The six new Lions include state and National Prep champions, Freestyle and Greco-Roman All-Americans, all exhibiting the quality needed to succeed on a national level.
"I'm pleased with this year's recruiting class," Buckley says. "They provide major additions at weight classes where we needed them the most, particularly in the upper weights. Some could step right into our starting lineup, while others will give us quality depth this year."
Buckley is especially enthused about his new wrestlers' practice habits.
"They're all hard workers," he says. "All six like living in the wrestling room and the weight room. I really like their work ethics."
Buckley and his staff set their targets this year on some of the nation's top wrestling schools. "Most of our young men come from historically strong high school wrestling programs," he says, "such as Victor Mocco from Blair Academy, the top-ranked school; Cary Aldrich from Peddie, which has been building a strong New Jersey prep school program; Matt Dunn from Reynolds High, Pennsylvania's state AA champion; and Mike Bossetta from Jesuit High in New Orleans, which has won three straight state titles." Another prospect, Mike Wolfer, comes out of Eastern Pennsylvania's Northampton Area High.
"Northampton competes in District 11," the coach notes. "That's the best high school wrestling in the country."
The Columbia Class of 2006 (with projected weights):
MATT DUNN, 149, Transfer, Pa. (Reynolds HS)
Ranked as high as first in the nation (W.I.N. magazine) in his senior season, eventually ranking seventh nationally . . . state champion as a junior and senior . . . four-time state placewinner . . . represented Pennsylvania in the Dapper Dan Classic in Pittsburgh . . . Pennsylvania state recipient of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award . . . won Ohio's famed Ironman Tournament, and was named the Outstanding Wrestler after beating top-ranked Lance Palmer from St. Edward High . . . placed fifth in the Beast of the East . . . third wrestler from Reynolds High, Pennsylvania state AA champions, to attend Columbia, following former captain and EIWA placewinner Steve Popovitch, and present junior 197-pounder Nick Sommerfeld.
VICTOR MOCCO, 165, Bernardsville, N.J. (Blair Academy)
Latest member of the illustrious wrestling family . . . cousin of Oklahoma State's Steve Mocco . . . four-time National Prep All-American after placing four times at National Preps — third, fifth, sixth twice . . . two-time New England Prep finalist as a student at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire . . . three-time Class A champion at Exeter . . . New Jersey Prep state champion . . . New Jersey freestyle state champion . . . 19-3 as a senior; more than 100 career victories.
MIKE WOLFER, 174, Northampton, Pa. (Northampton Area HS)
All-Area (Allentown Morning Call) at 171 pounds . . . ranked first in area . . . placed second in Holiday Classic, fifth in District 11 . . . sixth in the district as a sophomore . . . 27-11 as a senior . . . helped Northampton Area High to PIAA 3A championships in 2003 and 2004, as well as team championship of 2003 Virginia Duals . . . Wrestling Scholar-Athlete for the Lehigh Valley Conference.
CARY ALDRICH, 184, Warren, N.J. (The Peddie School)
Following a solid scholastic career at Watchung Hills High, his wrestling took off in a post-graduate year at The Peddie School . . . National Prep champion and New Jersey State Prep champ at Peddie, going 31-2 . . . defeated Nebraska recruit Bobby Laraway twice in National Preps . . . district champion, seventh in New Jersey State Championships as a high school senior, with a 22-4 record . . . 104-42 career.
MIKE BOSSETTA, 197, Mandeville, La. (Jesuit HS)
Persevered through tumultuous year due to Hurricane Katrina to earn his second straight Louisiana state championship . . . was forced to begin the school year at Strake Jesuit High in Houston after the hurricane forced his family out of their New Orleans suburb . . . returned to Jesuit High in January to find that his coach had remained in Houston, some of his teammates had moved away, and the Jesuit High gym was unusable . . . nevertheless, won 215-pound state championship after taking 189-pound title as a junior at Jesuit . . . led his team to its third straight state title . . . 32-5 as a senior included 12-4 while in Houston, at 189, and 20-1 back in New Orleans . . . 53-10 as a junior . . . In 2005, was Southeast Regional Freestyle champion at 215, as well as Louisiana state freestyle and Greco-Roman champion . . . All-American after taking third at 215 in 2005 NHSCA National Open . . . ranked among nation's top 25 at 215 (Wrestling USA).
KEVIN LESTER, HWT, Nampa, Idaho (Nampa HS)
Three-time Idaho state placewinner . . . 2006 state champion at 215 after finishing fourth as a junior and sixth as a sophomore, both at 189 . . . state title capped a 51-2 senior season that included 46 pins and 286 team points . . . Nampa High career record of 149-32 . . . Cadet All-American after placing eighth in 2004 Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals . . . two-time Western Region champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman . . . six-time state champion . . . twice Reno Worlds runner-up . . . wrestled on Idaho State Cadet Team which placed fourth in 2004 national cadet duals . . .stands 6-foot-5, and has increased his high school weight of 215, to 240 . . . recruited for football by Boise State.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now