Champions once again.
For the 14th time in program history, the New York University wrestling team has won the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship.
The now three-time defending champions hosted #15 University of Chicago and Case Western Reserve University on Saturday, February 14, at the John A. Paulson Center in Manhattan.
The #11-ranked Violets came from behind in both matches to earn their 21st and 22nd wins of the season, setting a new program record for dual-meet victories.
In the first match of the round robin, Chicago defeated Case Western Reserve 33-11.
Case Western Reserve then returned to the mat to face the host Violets, who pulled out a 33-19 victory.
The Spartans got the better of the early going, taking a 19-6 lead after the first five bouts.
Nicky Bell (165) began NYU's comeback with a pin of his opponent in 4:50.
Next,
Ty Finn (174) and
Justin Mayes (184) posted identical 18-1 technical falls to put NYU into the lead 22-19, and when
Mo Talebi (197) followed with another tech fall victory, NYU clinched the match.
Nathan Faxon (HWT) then pinned his opponent in 5:40 to account for NYU's final points.
NYU got the early lead in the Championship Match against Chicago as
Alexander Diaz (125) began with a major decision and
Jacob Venezia (133) followed with a tech fall.
However, Chicago won the next four bouts and took a 16-9 lead.
Finn (174) closed the gap for NYU by producing a 19-1 technical fall victory, then Mayes (184) did the same with a 19-3 score, giving the Violets a 19-16 lead.
"After our senior,
Nicky Bell, was defeated at 165, the guys really rallied. They took that loss personally and, starting with
Ty Finn, made sure that we would still come back and win it," said Head Coach
Bruce Haberli.
Up next, Talebi (197) won a 6-3 decision to put NYU up by six.
The Maroons took the final bout with an 8-7 decision, but the Violets held on for the three-point, title-clinching victory.
"To win three in a row is great, but we don't just want to win the UAA, we want to do well at Nationals," Haberli added. "Both Case and Chicago are great teams and have made the UAA very strong. I'm just glad we came out on top."
Next up for the Violets will be the Joseph Pellicano Invitational, hosted by St. John Fisher University next Saturday, February 21, in Rochester, NY.
