“The newcomers will have a dramatic impact on our starting lineup, and
our success. It’s probably the best recruiting class we have had here,
with all due respect to the 1997 class. On paper, Drew Robinson is our
best standout. He was third in nationals and a three-time national prep
champion. Also excited about Aaron Baker. He was a two-time state
champion and also took second and third. Jared Hyman was fifth in the
USA junior nationals this summer. Pat Diaz is a two-time placewinner in
Michigan. Transfer Ryan Pallinger, from Miami (OH), will make an impact.
Josh Schroeder, an NCAA qualifier, Denis Alampiev each will move down a
weight class, and Willie Harris will look to take shots at conference
titles and all-american status.
It will be nice to have Stacey Woodhouse back after a redshirt year with
added strength and size. Marc Hoffer, a two-time CAA champion and
national champion candidate in the future, will redshirt this season as
he is in between weights and will have an opportunity to get stronger
and better.”
COACHING STAFF
Head Coach Jim Akerly
Alma Mater/ Year West Virginia '88
Record at school (yrs) 30-35 (4)
Career Record (yrs) same
Office phone 202-885-3015
email: jakerly@american.edu
Best time/day to reach Coach 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Assistant Coach (Alma mater/Year): Rob Puzio (AU '98)
Starters Returning/Lost: 6/4 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 8/4
Team Information
FINAL RECORD: 2-10-1, 0-3-1 CAA
CAA CHAMPIONSHIP: Placed 3rd (52 points), tied for best finish ever
Three champions (record, seven placewinners
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP: Three qualifiers, (37th overall, AU record)
NATIONAL RANKING: Mark Hoffer (18th at 149) InterMat
Matt Esposito (20th at 184) InterMat,Wrestling USA
POST-SEASON HONORS:
CAA Wrestler of the Year: Mark Hoffer
CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler: Mark Hoffer
CAA Champion (149): Mark Hoffer
CAA Champion (184): Matt Esposito
CAA Champion (197): Josh Scroeder
LEADING RETURNING WRESTLERS:
• Mark Hoffer (149) 32-10 overall, 12-1 duals... (COULD REDSHIRT THIS
YEAR) 1999 CAA Wrestler of the Year, AU's first ever... Placed third at
Fila Junior Greco Trials (4/24)... Reached NCAA Championship
quarterfinals, farther than any AU wrestler in NCAA Tournament history
in just his first NCAA Championship action.... scored one of the top
upsets of the tournament topping 1998 All-American and third-seed.....
Just one win away from earning All-American status... CAA Tourney Most
Outstanding Wrestler (MOW), AU's third such winner in the past six
years... Was ranked 18th in the nation at season’s end by INTERMAT...
placed in four tournaments including the West Virginia Open (4th), Las
Vegas Invitational (5th), and the AU Congressional Cup (2nd). He also
qualified for the prestigious Midlands Invitational.
• Josh Schroeder (197) 9-9 overall, 1-2 in duals.... returned from a
devastating early season knee injury (torn MCL) to return in February
...Won 197 pound title at the CAA Championships to compete in his first
NCAA Tournament competition..... His 29 career pins are among AU's best
ever and his 55 career wins put him in reach of AU's top ten next
season.
• Denis Alampiev (174) 17-10 overall record, 10-4 in duals.... second
place in the 174 pound class at the CAA Championships... placed in three
tournaments including the Keystone Classic (4th) and the AU
Congressional Cup (4th).
TOP RECRUITS:
Drew Robertson (141/149) H.S. All-American, 3rd at Nationals, 2X 1st
Nat. Preps;
Aaron Baker (157) Wrestling USA All-American
Pat Diaz (133)
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
• AU hosted the second annual AU Congressional Cup, where they placed
4th among eight schools including nationally-ranked teams #12 Cal-St.
Bakersfield and Lehigh in Bender Arena.... Team placed 8th at Keystone
Classic... Four wrestlers had 17 or more wins... As a team, the the
injury-riddled Eagles fought through a dual meet schedule in which they
were forced to forfeit three weight classes and 18 points in each match.
AU won the majority of bouts wrestled in 10 of their 13 dual
meets....Matt Esposito finished his career with 78 victories, third best
all-time at AU, Two CAA titles and two NCAA berths....Esposito and
Hoffer were ranked among the nation’s top 20 by InterMat. Esposito
opened the season ranked in top 20 by Wrestling USA. Overall, Esposito
placed in 14 tournaments during his career.
OTHER NOTES:
• AU will host third annual Congressional Cup (Feb 6) with Cal.St.
Bakersfield, Rutgers, Hofstra, West Virginia,etc...
1999-2000 AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
WRESTLING ROSTER
NAME YR WGT HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
Denis Alampiev JR 165/174 Nizhnevartovsk, Russia/Waynesboro, PA
Aaron Baker FR 157 Amarillo, TX/ Tascosa
Aviv Bercovicz FR 141 Wayside, NJ/ Cean Township
Patrick Diaz FR 133 Rochester, MI/ Adams
Robert Haines SO 133/141 Wayne, NJ/ Blair Academy
Willie Harris SO 125 Washington, D.C./DeMatha
Marc Hoffer JR 149 Lancaster, PA/Manheim Central
Jared Hyman FR 197/HWT Norcross, GA/Norcross
Adam Overstreet FR 125 Dover, MA/ Needham
Drew Robertson FR 141/149 Bowie, MD/ DeMatha
Josh Schroeder SR 184/ 197 Aurora, OH/Aurora
Peter Tarricone FR 125/133 Hunterdon, NJ/ North Hunterdon
Stacy Woodhouse FR* 165 Cheasepeake, VA/Great Bridge
Ryan Pallinger JR-T 197 Avon Lake, OH/ Lake (Miami (OH)
* indicates redshirt eligibility
Head Coach: Jim Akerly (West Virginia '88)
Assistant Coaches: Rob Puzio (American '98)
update 9/1/99
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
1999-2000 WRESTLING SCHEDULE
NOVEMBER
SAT 13 at West Virginia University Open 9:00 AM
SUN 21 at Keystone Classic (at University of Pennsylvania) 9:00 AM
DECEMBER
FRI-SAT 3-4 at Las Vegas Invitational 9:00 AM
TUE-WED 28-29 at Sunshine Open (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 9:00 AM
JANUARY
TBA TBA (at possible Bloomsburg/WVU dual) TBA
FRI 14 at Campbell * 7:30 PM
SUN 16 MILLERSVILLE 1:00 PM
TUE 18 GEORGE MASON* 7:00 PM
SAT 22 DUQUESNE w/ OHIO U0 1:00 PM
WED 26 at Coppin St. 7:00 PM
SAT 29 at Bucknell 2:00 PM
FEBRUARY
SUN 6 CONGRESSIONAL CUP AT AU 9:00 AM
(w/ AU, Cal. St. Bakersfield, Hofstra, Rutgers, Maryland,
West Virginia, Virginia, Carson-Newman)
WED 9 at Maryland 7:30 PM
SUN 13 OLD DOMINION * 1:00 PM
WED 16 at Howard 7:00 PM
MON 22 at James Madison* 7:00 PM
MARCH
SAT 4 CAA Championships (at George Mason) 9:00 AM
THU-SAT 16-18 NCAA Championships (at St. Louis Kiel Center) 9:00 AM
HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
* denotes Colonial Athletic Association contest
Head Coach: Jim Akerly
Revised 8/17/99 |