The Observer, April 13, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 24
Wrestlers are number one academically in Division III
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Most wrestling teams in Division III know that facing Case wrestlers poses difficult matches on the mat. Coach Bob Del Rosa's team had another successful season this year, with several wrestlers winning more than 70 percent of their matches.
The wrestlers' success reaches beyond the sport, though, as they consistently rank among the best in Division III for academic performance and team grade point average. This year, they won the Division III national academic title with a GPA of 3.58.
This marks the first time that the team has earned this distinction, and Del Rosa believes that next year's team will win it as well.
"This year, we had a very good team, and I think next year's team could be even better," Del Rosa said. "We had back-ups this year who were about as good as the guys we are losing."
One of those wrestlers looking to step into a bigger role next year is David Bernholt. At 170 pounds, he picked up an impressive total of 14 wins despite wrestling at the significantly heavier 184-pound weight class.
"He will probably wrestle at 157 and replace [Russ] Tischer," Del Rosa said. "He should be a national qualifier. He's got it all together."
Tischer also had nothing but good things to say about his replacement.
"Dave Bernholt is a great wrestler," he said. "If he wrestles at what he actually weighs, he'll do great. He beat the national qualifier at 184. He'll be an Academic all-American next year."
Another wrestler primed to step up next year is junior Dawud Wilson, who compiled a 21-14 record while wrestling at heavyweight. Del Rosa expects Wilson to flourish next year while wrestling at a weight class closer to his actual weight.
"He's planning to wrestle at 197," Del Rosa said. "He could be dominant there, and he doesn't have to go too far to be at that weight."
In addition to this year's team academic title and the possibility of winning another next year, six wrestlers earned Academic All-American status. In order to achieve this distinction, a wrestler must have a minimum 3.2 GPA, have sophomore-standing, wrestle in two-thirds of his team's matches, and win two-thirds of his individual matches. Combining such high academic and athletic achievement is a difficult task, yet six wrestlers managed to accomplish the feat this year: David Manoogian (141-pound weight class), Drew Gardella (149 pounds), Tischer (157 pounds), Nathan Klingensmith (174 pounds), Thomas Sanders (197 pounds), and Bob Gavlak (heavyweight).
For Klingensmith, earning the honor showed how far he had come his first two years wrestling at Case.
"This was probably the most outstanding thing I have won at Case," he said. "My first year as a freshman, I was wrestling at 174 pounds, and I won very few matches. Last year, I won a few more, but this year, was able to win enough to be awarded scholar All-American."
For Sanders, a graduating senior, the award puts a finishing touch on a very successful career.
"It feels great," Sanders said. "Everybody on the team committed themselves to be an athlete and a scholar, and it showed."
Tischer, another graduating senior, likes what he sees in the wrestlers who will be returning next season.
"It's nice to see underclassmen step up to the example I set," he said. "They're going to take my place as a senior, and that's nice to see."
Del Rosa gives his wrestlers a lot of credit for being able to balance the demands of both a grueling sport and a rigorous academic environment.
"It's a tough place academically," he said. "To give that type of effort to sports and to do that well in school, they should be commended."
