BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State College freshman Ken Francis has been selected as the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Rookie of the Year.
A native of New Bedford, Massachusetts, Francis posted a record of 27-10 this season with six pins. He captured All-New England honors at the NEWA Championships this past weekend as he placed second in the 133-pound weight class.
Beginning with a win by fall in BSC's 28-15 dual meet victory over Coast Guard on January 14th, Francis strung together a 14-bout winning streak. The streak was snapped at the NEWA Championships with a loss to 133-pound champion Nick Cucciniello of Johnson & Wales University.
Despite being seeded fifth at the championship meet, Francis proceeded to knock off three higher seeded wrestlers in #2 Scott Legacy of RIC, #3 Stephen Valastro of Southern Maine and #4 Bryan Conrad of Coast Guard. His season, however, would come to an end with a loss to Cucciniello in the title bout.