BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University sophomore Edwin Morales has been named as a 2020 NCAA Division III First Team All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).
Each year the NWCA recognizes the outstanding work of the Division III Student-athletes by naming the All-Americans based on their achievements at the national championship meet. However, this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic the championships were cancelled. All-American honors were based on each wrestler’s overall body of work through the regional tournaments and up to the national championships.
“These athletes deserve to be recognized for their outstanding body of work during the 2019-2020 season,” said Lonnie Morris, NWCA Division III President & Johnson & Wales University Head Coach.
“I’m proud of the NWCA Division III leadership group working so diligently to review the candidates and for developing a meaningful process for recognizing this elite group of young men,” Morris added.
Morales went 29-4 (.879) in his first season as a Bear with nine pins, 64 takedowns, 58 near fall points and 29 escapes. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native placed second out of the 184-pound weight class at the NCAA Division III Northeast Regional Championships to earn All-Northeast Region honors and qualify for the 2020 NCAA Division III Championships. He was seeded eighth in his weight class at the national championship meet.
Morales is the Bears’ first All-American wrestler since Ricky Caruso earned the honor in 2015 competing at heavyweight.
Three other BSU grapplers have also garnered All-American accolades. John Marsh accomplished the feat in 2010 wrestling out of the 149-pound weight class, while Andrea Giacomozzi was named a United States Girls’ Wrestling Association (USGWA) All-American in 2003 at the 107-pound weight class. BSU Hall of Famer Craig Buckley is the Bears’ lone two-time All-American. Buckley earned the honor in 2002 competing at 197 and again in 2004 at 184.
ABOUT THE NWCA
The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: Coaching Development, Student-Athlete Welfare, and the Promotion of Wrestling.