For Immediate Release: May 19, 2010
Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6800

BU wrestling announces year-end awards after record-breaking season
All-American, six NCAA qualifiers, CAA title, 21st-place NCAA finish noted

VESTAL, N.Y. -- Binghamton wrestling celebrated its record-breaking 2009-10 season with its annual team picnic on May 16, where the team announced its individual award winners.

Head coach Pat Popolizio recognized his staff and numerous wrestlers. Sophomore All-American Justin Lister, who made program history with his semifinal advancement and fourth-place finish at 157 pounds, was presented with his All-American plaque, his CAA Wrestler of the Year plaque and a special engraved watch from the wrestling program to commemorate his All-America honors. A 2-foot-by-3-foot framed photo of Lister was unveiled and will be mounted on the wall in the wrestling room alongside previous All-American Josh Patterson.

Other individual award-winners included freshman 149-pound Donnie Vinson (CAA Rookie of the Year), Coach Popolizio (CAA Coach of the Year), and BU program honorees, freshman 165-pound John Paris (Redshirt of the Year), sophomore 165-pound Matt Kaylor (Academic Wrestler of the Year), freshman 184-pound Nate Schiedel (Coaches Award) and senior heavyweight Corey Waite (Most Improved).

In addition, BU's five seniors were given special engraved gifts to commemorate their careers at Binghamton. Graduating are Robert Slavin, Mike Kleeman, Anthony Esposito, Corey Waite and Josh Patterson.

The 2009-10 Bearcats crowned an All-American, six NCAA qualifiers, four CAA champions, won the program's first-ever conference title and produced its highest dual meet win percentage in 26 years and its highest national team finish in its Division I tenure (T-21st).

Lister, Patterson, Vinson, Kaylor, Schiedel and junior 141-pound Anwar Goeres advanced to the NCAA Championship and all but the graduated Patterson are slated to return to the 2010-11 squad.