Wrestlers Shine, Place 29th at NCAAs

Coach Jay Weiss of the Harvard wrestling team was voted EIWA Coach of the Year by his peers. When reflecting on his team's 12-6-1 season, it is not difficult to see why.

The Crimson has emerged as a formidable opponent in the college wrestling circuit. Weiss and his team have won both the respect and the fear of their competition. Sending four of its top wrestlers to Nationals during the vacation, the team finished its most successful season in recent years.

Senior tri-captain James Butera, junior tri-captain Dustin DeNunzio, junior tri-captain Ed Mosley, and sophomore Fran Volpe all traveled to Cleveland State for the 1998 National tournament March 20th.

The four qualified for the tournament with their outstanding performances in the EIWA tournament two weeks earlier, at which Harvard finished fourth.

The National tournament was highlighted by the spectacular wrestling of DeNunzio, who won sixth place and thus earned All America honors, the first Harvard man to do so in fifteen years. DeNunzio, who wrestled in the 134-pound weight class, faced six matches.

He easily won the first three before facing Iowa's Jeff McGinnis in the semi-finals, the defending national champion who had a 75-match win streak. The two had met earlier in the year when McGinnis pulled out an overtime victory. This match proved just as exciting.

With a 2-2 score and only a minute left in the third period, McGinnis was able to escape the loss in those last moments, emerging with a 5-3 win.

"It was a good year for me," DeNunzio said. "I wasn't completely content because I didn't win but I still have another year."

Nationals also was an important occasion because it was the farewell tournament for Butera who along with wrestler Rob Durbin, will graduate in June.

"I had fun, but unfortunately lost my matches," Butera said. "Looking back, I think I could have done better. I didn't get myself focused enough."

Overall though, Butera (118-pound class) was happy with the ending chapter of what has been a terrific wrestling career.

"The whole season was awesome," Butera said. "I think I accomplished a lot."

"We are really going to miss [Butera and Durbin]," Volpe said.

Mosley had an impressive 3-2 finish in the 167-pound class and was one win away from himself earning All-America status before losing to the fourth seed from Arizona State, 7-4.

Volpe, Harvard's star sophomore in the 177-pound class, defeated Russell Jones of Hofstra in the first-round of the consolation draw.

"It was definitely a learning experience," Volpe said. "Everybody is of a really high caliber."

In total, the four Harvard men earned 12.5 points and a 29th place finish for Harvard. The wrestlers attribute much of the team's achievement to their leader.

"Coach Weiss just brings it all together," Volpe said. "He is the kind of coach everyone wishes they had."

The team and Coach Weiss returned to Cambridge with much to be proud of, as they continued to lead the way for this bright and upcoming Harvard group.

And though the season is now over, the successes of Butera, DeNunzio, Mosley and Volpe along with entire team should carry them into next season will high hopes and expectations.

"The biggest thing I am exited for is the future," Volpe said. "Next year we'll be sending five or six guys to Nationals instead of four."

"It was a great year for the team. [In coming years] we are going to do some damage," DeNunzio said.

That is one fact you don't have to wrestle with.