LANCASTER, Pa. – Following their impressive performances at the Centennial Conference championships, four Ursinus College wrestlers officially received all-conference recognition.
Seniors Alexander Kramer and Derek Arnold joined junior Christopher Tan on the first team, while junior Cody Richmond collected honorable mention. All-conference honors are awarded based solely upon performance at the championship meet, with first team laurels bestowed upon champions and honorable mention going to runners-up.
Tan captured the 125-pound title at the CC championship, knocking off top seed and defending champion Rob Murray of Stevens, 11-3, with a dominant performance in the title bout. Sporting a record of 20-3, Tan already owns victories over Murray, Johns Hopkins' Ricky Cavallo (twice), Gettysburg's Lenny Ogozalek, and WPI's Brian Amato, an All-American in 2014. Tan was an NCAA East Region champion and NCAA qualifier a year ago.
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Kramer has been dominant this season, racking up three tournament championships and a 38-5 record. Ranked ninth in the nation, the Bears' senior edged Stevens' Zach Wilhelm (ranked 10th) by a 7-5 count in the 149-pound final at the CC championship. Kramer, who also claimed first place in the Fall Brawl and Messiah's Petrofes Invitational, recently registered his 100th career victory and ranks second in Division III with 15 technical falls.
Arnold added the 157-pound conference crown to his back-to-back 149-pound titles in the previous two seasons. The senior took down Stevens' Thomas Poklikuha for the second time to polish off his third CC championship; Arnold is ranked seventh nationally, while Poklikuha is eighth. A two-time regional champion and 2015 All-American, Arnold is a sparkling 24-1 this season.
Richmond made a strong run to the 184-pound title bout at the CC tournament, getting there with a dramatic 4-3 sudden victory over Stevens' Danny Moore. Richmond is 9-5 on the year.
The Bears' all-conference selections and the rest of their teammates will compete in the NCAA East Regional championship starting Friday at Ferrum College in Rocky Mount, Virginia.