDRICH’S CAREER RESULTS 2006-07: 8-7, 1-0 Ivy League 2007-08: 4-4, 0-0 Ivy League 2008-09: 5-5, 0-0 Ivy League Career: 17-16, 1-0 Ivy League
Sr. • 5-7 • 157 • Co-Captain Transfer, Pa. Reynolds
2007-08: Named second team All-Ivy League after jumping up a weight class to 157 ... finished 5-0 in Ivy League action ... won 13 consecutive matches leading up to EIWA Championships ... won the New York State Championship after defeating Sean Joyce of Army, 2-0 in the finals. 2006-07: Advanced to NCAA Championships at 149 ... placed fourth at Easterns, defeating Rick Rappo (Penn) 8-3 and Damian Swietlik (American) 6-4 in overtime ... earned Ivy League honorable mention ... was 2-2 in the conference, winning matches over Rick Rappo (Penn) 9-6 and Bryan Tracy (Brown) 9-2 in dual meets ... took second at the Keystone Classic with a 3-1 record ... finished second at the New York State Championships. Reynolds High: Ranked as high as first in the nation (W.I.N. Magazine) in his senior season ... two-time state champion ... placed second as a junior and third as a sophomore ... represented Pennsylvania in the Dapper Dan Classic in Pittsburgh ... 176-11 during four years of high school ... state recipient of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award ... won Ohio’s Ironman Tournament, and was named the Outstanding Wrestler after beating nation’s top-ranked Lance Palmer ... placed fourth in the Beast of the East. Personal: Political science major ... son of John and Ruth Dunn ... Matthew James Dunn, b. 6-26-87. MATT DUNN’S CAREER RECORD 2006-07: 17-12, 2-2 Ivy League 2007-08: 19-9, 5-0 Ivy League 2008-09: 8-17, 0-3 Ivy League Career: 44-38, 7-5 Ivy League
MATT DUNN ‘10CC
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LOU MILLER
2009 LIONS
EREN CIVAN
Sr. • 6-0 • 197 Cincinnati, Ohio St. Xavier
2008-09: Compiled a 22-11 record at 197 pounds ... placed third at the EIWA Championships after defeating Branden Stearns (Brown), 5-3 ... finished 5-1 at the conference tournament, dropping only a 2-1 tiebreaker decision to Richard Starks (Army) ... placed third at the Wilkes Open with a 7-1 record ... dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker to #8 Cayle Byers (George Mason) on 1/25/09 ... named first team All-Ivy League in the fall as a defensive end on the Lions’ football team. 2007-08: Joined the wrestling team in the second semester ... defeated Andrew Knapp (Harvard) 3-1 ... key defensive end on the football team. At St. Xavier High: Earned two letters in football and three in wrestling ... captain of wrestling as a senior ... named first team all-league and alldistrict in football ... second team all-state ... earned league’s most valuable linebacker award ... football team was state champions in 2005 ... two-time all-league in wrestling, first team as a senior ... fifth in the state in 2006 ... finished with a 29-4 record with 150 takedowns as a senior ... wrestled at Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D. in 2005 and 2006. Personal: History major ... brother, Dave Miller, played football at Yale ... younger brother Evan is a sophomore on the Columbia football team ... Lou Kreber Miller, b. 1-25-88. LOU MILLER’S CAREER RECORD 2007-08: 5-1, 2-1 Ivy League 2008-09: 22-11, 3-2 Ivy League Career: 27-12, 5-3 Ivy League
Jr. • 5-11 • 165 Bethesda, Md. Walt Whitman
2008-09: Named second team All-Ivy League at 165 pounds after finishing 4-1 ... lone Ivy League loss came in a hard fought 8-7 setback to top-ranked Mack Lewnes of Cornell ... went 5-1 at Wilkes Open ... finished second at the New York State Wrestling Championships ... earned a 15-6 major decision over Christopher Stout (American) in dual action. 2007-08: Started the season 2-2 before suffering a season-ending injury ... defeated NCAA qualifier Ethan Headlee (Pitt), 4-2 at Mat Town. At Walt Whitman: Earned four varsity letters in wrestling ... two-time team captain ... Amateur Wrestling News Scholastic All-American ... three-time Maryland state champion at 130 in 2004, 140 in 2005 and 152 in 2006 ... won county and regional championship three times each ... Washington Post All-Met Wrestler 2005 and 2006 ... 2006 Washington Post All-Met Wrestler of the Year ... 2005 Cadet National Champion in Freestyle and Greco ... FILA Cadet National Champion Freestyle and OW in 2006 ... 135-1 high school record ... team won 2005 state championship. Personal: Economics major ... son of Engin and Michele ... Eren Pars Civan, b. 6-15-89.
EREN CIVAN’S CAREER RECORD 2007-08: 2-2, 0-0 Ivy League 2008-09: 17-11, 4-1 Ivy League Career: 19-13, 4-1 Ivy League
EREN CIVAN ‘11CC
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2009 LIONS
ERIC RICE
NICK STANDISH
2008-09: Did not compete.
2008-09: Jumped up a weight class to 149, where he finished 6-7 ... picked up two wins at the Brute Open ... finished 4-0 in New York State “B” Championships.
Jr. • 5-8 • 149 • Co-Captain Washington, Pa. Trinity
Jr. • 5-6 • 157 Short Hills, N.J. Millburn
2007-08: First-year season cut short after an early injury ... competed at East Stroudsburg Open, Mat Town Open, and the Nittany Lion Open. At Millburn: Earned four varsity letters in wrestling and one in football ... captained wrestling team as junior and senior ... named to Team NJ ... New Jersey State Freestyle runner-up ... first team All-Northern Hills Conference ... was 34-9 at 145 weight class as senior ... earned 85 career victories ... wrestled with Team NJ 2006 Junior National Champions. Personal: Anthropology major ... spent several summers working on Etruscan dig sites ... mother, Lenore, graduated from Barnard College in 1976 ... Eric Joseph Rice, b. 6-18-88.
ERIC RICE’S CAREER RECORD 2007-08: 0-6, 0-0 Ivy League 2008-09: 0-0, 0-0 Ivy League Career: 0-6, 0-0 Ivy League
2007-08: Earned valuable experience as a firstyear at 141 ... defeated Justin Giani (Drexel) 4-0 at East Stroudsburg Open ... picked up two wins at the New York State Championships including a 7-3 decision over Michael Gregg (Oneonta). Trinity High: Earned 11 varsity letters in wrestling, cross country and track ... captained wrestling team twice, cross country team three times and track team in 2007 ... Washington County Tournament champion as junior and senior ... two-time WPIAL Section winner ... placed fourth in WPIAL/Southwest Region ... Observer Reporter All-Star Team ... Iron Man Award ... Woody Yaw Award (most improved) ... valedictorian ... Wendy’s High School Heisman state finalist ... National Merit Commended Scholar ... AP Scholar with Honor ... National School Orchestra Award ... Rotary Club Award. Personal: Double majoring in English and history ... uncle, Mark Rich, played football at Pittsburgh ... uncle, Frank Rich, wrestled at Pittsburgh ... grandfather, Mike Rich, played football at Waynesburg College ... Nicholas John Standish, b. 1-5-89. NICK STANDISH’S CAREER RECORD 2007-08: 6-13, 0-3 Ivy League 2008-09: 6-7, 0-2 Ivy League Career: 12-20, 0-5 Ivy League
NICK STANDISH ‘11CC
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2009 LIONS
KYLE GILCHRIST
ANDREW GRABFELDER
2008-09: Finished 12-11 as a first-year at 125 pounds ... also competed in three matches at 133 pounds ... placed fifth at New York State Championships finishing 3-2 ... won by technical fall over Robert Benitez (Princeton), 17-1, in dual action.
2008-09: Gained tons of experience as a first-year ... finished 13-13 at 133 pounds ... placed third at the Brute Open and New York State Championships.
So. • 5-8 • 125 Jefferson, Ohio Jefferson Area
At Jefferson Area: Three-time Ohio state medalist ... 2007 AAU All-American ... three-time Ashtabula County Wrestler of the Year ... recorded 175 career wins ... class valedictorian ... three-time Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association Academic All-Ohioan member. Personal: Plans to major in history ... son of Debbie and Iain ... Kyle Gilchrist, b. 11-29-89 in Painesville, Ohio.
So. • 5-7 • 133 Collegeville, Pa. Germantown Academy
At Germantown Academy: Received six letters in wrestling, three in track ... captained wrestling team as a junior and senior ... career record of 175-30 with 103 falls ... set a school record his sophomore year for most falls in a season with 36 ... 2008 National Prep champion ... 2008 Beast of the East champion ... ranked 14th in the country ... three-time Pennsylvania Prep state champion ... three-time National Prep medalist ... placed fourth at Ironman Invitational ... Germantown Academy Male Athlete of the Year. Personal: Intends to major in business ... son of Elizabeth and Mark ... Andrew Christian Grabfelder, b. 11-8-89 in Norristown, Pa.
KYLE GILCHRIST’S CAREER RECORDS 2008-09: 12-14, 1-2 Ivy League Career: 12-14, 1-2 Ivy League
ANDREW GRABFLEDER’S CAREER RECORDS 2008-09: 13-13, 1-2 Ivy League Career: 13-13, 1-2 Ivy League
ANDREW GRABFELDER ‘12CC
COLUMBIA - 13 - WRESTLING
2009 LIONS
KEVIN LESTER
SHANE STRUMWASSER
2008-09: Did not compete ... took part in a Mormon mission.
2008-09: Gained valuable experience as a firstyear at 141 pounds ... gained three wins at the Brute Open ... defeated Cameron Teitelman (Stanford) 7-6 ... picked up a win against Matt Pagan (Navy) 6-4 at the EIWA Championships.
So. • 6-5 • Hwt. Nampa, Idaho Nampa
So. • 5-8 • 149 Massapequa Park, N.Y. Massapequa
2007-08: Did not compete ... took part in a Mormon mission. 2006-07: Placed sixth at Easterns as a first-year ... earned Ivy League honorable mention for the season after finishing 3-2 in the conference and 19-13 overall ... won first place at heavyweight at the New York State Championships ... defeated Arkadiy Levitin (Hunter) 8-7 for the title ... beat Ben Reiter (Penn) 13-8 in team’s upset of 17th-ranked Quakers ... earned 13-10 and 7-4 decisions over Andrew Knap (Harvard) in dual meet and at Easterns. Nampa High: Three-time Idaho state placewinner ... 2006 state champion at 215 after finishing fourth as a junior and sixth as a sophomore, both at 189 ... state title capped a 51-2 senior season that included 46 pins and 286 team points ... Nampa High career record of 149-32 ... Cadet All-American after placing eighth in 2004 Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals ... two-time Western Region champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman ... six-time state champion ... two-time Reno Worlds runner-up ... wrestled on Idaho State Cadet Team which placed fourth in 2004 national cadet duals ... recruited for football by Boise State. Personal: Majoring in psychology ... son of Walter and Jody Lester ... Kevin Reed Lester, b. April 27, 1988.
At Massapequa: Earned six letters in wrestling and three in cross country ... captained wrestling team as a senior ... holds the school record with 165 career wins ... two-time New York State High School place winner, placing third and fourth ... three-time Eastern States Classic runner-up ... New York State Section XIII Champion of Champions ... Newsday All-Long Island selection ... USA Wrestling Freestyle AllAmerican ... USA Wrestling Greco-Roman All-American ... 2008 Western Regional Freestyle Champion ... six-time New York State Scholar Athlete Award winner. Personal: Liberal arts student ... son of Jackie and Steve ... Shane Scott Strumwasser, b. 10-2-90 in Bethpage, N.Y.
SHANE STRUMWASSER’S CAREER RECORDS 2008-09: 6-17, 1-4 Ivy League Career: 6-17, 1-4 Ivy League
KEVIN LESTER’S CAREER RECORDS 2006-07: 19-13, 3-2 Ivy League Career: 19-13, 3-2 Ivy League
KEVIN LESTER ‘12CC
COLUMBIA - 14 - WRESTLING
2009 LIONS
JONATHAN WEIBEL
So. • 5-11 • 174 Quakertown, Pa. Quakertown
2008-09: Suffered season-ending injury in his first match. At Quakertown: Earned four letters in wrestling... captained team as a junior and senior... career record of 142-38... two-time Pennsylvania 3A state medalist... four-time Pennsylvania 3A state qualifier... 2008 Beast of the East medalist... 2008 American Conference Wrestler of the Year... two-time All-State Academic Team... Distinguished Honor Roll eight times... twice All-State Wrestling Academic Team. Personal: Intends to major in economics ... son of Cathy and Paul ... father, Paul Weibel Jr., played four years of football at Franklin & Marshall ... brother, Paul Weibel III, wrestled for four years at Lehigh ... Jonathan Daniel Weibel, b. 6-17-89.
JONATHAN WEIBEL ‘12CC
COLUMBIA - 15 - WRESTLING
2009 FIRST-YEARS
RYAN DOYLE
CHRIS MANNA
Coach Buckley on Doyle: “Ryan is a wrestler who is committed year-round. He is a true student of the sport, competing in all three styles of wrestling throughout his career. A highly successful student and wrestler, he will add depth at 141 pounds.”
Coach Buckley on Manna: “After a successful high school career, Chris spent this past year training with the best high school team in the country as a post-graduate. A highly touted football recruit, Chris has decided to commit himself to wrestling in college and will bring tremendous depth at heavyweight.”
Fr. • 5-4 • 141 Clemmons, N.C. Forsyth Country Day School
Fr. • 5-8 • Hwt. Franklin Lakes, N.J. Blair Academy
At Forsyth: Three-time conference champion ... placed fourth at the state tournament in 2008 ... state runner-up in freestyle and Greco ... team was four-time North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISAA) State Tournament Champions ... four-year letterwinner in wrestling ... team captain as a senior ... member of the National Honors Society.
At Blair Academy: Competed at heavyweight at Blair for a PG year ... wrestling team was ranked first in the country ... placed third at NCWA’s at 235 pounds ... captain of football team.
Personal: Liberal arts student ... son of Rose and Philip Doyle ... Ryan Patrick Doyle, b. 12-8-90 in Wilmington, N.C.
At Don Bosco Prep: Finished third at the state championships as a senior ... first team All-Bergen County at heavyweight in 2008 ... four-year letterwinner in wrestling and football ... captained both teams as a senior. Personal: Liberal arts student ... son of Kathleen and Michael Manna ... mother, Kathleen, graduated from Barnard ... Christopher Gabriel Manna, b. 12-28-89 in New York, N.Y.
ROBERT DYAR
NICK MILLS
Coach Buckley on Dyar: “Robert, a member of the Asics Dream Team as well as a participant in the ‘Dapper Dan Classic,’ has been among the best in the nation in every style of wrestling. His level of dedication to the sport and his drive to be successful will be a valuable asset to the team.”
Coach Buckley on Mills: “Nick comes to us from Ohio having wrestled in some of the toughest competitions in the country. He is an outstanding athlete and he will be an immediate factor at 184 pounds this year. We are looking for big things from him.”
At Vestavia: Team won three straight 6A state titles ... Alabama 6A state champion in 2008 (103 pounds) and 2009 (112 pounds) and runner-up in 2007 (103 pounds) ... placed third at Junior Greco Nationals and fifth in freestyle in 2008 ... selected to wrestle for Team USA at the 2009 Dapper Dan Classic ... earned four letters in wrestling ... team captain as a senior.
At University School: State runner up in 2009 at 189 pounds ... placed sixth as a sophomore and third as a junior at the state tournament ... threetime wrestling All-Ohio academic honors ... earned four letters in wrestling, one in football ... wrestling team captain as a senior.
Fr. • 5-6 • 125 Birmingham, Ala. Vestavia Hills
Personal: Liberal arts student ... son of Mary and Jefferson Dyar Jr., b. 727-91 in Birmingham, Ala.
Fr. • 6-0 •184 South Euclid, Ohio University School
Personal: Spanish major ... son of Robert Mills and Jennifer McGraw ... Nicholas Robert Mills, b. 10-19-90 in Dallas, Texas.
COLUMBIA - 16 - WRESTLING
2009 FIRST-YEARS
JAKE O’HARA
TYLER SHERIDAN
Coach Buckley on O’Hara: “Wrestling in arguably the toughest weight class in any state tournament this past season, Jake comes to us as one of the most underrated wrestlers in the country. A highly technical wrestler and battle-tested competitor, we have high expectations for Jake in the
Coach Buckley on Sheridan: “Another incoming freshman who is a year-round wrestler, Tyler brings a wealth of experience in all three styles of wrestling. He is a tough competitor and has the potential to be a highly successful collegiate wrestler. We expect Tyler to challenge for a spot at
Fr. • 5-7 • 141 Mountaintop, Pa. Crestwood
Fr. • 5-8 • 157 Concord, Calif. De La Salle
coming years.”
157 pounds.”
At Crestwood: Four-time PIA AAA District 2 champion ... PIAA AAA state place finisher as a sophomore (eighth), junior (fourth) and senior (third) ... four-year letterwinner in wrestling and tennis ... three-time wrestling cocaptain.
At De La Salle: Two-time team league champion ... became the school’s first ever four-time individual league champion ... North Coast Section Champion in 2008 and 2009 ... placed seventh at the California State Championships as a junior and senior ... four-time Greco-Roman and one-time Freestyle All-American ... four-year letterwinner in wrestling ... captained the team as a junior and senior.
Personal: Liberal arts student who intends to major in economics ... son of Mollie Caffrey and Gerald O’Hara ... Jacob O’Hara, b. 9-8-90 in Reading, Pa.
Personal: Liberal arts student ... son of Cindy and Darin Sheridan ... Tyler James Sheridan, b. 1-17-91 in Walnut Creek, Calif.
STEVE SANTOS
STEPHEN WEST
Fr. • 5-5 • 149 Brick, N.J. Brick Memorial
Coach Buckley on Santos: “Steve made his mark in New Jersey by going undefeated this season as well as winning a state title in dominant fashion. An intense wrestler with a huge gas tank, Steve will push himself and the team to work harder every day. The sky is the limit for Steve and we are excited to have him in the wrestling room.” At Brick Memorial: State champion in 2009 at 152 pounds after compiling a 43-0 record ... first team all-county, all-shore and all-state as a senior ... state finalist as a junior ... named second team all-county, all-shore, and all-state in 2008 ... team was two-time Group IV State Champions ... won four letters in wrestling ... team captain as a senior. Personal: Liberal arts student ... son of Lisa and Aurelio Santos ... father, Aurelio, wrestled for Seton Hall ... Steven Aurelio Santos, b. 1-9-91 in Englewood, N.J.
Fr. • 5-10 • 174 Fresno, Calif. Buchanan
Coach Buckley on West: “Our other California native, Stephen comes to us from Buchanan High School, located in the state’s most competitive area for wrestling, the central valley. Highly decorated in both freestyle and folkstyle wrestling, he is expected to challenge at 165 pounds this year. Stephen is a wrestler with the potential to be a highly successful Division I competitor.” At Buchanan: Runner-up at California State Championship in 2009 ... placed third as a junior at state championships ... finished fifth at Junior Nationals Freestyle & Folkstyle in 2008 ... four-year letterwinner in wrestling ... captained the team as a junior and senior. Personal: Liberal arts student who plans to major in political science ... son of Cathy and Bob West ... Stephen Arthur West, b. 4-2-91 in Seaford, Del.
COLUMBIA - 17 - WRESTLING
2009-10 Season Preview The 2009-10 wrestling team features a number of new faces and looks to improve upon last season. This year’s roster features 14 underclassmen and just six juniors and seniors. The Lions have three wrestlers ranked in the top-five in the conference and boast a freshmen class that was ranked in the top-25 by WIN Magazine and Intermat Wrestling. “After a strong pre-season phase of training, the team is in terrific shape as we ran, lifted, and wrestled with a lot of intensity,” said Brendan Buckley, the Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling. “We will be young and there will be some new faces in our line-up, but the coaching staff is confident that these guys are ready.” The coaching staff is enthusiastic and anxious for the new season to get underway with a fresh start and new energy. “The thing that stands out most about the current team is a fresh attitude and work ethic that we believe will equate to more success this year,” Buckley continued. “Our goals remain the same - to become the best team in the Ivy League and the EIWA Conference and will look to qualify more individuals to the NCAA Tournament to compete for All-American status.” 125 Kyle Gilchrist returns after a solid freshman campaign when he won 12 matches, including three at the prestigious Midlands Invitational. Gilchrist will be challenged by first-year Robert Dyar, who was a two-time state champion in Alabama, and a two-time All-American at the Junior National Tournament. 133 Andrew Grabfelder is the returning starter at this weight. The sophomore experienced an injury that slowed him for most of last season, but returns stronger and much improved. 141 Jake O’Hara should man the spot at this weight class. The first-year was a three-time place winner at the prestigious Pennsylvania state tournament. His classmate Ryan Doyle, a state place-winner from North Carolina, will be challenging O’Hara at this weight class. 149 This weight is the deepest on the team, as three wrestlers will compete for the starting spot. Nick Standish has the most experience having wrestled at the EIWA Tournament each of the last two seasons. He will be challenged by Shane Strumwasser, who returns bigger, stronger and much improved from last year. Steve Santos, one of the stars of the 2013 class, will also be competing at this weight and is the most decorated on paper. Santos was a New Jersey state champion and Junior National All-American. 157 Matt Dunn will return to this weight class after wrestling at 149 last season. In 2007-08, Dunn was a second team All-Ivy League honoree at 157, and was an NCAA qualifier in 2007. He will be challenged by first-year Tyler Sheridan, who was a two-time California state place winner and multiple time All-American at the Junior National Tournament. Also at 157 is Eric Rice, a junior from Short Hills, N.J., who has spot-started for the Lions the last two seasons. 165 Eren Civan, ranked fifth in the conference in the preseason poll, will take the reigns again at this weight class after a solid season last year. But it was in the off-season where Civan really came into his own when he won the Northeast Regional Tournament and made the finals of the FILA Nationals. After his first full season last year, the coaching staff is expecting big things from Civan in 2009-10. 174 Returning sophomore Jonathan Weibel will be bumping up a weight class this season. In his first match last year he suffered a seasonending injury. He rehabbed and worked in the weight room for the spring and summer and is now at 100 percent. Challenging Weibel is a very strong and very talented first-year, Stephen West. West placed twice at the California state tournament and is a two-time All-American at the Junior National Tournament. 184 Cary Aldrich returns at the 184 spot for his senior year. Aldrich had a great summer of training and is looking to end his career on a high note. Challenging Aldrich is a very athletic Nick Mills. The first-year was a three-time Ohio state place winner and will be challenging for the starting spot. 197 After capping last season with a third-place finish at the 2009 EIWA Tournament, Lou Miller will return for his senior year and is ranked fourth in the conference in preseason rankings. As a starting defensive end for the Columbia football team, Miller will rejoin the team late in the fall semester. In the meantime, first-year Chris Manna will man this weight until they have an opportunity to compete for the spot. Manna placed third at the New Jersey state tournament and did a post-graduate year at Blair Academy, the topranked team in the nation. Hwt. Kevin Lester returns to the program after a two-year hiatus in which he went on a Mormon mission. The sophomore, who begins the season ranked fifth in the conference’s preseason poll, was an honorable mention All-Ivy League honoree as a first-year, capping the season with a sixth-place finish at the EIWA Tournament.
COLUMBIA - 18 - WRESTLING
2008-09 SEASON IN REVIEW
2008-09 SEASON RESULTS Dual Record: 3-14; Ivy League Record: 1-4 Date Nov. 8 Nov. 15 Nov. 23 Nov. 23 Nov. 23 Dec. 5-6 Jan. 4 Jan. 4 Jan. 10 Jan. 10 Jan. 10 Jan. 16-17 Jan. 25 Jan. 25 Feb. 1 Feb. 8 Feb. 14 Feb. 15 Feb. 15 Feb. 20 Feb. 21 Mar. 7-8 Mar. 19-21 * Ivy League Match
Opponent BLUE-WHITE MATCH Brute/Binghamton Open West Virginia University^ Rutgers^ Clarion ^ Cliff Keen Cal State Fullerton Wyoming UC Davis Stanford Cal State Bakersfield NY State Championships American George Mason Bucknell CORNELL* PENN (HOMECOMING)* PRINCETON* DREXEL Harvard* Brown* EIWA Championships NCAA Championships
Location University Gym Binghamton, N.Y. Binghamton, N.Y. Binghamton, N.Y. Binghamton, N.Y. Las Vegas, Nev. Fullerton, Calif Fullerton, Calif Palo Alto, Calif. Palo Alto, Calif. Palo Alto, Calif. Oswego, N.Y. Washington, D.C. Fairfax, Va. Lewisburg, Pa. University Gym University Gym University Gym University Gym Cambridge, Mass. Providence, R.I. Philadelphia, Pa. St. Louis, Mo.
^ Sprawl and Brawl
LOU MILLER ‘10CC
COLUMBIA - 20 - WRESTLING
Result NTS L, 15-22 L, 15-19 L, 12-30 27th (30 pts.) L, 10-24 L, 18-21 L, 15-24 W, 22-18 L, 15-26 3rd of 18 (128.5) L, 16-28 W, 21-16 L, 12-28 L, 6-39 L, 6-32 W, 32-9 L, 14-21 L, 18-25 L, 9-22 10th of 14 (43 pts.)
2008-09 INDIVIDUAL RESULTS Name
Weight Class
Overall Record
Dual Record
Ivy Record
Falls CU Opp.
Tech Falls CU Opp.
Major Dec. CU Opp.
Cary Aldrich
184
5-5
0-1
0-0
0
1
1
0
2
0
Spencer Almen
149
0-2
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
2
Eren Civan
165
17-11
7-7
4-1
2
2
0
0
1
0
Travis Creagan
174
1-4
0-3
0-0
0
0
0
0
1
2
Matt Dunn
149
8-17
2-10
0-3
0
3
0
0
0
2
Ryan Flores
Hwt.
31-5
18-0
5-0
16
0
0
0
2
0
Kyle Gilchrist
125
12-11
5-5
1-0
2
2
1
0
2
1
Kyle Gilchrist
133
0-3
0-3
0-2
0
0
0
1
0
1
Andrew Grabfelder
133
13-13
4-7
1-2
1
0
3
1
3
2
Lou Miller
197
22-11
5-8
3-2
2
0
0
0
4
0
Victor Mocco
165
0-0
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Kenji Porter
184
8-14
7-8
0-5
0
0
1
1
2
3
Mike Pushpak
184
3-4
0-1
0-0
0
0
0
1
0
1
Eric Rice
157
0-0
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Derek Sickles
157
28-14
9-7
0-4
6
2
2
0
3
0
Nick Standish
149
6-7
0-3
0-2
1
1
0
1
2
2
Shane Strumwasser 141
6-17
2-13
1-4
0
0
0
0
1
5
Ryan Sutherland
197
13-7
2-2
0-0
2
1
0
0
5
1
Kevin Tao
125
15-11
2-5
1-3
3
3
0
1
0
1
Kevin Tao
133
1-2
1-2
0-0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Sal Tirico
141
2-2
0-0
0-0
1
0
0
0
1
1
Paul Vaeth
149
0-0
0-0
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Jonathan Weibel
165
0-1
0-1
0-0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Mike Wolfer
174
9-19
1-10
1-4
1
5
0
2
2
5
COLUMBIA - 21 - WRESTLING
HISTORY AND RECORDS
PROGRAM HISTORY All-Time Results 1903-1915 Coach(es) Unknown 1903-04 .................... 0-0-1 1904-05 .................... 0-1-1 1905-06 ........................2-2 1906-07 .......................1-3 1907-08 .......................0-4 1908-09 .......................0-5 1909-10 .......................1-5 1910-11 ........................4-2 1912-13 ......................2-5 1913-14 .......................1-6 1914-15 .......................3-6
Gus Peterson 1915 - 1948 1915-16 .......................0-4 1916-17 .......................1-4 1917-18 .......................0-4 1918-19 .......................1-3 1919-20 .......................3-4 1920-21 .......................1-7 1921-22 .......................6-2 1922-23 .......................4-3 1923-24 .......................6-3 1924-25 .......................5-4 1925-26 .......................2-6 1927-28 .......................5-5 1928-29 .......................2-6 1929-30 ................... 1-7-2 1930-31 .......................8-3 1931-32 .......................5-3 1932-33 .......................9-0 1933-34 .......................3-5 1926-27 .......................5-3 1927-28 .......................5-5 1928-29 .......................2-6 1929-30 ................... 1-7-2 1930-31 .......................8-3 1931-32 .......................5-3 1932-33 .......................9-0 1933-34 .......................3-5 1934-35 .......................3-5 1935-36 .......................4-6 1936-37 .......................3-5 1937-38 .......................5-3 1938-39 .......................6-4 1939-40 .......................3-7 1940-41 .......................3-6 1941-42 .......................3-5 1942-43 .......................5-4 1943-44 ................... 1-6-1 1944-45 .......................4-6 1945-46 .......................2-6 1946-47 ....................... 3-6 1947-48 ......................1-9
Richard “Dick” Waite 1948-1960 1948-49 .......................2-8 1949-50 .................. 2-9-1 1950-51 ...................... 3-7 1951-52 .................. 6-2-2 1952-53 ................... 2-6-1 1953-54 .......................5-6 1954-55 ................... 2-7-1 1955-56 ................... 3-8, 1-5 1956-57 ............... 3-8, 1-5 1957-58 ......... 2-8-1, 0-5-1 1958-59 ............. 2-9-1, 1-5 1959-60 ............ 5-5-1, 2-4
All-Time Captains
Stan Thornton 1960-1968 1960-61 1961-62 1962-63 1963-64 1964-65 1965-66 1966-67 1967-68
............... 9-2, 6-0 .............. 7-4 , 4-2 ............... 5-7, 0-6 ............... 6-4, 3-3 ............... 8-4, 5-1 ............... 2-9, 1-5 ..............0-11, 0-6 ............... 2-9, 2-4
Jerry Seckler 1968-1973 1968-69 1969-70 1970-71 1971-72 1972-73
............ 1-8-1, 1-5 ............ 3-8-1, 1-5 ............. 1-10, 0-6 ............. 12-3, 3-2 ............... 9-5, 4-3
Ron Russo 1973-1991 1973-74 ............... 6-6, 4-3 1974-75 ............... 3-8, 3-3 1975-76 ............... 4-9, 3-3 1976-77 ............. 3-10, 1-4 1977-78 ............... 6-8, 3-2 1978-79 ............... 5-7, 2-3 1979-80 ..............11-3, 5-0 1980-81 ............. 14-1, 5-0 1981-82 ......... 9-3-1, 4-0-1 1982-83 ............... 8-6, 2-4 1983-84 ..............11-5, 2-4 1984-85 ............... 7-4, 4-2 1985-86 ............ 9-2-1, 5-1 1986-87 ................ 8-4, 3-3 1987-88 ............. 10-5, 4-2 1988-89 ............ 7-3-1, 5-1 1989-90 ............... 5-5, 2-4 1990-91 ............... 7-3, 3-3
Lou Montano 1991-1999 1991-92 ............... 5-7, 1-4 1992-93 ............... 7-7, 3-2 1993-94 ............... 8-7, 2-3 1994-95 ............. 10-4, 2-3 1995-96 ............... 7-4, 2-3 1996-97 ............. 12-6, 1-4 1997-98 ................ 5-4, 1-4 1998-99 ............. 10-6, 1-4 1999-00 ............ 5-6-1, 1-4
Brendan Buckley 2000-Present 2000-01 ..............4-11, 0-5 2001-02 ............... 6-7, 1-4 2002-03 ............... 5-6, 2-3 2003-04 ............... 6-6, 3-2 2004-05 ............... 8-4, 3-2 2005-06 ............... 8-8, 2-3 2006-07 ............... 7-5, 3-2 2007-08 ............... 7-7, 3-2 2008-09 .............. 3-14, 1-4
1912-13 ............... A.W. Carruthers 1913-14 .................... E.M. Gardner 1914-15 ................... Nat Pendleton 1915-16 ......................... unknown 1916-17 .......................... unknown 1917-18 ......................... unknown 1918-19 ......................... unknown 1919-20 ..................Thomas Barish 1920-21 ....................... S. Kirkland 1921-22 ......................... W. J. Pauli 1922-23 ......................... unknown 1923-24 ......................... unknown 1924-25 ................ Timmy Brennan 1925-26 ..............Waldemar Aulick 1927-28 ..............Carlos Henriquez 1928-29 .............Thomas Simmons 1929-30 ...................... Orrin Clark 1930-31 .................. Hubert Relyea 1931-32 .............Bernard Queneau 1932-33 ............. Wheaton Johnson 1933-34 ............. Wheaton Johnson 1926-27 ...................... Myron Sesit 1927-28 ..............Carlos Henriquez 1928-29 .............Thomas Simmons 1929-30 ....................... Orrin Clark 1930-31 ................... Hubert Relyea 1931-32 .............Bernard Queneau 1932-33 ............ Wheaton Johnson 1933-34 ............ Wheaton Johnson 1934-35 ......................... unknown 1935-36 ........................ Ken Elmes 1936-37 ........................ Ken Elmes 1937-38 ........................ Bob Taylor 1938-39 ........................ Bob Taylor 1939-40 ..................... Charles Holt 1940-41 ..................William Morris 1941-42 .............................Vic Zaro 1942-43 .................. Donald Kuntze 1943-44 ................... Everett Roach 1944-45 .................. John Dreyers 1945-46 .......................... unknown 1946-47 .....................Jack Keenan 1947-48 ..... Henry O’Shaughnessy 1948-49 ......................... unknown 1949-50 .........................Bill Baron 1950-51 .................William Malone 1951-52 .............. Robert Hartman 1952-53 ..................Mike Gvardijan 1953-54 ..................Mike Gvardijan 1954-55 ........................Harry Scott 1955-56 ........................Harry Scott 1956-57 ....................... Dave Kinne 1957-58 ....................... Dave Clark 1958-59 ........................ Dave Clark 1959-60 ........................ Phil Suraci 1960-61 ...................... Brien Milesi 1961-62 ..................James Balquist 1962-63 ...................Stan Yancovitz 1963-64 .............Mike Marcantano 1964-65 ................... Arnold Lesser 1965-66 .......... Charles Christensen 1966-67 ...................David Morash 1967-68 ................. Wayne Darling 1968-69 ................. Wayne Darling 1969-70 .................Robert Wingate 1970-71 .................... Jeff Wingate 1971-72 .Sal Lanuto, Bob Sacavage 1972-73 ....Sal Lanuto, Bob Sacavage 1973-74 ..Sal Lanuto,Larry Trowbridge 1974-75 ......................... Jamie Fee 1975-76 ...................... Andy Sama
COLUMBIA - 23 - WRESTLING
1976-77 .............................. Jim Mullin 1977-78 ..........Kevin McHugh, Jerry Reid 1978-79 ......Bill Kenney, Steve McKenna 1979-80 .. Jay Craddock, Pat Gemperline 1980-81 ............................Jay Craddock 1981-82 ........... Dave Galdi, Bob Jaecke 1982-83 .................... Stefan Antonsson, Andy Barth, Dan Pepin 1983-84 ......... Ed Gaudreau, Larry Kane 1984-85 ................. Rich Pilkington, Jeff Roylance, Don Wallace 1985-86 ..... Rich Pilkington, Don Wallace 1986-87 ........... Dave Barry, Chris Kane, Joe Rojas 1987-88 ......Steve Hasenfus, Rob Monaco 1988-89 Ken Gaudreau, Steve Hasenfus 1989-90 ...... Toby Johnson, Tom Yankanich 1990-91 .......................... Chuck Boyle, Adam Condo, Khari Freeman 1991-92 ........................... Mike Fischer, Corey McCaslin, Bruce Wacha 1992-93 ...... Khari Freeman, Nick Szerlip 1993-94 ...................Steve Cumbie, Nick Szerlip,Bruce Wacha 1994-95 ...... Paolo Custodio, Todd Gilmore, Tim Mulrooney, Jeremy Szerlip, Nick Szerlip, Bruce Wacha 1995-96 ......Grady Brumbaugh,Joe Zilcosky 1996-97 .........................Brian Maguire, Tyler McMaster, Tom O’Neill, Mike Savini, Chip Watson 1997-98 ....... Arkee Allen, Brad Clement 1998-99 ...... Brad Clement, Aaron Greco, Aaron Newman 1999-00 ........... Ari Dolid, T.J. Francisco, Bryan Melgar 2000-01 ............. Ari Dolid, T.J. Francisco 2001-02 ........ Chris Felicetta, Steve Popovitch 2002-03 ..............Steve Popovitch, Mike Gerstl, Erik Norgaard 2003-04 ...... Erik Norgaard, Daniel Green 2004-05 ...................... Kirk Davis, Devin Mesanko, Matt Palmer 2005-06 ............... Eric Amstutz, Dustin Tillman, Ricky Turk, Jeff Sato 2006-07 .....Justin Barent, Devin Mesanko, Dustin Tillman, Ricky Turk 2007-08 .........Brandon Kinney, Anthony Constantino, Derek Sickles, Nick Sommerfeld 2008-09 ...............Kenji Porter, Derek Sickles, Cary Aldrich 2009-10 ................ Cary Aldrich, Matt Dunn, ................................................ Nick Standish
HISTORY AND RECORDS Ivy League Wrestlers of the Year
EIWA Champions Joseph Howell (145): 1905, 1906
Steve Hasenfus: 1989 Nick Szerlip: 1995
Ward Tolbert (Hwt.): 1905 Albert Lindo (145): 1907 Frederick Narganes (158): 1907
Ivy League Rookie of the Year
Frank Saunders (Hwt.): 1910 Anthony Caruthers (135): 1911
Chris Kane: 1984
Lee McCanliss (125): 1911 Nat Pendleton (175): 1914, 1915 Philip Hart (135): 1921 William Johnson (158): 1922
Bob Hartman ‘52 Columbia’s First Wrestling All-American 1951
Orrin Clark (155): 1931
Columbia’s All-Americans
William Chilvers (126): 1935
Bob Hartman: 1951, fourth
Ed King (175): 1935
Jerry Reid: 1976, sixth
Henry O’Shaughnessy (Hwt.): 1947
Dave Galdi: 1982, eighth
Steve Hasenfus (177): 1989
Matt Palmer: 2005, eighth
Myron Sesit (175): 1927
Nick Szerlip (190): 1995 Ryan Flores (Hwt.) 2009
Dave Galdi ‘82SEAS All-American 1982
New York State Champions
Ivy League Champions 1960-61 1979-80 1980-81 1981-82
Matt Palmer: 2007, eighth
Nick Szerlip ‘95CC EIWA Champion, Ivy League Wrestler of the Year 1995
Did You Know? Did you know that Columbia University has the nation’s oldest wrestling program, dating back to1903? Matt Palmer ‘07CC Two Time All-American 2005, 2007
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Jay Craddock (HWT): 1980, 1981 Steve Hasenfus (190): 1988, 1989 Bill Lubell (167): 1984 Nick Szerlip (190): 1993, 1994, 1995 Erik Norgaard (149): 2001, 2003 Daniel Green (125): 2003 Jeff Sato (125): 2004 Justin Barent (184): 2007 Matt Dunn (149): 2007 Kevin Lester (Hwt): 2007 Matt Palmer (174): 2007 Derek Sickles (157): 2007, 2009 Nick Sommerfeld (197): 2007, 2008 Ricky Turk (165): 2007 Anthony Constantino (149): 2008 Matt Dunn (157): 2008 Ryan Flores (Hwt.): 2009
ANDREW F. BARTH HEAD COACH OF WRESTLING: A FULLY ENDOWED POSITION In September 2005, Columbia University announced the establishment of a newly endowed varsity head coaching position, thanks to a gift from Andrew F. Barth ‘83CC ‘85BUS. The official title of Columbia’s head wrestling coaching position is now the Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling. Brendan Buckley, who is entering his 10th season as Columbia’s head coach, is the first coach to assume the new title. “Wrestling taught me many valuable lessons about life, lessons I use every day,” said Barth. “Discipline, persistence and hard work really do make a difference. Some of the best times in my life and some of my best memories are due to wrestling and being a part of this team. Columbia was a wonderful experience and I received a great education. I hope this gift ensures that future generations of Columbia wrestlers will have even better opportunities and an even more positive experience than I did.” Dr. M. Dianne Murphy, Columbia’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education, said, “Andy’s gift to the wrestling program at Columbia benefits the entire athletics program. His commitment and dedication to Columbia Athletics are fine examples of how passionate Columbians are for Columbia. We thank him for this significant and generous gift.” “I remain honored to be a part of Columbia wrestling, the nation’s oldest intercollegiate wrestling program,” said Buckley, the 2005 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Coach of the Year. “Our continual and improved success over the last several years has been, in part, thanks to the outpouring of support our team has received from our alumni and friends. It is with sincere gratitude that I thank Andy and his family.” “Our student-athletes are amazing people who are future global leaders,” said Murphy. “Andy’s generosity will touch the lives of our more than 800 current student-athletes and head coaches, and all those who follow their path.” Wrestling is one of the oldest sports at Columbia, dating back to 1903, and Columbia was the first school to host an intercollegiate wrestling match. Although the sport has enjoyed several eras of great success, none has been greater than the first three years of the 1980s, when Columbia won three consecutive Ivy League championships, during which time Barth was a key member of the team. “I hope that we are at the beginning of a brand new chapter in our history,” said Barth. “We hope that this chapter includes more Ivy League Championships, more EIWA placewinners and more All-Americans.” Beyond their direct impact on the program, endowments such as Barth’s strengthen Columbia University academically and financially, ensuring the long-term vitality of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education. Gifts towards endowment provide donors with the opportunity to channel their resources into a secure financial investment, and to perpetuate the charitable organizations that have had meaning in their lives. Columbia Athletics is planning for the future to ensure that student-athletes have enhanced athletic opportunities while earning a world-class education.
ANDREW F. BARTH WRESTLING ROOM
Thanks to the generosity of Andrew F. Barth, the Columbia wrestling team got a new and improved training facility in August 2008. The Andrew F. Barth Wrestling Room received brand new mats and a new ceiling with improved lighting.
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COLUMBIA IN THE NEWS
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY WRESTLING LIONS--ON THE RISE By Wayne Catan (appears courtesy of Amateur Wrestling News May 2007 Vol. 52 No. 11)
Matt Palmer got it done this year. The high school All-America went into the 2006-2007 season with a goal to become Columbia University’s first two-time All-American, and when he defeated Josh Weitzel of Oklahoma he reached that goal in Auburn Hills, Michigan on March 17. Columbia’s last All-American was Dave Galdi (and that was 1982). The Lions had two other All-Americans (Jerry Reid in 1976; Bob Hartman1951). Columbia is rich in history: Lou Gehrig attended Columbia…. The Pulitzer Prize is awarded from Columbia… George Stephanopoulos, the former Sr. Political Advisor and Communications Director to President Clinton (and now talk show host) wrestled for Columbia…
Matt Palmer became the first Columbia two-time All-American in 2006-07
…Nat Pendleton was a two-time EIWA champion for the Lions and won an Olympic silver medal at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium. Furthermore, Mr. Pendleton was an actor with supporting roles in several high profile movies including the Marx Brothers’ “Horse Feathers.” Located in the gentrified section of Manhattan known as Morningside Heights, Columbia is a university that offers a real life experience. Columbia is eight stops from Wall Street, a mile or so from Madison Avenue; MTV and VH-1’s studios are right down Broadway. And it gets better: the Fashion Industry is there too on Broadway. You want to work for Sports Illustrated? Just walk a few blocks and knock on the company door! Lincoln Center is a quick stroll as is Carnegie Hall, where you can catch Bob Dylan singing “Brownsville Girl.” Take another 15 minute train ride to SoHo and you can reconnoiter Andy Warhol’s Magnum Opuses. “Coming here you will get the best of both worlds. We provide a dynamic experience for the Ivy League student-athlete and we don’t forget about you when you leave us as we have a vast alumni network that will help you in your future professional endeavors,” said Brendan Buckley, The Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling. “You will have instant cachet with a Columbia degree.” And here’s the kicker, the wrestling coach’s position is fully-endowed. That’s correct. It will never go away. Trust me, that’s a big kicker. I went to Syracuse and that program is gone. Brendan Buckley has done something special at Columbia, the nation’s oldest wrestling program. He had four NCAA qualifiers and an All-America this year. Last year, the team had two and five made it to the “Big Show” in 2005, the year Buckley was voted EIWA Coach of the Year. His supporting cast is comprised of Tim Foley an All-America for the University of Virginia, Victor Sveda, a two-time All-American for the University of Indiana, Karl Roessler, a two-time All-American for the University of Illinois and Yero Washington, a collegiate All-American and Olympic alternate. This year, Buckley’s squad earned its first-ever top 25 national ranking. They did it by beating Penn, American, Cal-State Bakersfield, Stanford, and UC-Davis, to name just a few top-ranked teams. (That was the first win over Penn in 14 years.) Moreover, the Lions won The New York State Collegiate Wrestling Championships and the Keystone Invitational. “We had four NCAA Qualifiers and I am proud of the way the team performed. We are starting to get the recognition of a toptier team. This is a springboard for things to come here at Columbia,” Buckley continued. And the future belongs to Ryan Flores a two-time California state champion and nationally ranked heavyweight; Eren Civan of Maryland, who was a double cadet champ in Fargo and Asics Jr. National All-American. Add Travis Creagan of Tennessee and Paul Vaeth of Islip, NY and Columbia should keep up its winning ways. Matt Palmer started it for Coach Buckley and the above named student-athletes must take it from here! Start working…”The Lions’ Roar is Quiet No More.”
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COLUMBIA ATHLETICS HALL OF FAMERS Nat Pendelton 1916 Although Columbia has boasted several standout wrestlers, no one ever captured the spotlight like Nathaniel Greene Pendleton. Pendleton was a powerful, handsome athlete who instantly became one of the most recognized figures on campus. He won the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) championship at 175 pounds in 1914, and followed it with another in 1915. Shortly after his 1916 graduation, he won the National AAU Wrestling Championship, representing the New York Athletic Club. In 1920, Pendleton reached a level that no other Columbia wrestler has achieved. Competing in the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, Pendleton won the silver medal. About a year after his return, he journeyed to Hollywood in the hope of beginning an acting career. It would see him make more than 100 films and appear in several dramatic productions. His first was a silent film called The Hoosier Schoolmaster, in which he utilized his wrestling ability. He continued to appear in silent films as an athlete or a simple-minded “heavy.” When sound came to movies, Pendleton was in demand for his Brooklyn accent and comic portrayals. Often cast as the amiable oaf, he acted as a comic foil for such stars as the Marx Brothers and Abbott and Costello. Among his credits are Horse Feathers, At the Circus, Buck Privates, Buck Privates Come Home, Lady for a Day, Manhattan Melodrama, The Great Ziegfeld (as Sandor the strongman), Northwest Passage, and Death Valley. He had key roles as Detective Guild in The Thin Man and Another Thin Man, and as ambulance driver Joe Wayman in the Dr. Kildare/Dr. Gillespie films of the late 1930’s. Pendleton had the lead in Top Sergeant Mulligan and played a wrestler in Deception, which he wrote. Pendleton’s heroics probably prompted Columbia to hire its first full-time wrestling coach, Gus Peterson, who would go on to coach more than 30 years and 268 dual meets. Born on August 9, 1895, Pendleton was married to Margaret E. Carse. He died in 1967 in San Diego at the age of 72.
Dave Galdi ‘82SEAS Columbia’s most dominant period in Ivy League wrestling extended from 1979 to 1982. The Lions won three consecutive Ivy League titles and posted records of 34-7-1 overall, 14-0-1 in the Ivy League. Some of Columbia’s greatest wrestlers starred in that three-season stretch, none more dominant than Dave Galdi. Wrestling at 150 pounds, the New Jersey native was third in the Easterns in 1980-81, his junior season, finishing with a 44-12 record, the best ever by a Columbia wrestler. As a senior, Galdi earned dual meet All-American honors and a spot among the East Top 50. He won the East Stroudsburg, Coast Guard and Central Jersey tournaments and the C.W. Post Christmas Tournament, where he earned Outstanding Wrestler. A fourth-place finisher in the Easterns, he went on to finish eighth in the NCAAs, making All-American, while compiling an overall 38-7 record. He is one of only four Columbia wrestlers to achieve All-American status in the program’s storied history. Galdi ended his career with a record of 125-41-4, the Lions’ most wins ever. “My fondest memories of Columbia revolve around the fellowship and camaraderie as a member of the wrestling team, traveling to meets and tournaments, learning from my coaches and having the opportunity to teach and lead my teammates as their captain. My fondest memory, though, was the week I spent at the NCAAs in Iowa, where I spent quality time with my wrestling coach and friend, Ron Russo. It all culminated in my placing eighth at 150 pounds and standing up on the NCAA All-American awards podium.”
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ADMINISTRATION
LEE C. BOLLINGER President, Columbia University
Lee C. Bollinger became the nineteenth President of Columbia University on June 1, 2002. A prominent advocate of affirmative action, he played a leading role in the twin Supreme Court cases—Grutter v Bollinger and Gratz v Bollinger—that upheld and clarified the importance of diversity as a compelling justification for affirmative action in higher education. A leading First Amendment scholar, he is widely published on freedom of speech and press, and currently serves on the faculty of Columbia Law School. From November 1996 to 2002, Bollinger was the President of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he had also served as a law professor and dean of the Law School. Under Bollinger’s leadership, Columbia launched the largest capital campaign in its history, proposed its most ambitious campus expansion in more than a century, and received a record number of applications for its incoming undergraduate class. Committed to ensuring that, from its location in the nation’s most global city, Columbia excels as a truly global university, he launched a number of new initiatives that include: the World Leaders Forum, which invites prominent international figures to the campus to engage in the major issues of our time; the faculty Committee on Global Thought, to pursue scholarship and generate new curriculum models that help students become better citizens of the world; as well as new academic partnerships with institutions around the globe. Long a supporter of the arts, Bollinger created the Columbia Arts Initiative to enhance the role of the arts across many facets of the student experience and university life. In proposing that the University invest in long-term growth in upper Manhattan, he has committed to expanding Columbia’s already extensive civic partnerships that work to improve education, health care and economic opportunity in West Harlem, Washington Heights and other local New York neighborhoods. Bollinger is a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Washington Post Company, a Governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company of Great Britain, and a member of the Pulitzer Prize Board. Bollinger is also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the American Philosophical Society. Widely published on legal and constitutional issues involving free speech and press, Bollinger books include: Eternally Vigilant: Free Speech in the Modern Era; Images of a Free Press; The Tolerant Society: Freedom of Speech and Extremist Speech in America; and Contract Law in Modern Society: Cases and Materials. He continues to teach an undergraduate course, “Freedom of Speech and Press” at Columbia each year. Bollinger has received the National Humanitarian Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice and the National Equal Justice Award from the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund for his leadership on affirmative action. He also received the Clark Kerr Award, the highest award conferred by the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley, for his service to higher education, especially on matters of freedom of speech and diversity. He is the recipient of numerous honorary degrees from universities in this country and abroad. After graduating from the University of Oregon and Columbia Law School, where he was an Articles Editor of the Law Review, Bollinger served as law clerk for Judge Wilfred Feinberg on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for Chief Justice Warren Burger on the United States Supreme Court. He joined the University of Michigan Law School faculty in 1973. Bollinger was born in Santa Rosa, California, and raised there and in Baker, Oregon. He is married to artist Jean Magnano Bollinger, and they have two children.
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DR. M. DIANNE MURPHY
Director, Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education
When Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger set out to hire a new athletics director in 2004, he knew he needed someone with the vision to attain national excellence and put Columbia Athletics on par with the rest of the University, one of the greatest in the world. Five years later, there is little doubt that Dr. M. Dianne Murphy was the perfect fit for Columbia. Now beginning her sixth full year as Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education, Murphy has presided over the three most successful years in recent Columbia Athletics history, including tangible improvements in football, men and women’s basketball, and a combined 11 Ivy League titles over the past three years – the most in any three-year span in school history. Murphy has been Columbia University’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education since November 2004. In five years at the helm of the athletics program at Columbia, she has demonstrated the same passion and commitment to achieving excellence in intercollegiate athletics that has marked her entire career as an athletics administrator. She has overseen a number of initiatives aimed at transforming the experience of Columbia’s more than 800 student-athletes. She has undertaken a complete strategic planning process aimed at shortand long-term excellence in athletics. She has attracted several new high-level head coaches and administrators to the program, and spearheaded the creation of the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame, which had its inaugural ceremony on February 18, 2006. The second Athletics Hall of Fame class was inducted on October 2, 2008. During the 2008-09 academic year, Murphy spearheaded the celebration of the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium Silver Anniversary, honoring 25 years of women’s athletics at Columbia. She also initiated the Leaders for Life program, designed to provide comprehensive leadership training to studentathlete representatives from all 29 of Columbia’s varsity sports programs. In 2006-07, women’s golf won an Ivy League title in just its fourth season as a varsity program, and women’s soccer won its first-ever Ivy League crown. The All-American Football Foundation recognized the success of the football program under Murphy, and, in March 2007, selected her as one of two recipients of the General Robert R. Neyland Outstanding Athletic Director Award for excellence in football.
The Lions’ trend of success continued in 2007-08, when four Columbia teams won Ivy League championships, including the first title in nine years for men’s golf and the first in 31 years for baseball. To cap a memorable year, Murphy was named the Football Championship Subdivision Administrator of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators. In 2008-09, men’s golf and men’s tennis continued their excellence within the Ivy League as the Lions won their second straight Ivy League title in men’s golf and the second league championship in three years in men’s tennis. Murphy came to Columbia after six years as Director of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Denver, where she led the Pioneers’ program from NCAA Division II to one of the nation’s top Division I athletics programs. Under Murphy’s leadership, eight Denver sport programs made NCAA tournament appearances and, on four occasions, Denver teams won a national title. In 2003-04, Denver enjoyed its best season when it won the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship, placed third in the NCAA Skiing Championship, and advanced to NCAA tournaments in women’s soccer, women’s tennis, and men and women’s golf. The scope of Denver’s athletics excellence was recognized nationally through the United States Sports Academy’s Directors’ Cup, which recognized the best overall athletics programs in the nation, determined by an award of points based on teams’ finishes. The University of Denver finished among the nation’s top third of athletics programs in each of its six years since becoming a Division I member in 1998-99. In 2004, the Pioneers set a University record when they finished 58th in the Directors’ Cup, in the top 20 percent of all NCAA Division I schools. Denver’s athletics program served as a model for national and regional academic, as well as athletics, excellence. The Pioneers gained numerous academic honors, among them the Sun Belt Conference Graduation Rate Award, which it earned for five consecutive years.
Dr. M. Dianne Murphy with the Head Coaches of the 2008-09 Ivy League Team and Individual Champions. (L-R) Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach Willy Wood; Director of Golf and Head Men’s Golf Coach Rich Mueller; Head Women’s Swimming and Diving Coach Diana Caskey; The Columbia Tennis Alumni and Friends Head Coach of Men’s Tennis Bid Goswami
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AWARDS AND HONORS • Launched the largest capital campaign for Athletics in the history of Columbia University, the $100 Million Columbia Campaign for Athletics: Achieving Excellence (2007) • Established the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame (2006) • Established The Leaders for Life program, a comprehensive leadership training program for student-athlete leaders (2008) • Serves on NCAA Athletics Certification Committee, 2006-present • Serves on Board of Directors for the Women’s Collegiate Sports Awards, the organization that presents the Honda Award and the Honda-Broderick Cup, 2007-present • Named NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Administrator of the Year, National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators, 2008 • Named General Robert R. Neyland Outstanding Athletics Director Award for excellence in football, 2007 • Served on NCAA Diversity Leadership Strategic Planning Committee, 2006-07 • Named Grad Made Good, The Florida State University, 2005 • Earned Distinguished Alumna Award, Tennessee Technological University, 2005 • Appointed to NCAA Division I Gambling Task Force, 2004-05 • Chosen General Sports Turf West Region Athletic Director of the Year, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, 2004 • Serves on State Farm Wade Trophy Selection Committee, presented annually to the top collegiate women’s basketball student-athlete in NCAA Division I, 2003present • Selected Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Administrator of the Year, 2003-04 • Served as the President of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators, 2002-03 • Elected chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Issues Committee, 2002-04 • Named NCAA Division I-AAA Athletics Administrator of the Year, National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators, 2001 • Earned Senior Sports Administrator Award, All-American Football
Prior to joining the University of Denver, Murphy served as associate athletics director and senior woman administrator at Cornell University from 1995 to 1998. She oversaw nine Division I sports, marketing and promotions, sports information and alumni and booster activities. She helped hire football and basketball coaches and was an advocate for the coaches. Cornell enhanced its equity initiatives and increased its fundraising revenues under her guidance. From 1988 to 1995, she was the assistant athletics director at The University of Iowa, serving as the university’s lead administrator for external activities. She worked on behalf of Iowa’s coaches, and was effective in enhancing a strong compliance program. Murphy began her athletics administrative career in 1987-88 as the assistant athletics director at Kentucky State University. From 1986 to 1988, she chaired the school’s Division of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, served as an associate professor and advised undergraduate students. Prior to becoming an athletics administrator, Murphy coached basketball for 13 years. She was the head women’s basketball coach at Shorter College (1973-76), Florida State University (1976-79) and Eastern Kentucky University (1979-86). Murphy was named the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Administrator of the Year in 2004. She chaired the NCAA Division I Basketball Issues Committee from 2002 to 2004 and currently is a member of the State Farm Wade Trophy Women’s Basketball Player of the Year Committee. She also served on the NCAA Certification and Diversity Committee and the Board of Directors for the Women’s Collegiate Sports Awards, the organization that presents the Honda Award and the Honda-Broderick Cup. She is active in several national organizations, including the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA), the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and the WBCA. She was named NACWAA’s Division I (Football Championship Subdivision) National Administrator of the Year for 2007-08 and served as NACWAA’s president during 200203. In 2004, NACDA honored her as the General Sports Turf West Athletic Director of the Year. The All-American Football Foundation has presented her with the Senior Sports Administrator Award. At Columbia, she helped initiate the University’s Sports Management master’s degree program. She serves on the faculty as an instructor. Murphy holds a Ph.D. in administration and curriculum from Florida State (1980), and master’s (1973) and bachelor’s (1972) degrees from Tennessee Technological University. The Tennessee Tech Alumni Association honored her with its 2005 Distinguished Alumna Award. Florida State presented her with its ”Grad Made Good“ award at its 2005 Homecoming.
Murphy poses with senior quarterback M.A. Olawale at the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium Silver Anniversary Gala Luncheon
She lives in Manhattan, near the Columbia campus.
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