WRESTLING

Wrestling: The End Of An Era; Cadets Close Out Final Home Slate On Saturday

The Norwich University wrestling program is being discontinued after this season, marking the end of what was a very successful era of wrestling at the school. This Saturday, the Cadets are hosting four other schools in a four-way meet. It will mark the final home competition for the school's wrestling program.

The Norwich wrestling program started in 1920-21 as a club team, and has thrived at the university ever since.

Over the years, Norwich wrestling has produced six NCAA All-Americans. Frank Field won the Cadets' only national championship, winning the individual title at 177 pounds in 1994. Tom Rainville and John Brigham are the only two Norwich wrestlers to earn All-America honors in two seasons. Ken Staten, Robert Ulrich and David Hamel are the other All-Americans in NU history.

Additionally, 11 different Norwich grapplers have earned NCAA Academic All-America honors through the years.

Nine former Norwich wrestlers are enshrined in the Norwich University Athletic Hall of Fame. The 1990-91 Norwich wrestling team is also in the Hall of Fame. That squad compiled an 11-2 record in dual meets, and placed second at the New England Championships. Eight different NU wrestlers earned All-New England honors that year. The Cadets went on to place 22nd at the NCAA Championships. That squad was led by Brigham, who capped his brilliant career by placing runner-up at the NCAAs and winning his fourth straight New England title.

In addition to being the highest Norwich placewinner at the NCAA Championships, Field holds a pair of school records. He holds the standards for most takedowns in a match (15) and most takedowns in a season (145).

Mark Camire graduated as the all-time leader in wins, amassing 83 individual victories in four seasons.

Norwich enjoyed unprecedented success during the 1996-97 season, when a Norwich-record five wrestlers qualified for the nationals. The 1997-98 team knocked off four nationally-ranked opponents en route to a 12-2 record.

Current Norwich head coach Rich Hasenfus has helped continue the legacy of success, as he has molded a slew of Academic All-Americans, New England champions and national qualifiers. Brian Zane, who graduated last spring, was a two-time NCAA qualifier, and a New England champion.