Resting on their laurels is not something the members of the wrestling team are accustomed to doing. Frankly, they don’t have time, what with the EIWA Championships coming up next weekend and the NCAAs later in March. But, perhaps, they could take a second this week to give themselves a few good slaps on the back, following the announcement of the eight Red named to the All-Ivy team, four of them unanimous first-teamers. Red wrestlers also took home All-Ivy Wrestler of the year and Rookie of the Year honors, which were awarded to sophomore Mack Lewnes and freshman Cam Simaz, respectively.
Lewnes finished out the season with a perfect 5-0 record, the same as the team’s, including three wins by fall. He also made the All-Ivy first team. Currently ranked No.1 in his 165 pound weight class, the sophomore’s overall record is a still-perfect 31-0. Last year, Lewnes took home the EIWA title, and earned fourth place at the NCAA Championships.[img_assist|nid=35752|title=Down and out|desc=Sophomore Mack Lewnes takes down a Princeton opponent in a 54-0 Red shutout on Feb. 14. Lewnes was recently awarded Rookie of the Year honors this past week.|link=node|align=left|width=|height=0]
Simaz is continuing a long Cornell tradition of Rookie of the Years that now stretches back five consecutive years. However, he is the first Red wrestler above 150 pounds to earn the honor; Simaz weighs in at 197. Like Lewnes, Simaz is a perfect 5-0 in the Ivies, with a 29-9 record overall.
First-team All-Ivies is kind of old news for junior Troy Nickerson, however, who has now made the team three consecutive times at 125 pounds. Also a former Rookie of the Year, Nickerson has three pins this year against conference opponents and is ranked No.1 in his class by the W.I.N. Magazine ranking system.
This is the second first-team selection for sophomore Mike Grey, at 133 pounds. Grey defeated all of his Ivy opponents as well, including one by tech fall and one by major decision. Overall, Grey is 19-7 on the season and has a No. 11 ranking nationwide. Grey was Rookie of the Year last year.
A four-time All-Ivy selection, this is senior Steve Anceravage’s second consecutive first-team nod at 174 pounds. Against Ivy opponents the senior is perfect (including two wins by pin), with an 11-3 overall dual record and a 24-3 overall record. Anceravage is currently eighth on the Red’s all-time win list, with 110, and has so far won three individual titles this season.
The Red’s NCAA Champion and senior captain Jordan Leen was named second-team at 157 pounds with a 3-0 record against the Ancient Eight. Leen’s league record is perfect, at 17-0, and he is ninth on the Red’s all-time win list, one behind classmate Anceravage, with 109 total wins. Leen is also a three-time first-team honoree, and was the Rookie of the Year in 2005. Currently, Leen ranks third in the country in his weight class, with a 20-2 overall record this season.
At home meets, the arrival to the mat of sophomore D.J. Meagher is announced by blaring snatches of a song that shares the same title as his name. Meagher is also now a second-team honoree, after earning an honorable mention nod last season. This year Meagher was 3-1 against Ivy opponents and has a 13-8 record. He is currently ranked 24th by the Wrestling Report.
The Red’s final all-league selection was sophomore Justin Kerber, who was awarded a second-team selection at 184 pounds. Last year, Kerber made the first team at 197 pounds, so he can legitimately say he has won All-Ivy honors in two different weight classes, not an easy feat. This year, Kerber has a 4-0 Ivy record, 28-6 overall. He is currently ranked 14th in the country.