After an impressive win in its conference championship, the UCF Wrestling team placed third in its national competition.

The team won the National Collegiate Wrestling Association Southeast Conference Championship by 48 points, and 18 wrestlers qualified in the Southeast Conference Championship to move on to nationals, where the team was separated from first by 13 points.

UCF hosted nationals at the Lakeland Civic Center.

"It was nice to be able to bring the teams to Florida," said assistant coach Jason Balma.

Balma was also awarded Southeast Conference Coach of the Year.

"It was an extreme honor to be selected for this award," Balma said, "especially considering it is voted by the other coaches, most of which are older and have many more years of experience than me. I am really proud of the guys [on the team]. They have really come together as a team this year and really represent everything that makes this sport so great."

In order to boost team camaraderie, all the wrestlers decided to grow mustaches. Head coach Johnny Rouse's goal was "to have the winner's trophy and a group shot showing off those mustaches."

Some members of the crowd also wore stick-on mustaches to show their team spirit.

"There was great UCF representation at nationals," Balma said. "We have a lot of dedicated fans."

UCF took third place out of 75 teams and placed eight All-Americans. Of those, two were freshmen.

Freshman Steve DeAugustino took seventh place, wrestling in the 133 weight class, and freshman Richard Rippy placed fourth, wrestling at 184.

UCF ranked first place one day of the three-day competition, but this year was the closest fight the team has ever encountered. Members said there were four or five teams that could have snatched first place.

DeAugustino was the only freshman in the team's starting lineup. He also earned the title of an NCWA All-American.

Next year holds even higher goals for DeAugustino and the coaches, as well as fellow wrestlers who are anxious to see just how much more they can accomplish.

2007-2008 UCF Wrestling Season Outlook

BY Jason Balma 

2007-2008 Season Outlook

After claiming back to back national titles in 2004 and 2005 and a fourth place finish in 2006, the Knight’s wrestling team ended their 2007 season as the NCWA National Runner-Up team behind Grand Valley State University.  The Knight’s were also proud to add Paul Rothenberg to the ranks of 4x NCWA All-American; a club that only consists of fourteen wrestlers.  Rothenberg now joins his former teammates, David Miller, Todd Hauser, and Tom Lawlor, with this prestigious recognition.  UCF is also proud to add Rothenberg to its coaching staff while he completes his Industrial Engineering Degree.  Rothenberg joins the prestigious coaching staff which includes former teammate Jason Balma and National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductees Johnny Rouse and Scott Sherman.  Also contributing to the Knight’s practice room is NCAA DIII All-American Jason Snow, 2x NCAA DI All-American Matthew White, and 4x Big 10 place winner Karl Nadolsky.

Also returning this season are seven NCWA All-Americans, some of which have had multiple successes at the national tournament.  Leading the senior dominated team towards a third national title are senior captains Rob McCarty and Zach Sanford.  Both Rob McCarty (6^th 2006, 2^nd 2007 - 149 lbs.) and Zach Sanford (4^th 2006, 2^nd 2007 - 174 lbs.) look to join the NCWA ranks of other 3x All-Americans.  Other returning All-Americans include Federico Carosio (2^nd 2007 – 125 lbs.), Matt Bohren (5^th 2005, 6^th 2007 - 141 lbs.), Danny Fernandez (2^nd 2004, 3^rd 2005 – 197 lbs.), Brian Pierson (7^th 2007 – 235 lbs.), Jesse Pinson (2^nd 2007 – 285 lbs.).  Also returning to the Knight’s line-up are All-American hopefuls Willie Rothenberg, Michael Lemieux, CJ Hauser, and Billy Rippy.

The Knights are proud to add several of Florida’s outstanding high school wrestlers to the roster including Stephen DeAugustino, TJ Gillin, Kyle Stoodt, Ryan Witzel, Richard Rippy, Connor Kelly, and Daniel Rowe.  These and other young talented wrestlers will add depth to the current line-up and carry on the tradition of successful wrestling at UCF.  Developing these athletes will be a primary goal of the season as the Knight’s will graduate nine wrestlers.

Following the preseason tournament hosted by Georgia Tech, the Knights kick off the season with the Citadel Classic.  Next, the Knights travel to University of North Carolina – Pembroke for their annual Wrestling Classic.  November competition closes with the team hosting the Knight Brawl Duals and Central Florida Open the following day.

The Knights kick off December with the Cavalier Duals hosted by Darton College.  Darton looks to have a successful season as they prepare for their transfer to the NJCAA.  Next, the Knights will compete in the Gator Duals against NCAA DII and DIII powerhouses Luther College, SUNY Cortland, and UNC-Pembroke.  On December 28 the Knights will compete with some of best NCAA DIII teams in the long established Sunshine Open.  December will close with the team hosting the Central Florida Duals on December 31.

January competition begins with Cliff Keen National Duals hosted at the University of Northern Iowa by the National Wrestling Coach’s Association.  After suffering defeat the past two seasons at the National Duals to NCWA National Champions Grand Valley State University, the Knights hope to bring home their first title.  Also representing the NCWA in Northern Iowa are Bowling Green University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Marion Military, Ohio State University, Newmann University, and Kansas State University.  This tournament will certainly prove to be once again a premier tournament of the season.  Finishing January the Knights will host the Florida Dual Meet Championship followed by the Shipbuilder Classic in New Port News, Virginia on January 26.

In preparation for the Southeast Conference on March 1 in Albany, GA, hosted by Darton College, the Knights will compete in the Doug Cherry Classic (Lafayette, PA) on February 2 and to the Seminole Invitational (Tallahassee, FL) on February 16.  Closing out the season will be the 11^th Annual NCWA National Championships held in Lakeland, FL on March 13-15.  The Knights hope to bring home a national title while wrestling in their own backyard in front of passionate Florida wrestling fans.  This promises to be an exciting year for the veteran team which looks to build on a successful tradition that is UCF Wrestling.

Penn State All-American wrestler represents Puerto Rico on way to Beijing

BY HILLARD GROSSMAN
FLORIDA TODAY

MELBOURNE - Matt White calls his obsession with amateur wrestling "a burning desire."

At 37, the former two-time All-American from Penn State still is trying to pin down a spot in his first Olympics.

But his road is much more traveled -- and unique -- than most of his competitors.

The father of four is hoping to earn a trip to Beijing next year as a member of the Puerto Rican national wrestling team.

"I believe this is a season in my life, and I know it will end soon, but I'm not ready to let go," he says. "The odds, it seems, have always been against me. But some of my best moments, my best victories, were when the biggest odds were against me."

He met his wife, Zoriber, a native of San Juan, as a freshman at Penn State. He was a wrestling star, she was a cheerleader, who often would hear legendary football coach Joe Paterno "getting angry at the players" from far away.

"I'd sneak him into the football games with the cheerleading squad," she says, laughing. "Hey, he was a hero. I was known as Matt White's girlfriend."

White, indeed, was an outstanding athlete, shooting low on his opponents, and consistently spinning behind them or cradling one of their legs onto his shoulder. The Nittany Lions were ranked among the nation's top three teams, even winning the dual-meet national title.

But it didn't come easy.

There were times he wrestled -- not knowingly -- with a broken bone in his lower back.

He also competed with metal leg braces fully taped over his battle-torn knees.

"He looked like a robot," Zoriber says. "It was awful, knowing his knees could collapse on him at any time."

But, as a 177-pound senior, White took off the tape and the braces.

"I just said to myself, if I'm going to wrestle, I want to be free," he said. "I had one of my greatest seasons ever."

One of his most painful, too.

"There were many times I wanted to quit," he says, before a recent workout at the YMCA Suntree Fitness Center. "My body was so beat up coming out of college . . . I had pain in my back and knees that took a long time to heal.

"But I still had a burning desire. So I prayed to God to either let me do it, or take away the desire."

He married Zoriber in 1992 and moved to Puerto Rico, where he not only fell in love with the scenic Caribbean island, but also the tastes of his now-favorite delicacies, such as arroz con gandules (rice and peas), Churrasco (meat) and tostones (fried plantains).

White eventually started a wrestling program at a private school.

"I wasn't planning on wrestling when I moved there," he says. "But one day I was asked to wrestle. My body was beat up."

Seven years after graduating from Penn State, he was on the mat again, competing in his first international freestyle tournament, in Guatemala. Shortly after, he claimed the silver medal at the Central American Games in Venezuela.

"Nobody knows the obstacles he's had to overcome," Zoriber says. "The prejudices, the adversity, but he never complained. I mean, he came from a college where everyone knew him, to an island where no one knew him, and where they spoke a different language. But he's earned the respect of the people there.

"There was a newspaper article not too long ago where they called him a Boricua, which is how they refer to native Puerto Ricans. I told him, 'Look, they upgraded you.' Usually, they just call him a 185-pounder."

White's respect on the U.S. territorial island has flourished. Twice, he has been named Athlete of the Year.

"I'm very proud to be from the U.S.," says White, a native of Ligonier, Pa. "But I'm also very proud to represent Puerto Rico. I love it there, although it is, at times, very stressful, fast-paced living, pretty intense, high crime. . . . Hey, with the right sponsorship, I'd be at the U.S. Training Facility in Colorado Springs right now, but I never tried out for the U.S. team, so that has made it easy for me to wrestle in Puerto Rico."

The island is supported by U.S. military, with U.S. currency and passports the norm. Only in sports is there a divide.

No Puerto Rican wrestler has ever earned a medal in the Olympics. In fact, the island's biggest athletic achievement came in Athens in 2004, when Carlos Arroyo led the basketball team to a stunning 92-73 victory against the U.S.

It will be hard to top that performance, of course.

But White has won the national wrestling title in Puerto Rico seven times, and has competed in four World Championships, finishing a career-best 10th in 2005 in Budapest, Hungary. Earlier this year, just north of Iran, he lost out early to a Polish wrestler in the World event, where the top eight finishers in the 45-man field advanced to Beijing.

His next chance to make the 20-man roster in his 96 kg (212-pound class) will come in February, where he will need a victory at the Pan Am Championships in Colorado Springs, going up against rivals -- presumably younger -- from Cuba to Canada.

Two other qualifying events -- in Poland and Switzerland -- also are on the horizon.

"I think it's amazing he's still trying," says Joe Rowlette, the executive director of Suntree YMCA, who was one of the nation's top gymnasts at Temple University form 1986-91. "I stopped in '92. If I was to take on a venture like that now . . . no way. I give him a lot of credit."

With four kids -- Amara, 13; Gabriel, 11; Aliza, 4; and Eliana, 1 -- to take care of, White's life is demanding.

"It's sometimes a struggle," says White, who works a polo-and-slacks, 9-to-5 job for Medi-Share, an insurance alternative company in Melbourne, before traveling to Orlando about three times a week to train with the University of Central Florida wrestling club.

"There's pressure, the injuries, providing for my family, not getting enough sleep. I've got a wife and four kids. Most of these other guys are full-time athletes."

But the burning desire is still there.

Just like it was in U.S. wrestling star Bruce Baumgartner's heart, when at the age of 36, he won a bronze medal in Atlanta.

"This is my last go-around," White says. "I love wrestling. I mean, I've been doing it since I was 10.

"I just feel like I'm doing something my body was built to do."

UCF Wins Central Florida Open
11/17/2007

The Knights finished their annual open tournament in first place with 114 points over Marion Military Institute (80 points), Darton College (73 points), and University of Florida (32 points).  The Knights had 4 tournament champions, 4 finalists, and 5 third place finishes.

In the 149 pound class, Team Captain Rob McCarty finished the tournament 3-0 with 1 pin, 1 technical fall, and 7-0 decision in the finals.  At 184 lbs., Team Captain Zach Sanford also finished the tournament 3-0 with 1 pin, 1 decision, and a disqualification in the finals.  The Knights then captured back to back tournament championships at 235 lbs. and 285 lbs.  Brain Pierson (235 lbs.) won with a decision and a pin and Jesse Pinson (285 lbs.) captured 2 pins and a decision.

Launching the Knights into the tournament championship was a Friday night tri-meet with Marion Military Institute and Darton College.  The team beat Marion Military Institute 36-15 and Darton College 43-7.  Winning both dual meet matches for the Knights included Rob McCarty, Mike Lemieux, CJ Hauser with two pins, Zach Sanford, Billy Rippy, Brian Pierson, and Jesse Pinson.

The dual meets and tournament served as an excellent benchmark for the team on their road to the NCWA national tournament in March.  The knights will close out the fall semester competition with the Cavalier Duals at Darton College and will then begin to prepare for their rigorous winter break schedule, including the Gator Duals and the Sunshine Open.

Central Florida Open Champions
Rob McCarty, Zach Sanford, Brian Pierson, Jesse Pinson

2007 Sunshine Open

With a strong field including Division III 10 time National Champion Augsburg at full strength in the 2007 Sunshine Open, Central Florida made a lasting impression. The UCF squad placed 6 wrestlers in the top 8 in this tough DII and DIII field. UCF's 197 pound Senior Danny Fernandez brought home the Gold by defeating #1 Seed Joe West of Delaware Valley 3-2 in the finals. 184 lb Zach Sanford took 3rd defeating the Heidelberg wrestler that knocked him out of the championship bracket by a decisive 17-8 decision.

2007 Luther-Gator Duals

The Knights finished the Luther-Gator Duals 4-0, defeating Roger Williams (Team 2), UNC-Pembroke, Luther College (Team 2), and Roger Williams (Team 1).  The team is extremely proud of their performance at the tournament against NCAA Division 2&3 competition.  Zach Sanford, Richard Rippy, and Danny Fernandez all finished the day undefeated.  The team will now prepare for the Sunshine Open and the New Year's Eve Duals at home.

2008 Seminole Invitational

In a dominating performance, the Knights finished the 2008 Seminole Invitational with a first place team finish over Darton College and University of Florida, respectively.  The tournament was the Knight's last regular season competition and served as an excellent launching point to begin their post-season training.  At 133 lbs. freshmen Steve DeAugustino continued his relentless season long drive to finish the tournament 3-0.  Like DeAugustino, freshmen TJ Gillin represented former high school, Flagler Palm Coast, well with a stellar 3-0 performance.  At 149 lbs. Team Captain Rob McCarty finished 3-0 a technical fall, a pin, and a decision in the finals over Darton College's Corey Wilson.  At 157 lbs. Mike Lemieux swept through the bracket with 2 first period pins and a major decision to finish in first place.  At 184 lbs. Team Captain Zach Sanford also finished the tournament 3-0 with two pins and a forfeit over teammate Richard Rippy in the finals.  Sanford finished his regular season competition with a stellar record of 39-4 with 32 pins and is currently the NCWA's all weight classes point leader.  At 197 lbs. Danny Fernandez also finished the tournament with a first place finish scoring 2 pins and a decision over FGCU's Nathan Behrent in the finals.  At 235 lbs. Brian Pierson also finished as tournament champion, defeating teammate Daniel Rowe 1-0 in the finals.  At 285 lbs. Jesse Pinson finished as tournament champion scoring all pins through the tournament.

The Knights now prepare for their conference tournament on March 1, hosted by Darton College in Albany, GA.

2008 Doug Cherry Invitational
...GVSU Laker Open

Sometimes adversity presents itself in strange fashions.  Upon arriving in the Chicago airport, the UCF wrestling team found that their connecting flight to Allentown, PA was cancelled and there would be no rescheduling until the following morning (too late to make the Doug Cherry tournament).  Instead of heading back to Orlando without seeing a match, the team made immediate adjustments and rearranged their trip to attend the Laker Open hosted by returning NCWA national champions Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI.  While the Doug Cherry has always been a turning point in the Knights' wrestling season, overcoming this adversity will certainly pay dividends in the long run.  Stay tuned for upcoming results.

At the completion of the tournament, the Knights finished with one tournament champion (184 lbs. Zach Sanford), 4 finalists (141 lbs. TJ Gillin, 174 lbs. CJ Hauser, 184 lbs. Richard Rippy, 197 lbs. Danny Fernandez), 3 third place finishes (125 lbs. Federico Carosio, 149 lbs. Rob McCarty, 235 lbs. Brian Pierson), and 2 fourth place finishes (125 lbs. Frito Cherenfant, 285 lbs. Jesse Pinson).  In addition to winning the tournament, Zach Sanford improved his record to 36-4 with 19 pins to become the NCWA's top ranked point leader.

The tournament proved to be an excellent benchmark in preparation for the conference tournament in Albany, GA and the NCWA National Championships held in Lakeland, FL March 13-15.

UCF Wrestling Wins 2008 Southeast Conference Tournament

 -Jillian Krotki
Central Florida Future

             Last weekend, the UCF Wrestling team competed in their Regional Qualifier.  There were a total of nineteen schools striving to prove that they had what it takes to come out on top.  “This competition allows wrestling to determine who competes in nationals based on their ability,” said Coach Johnny Rouse.  Rouse was the first heavyweight in 1970 when the wrestling program began at UCF and proceeded to become the assistant coach for four years after he graduated in 1972.  In addition to having a coach with well over a decade worth of experience with wrestling, their assistant coach Jason Balma was selected as Southeast Conference Coach of the Year by a group of his peers.  “It was an extreme honor to be selected for this award,” said Balma, “especially considering it is voted by the other coaches, most of which are older and have many more years of experience than me.  I am really proud of the guys; they have really come together as a team this year and really represent everything that makes this sport so great.”

            The UCF team won the qualifier by a forty-eight point margin, which is the largest margin the team has won by.  This proved to be a dominating victory for the Knights.  Eighteen wrestlers qualified to move on to Nationals, yet another record set in the seven years that UCF has been in the league. 

            Next week, March 13, 14, and 15, these eighteen wrestlers will compete in the 11^th National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) Tournament.  UCF is hosting this competition for the first time ever.  Rouse has definite expectations.  “They’ve already demonstrated the ability to place in the top 4,” said Rouse, “and we’ve won it before.”  Their biggest competition will be the returning champions, Grand Valley State University from Michigan. 

             The UCF wrestling team is a predominantly senior team.  There is only one freshmen starter that has proven he is worthy.  Steve DeAugustino wrestles in the 133 weight class.  “It was a pretty big surprise to be the only freshmen starter,” Steve said. “The team has come a long way and there is nothing left to do but our best and take what we deserve.”

            Every year the wrestlers select something motivational to do that represents unity and puts them all on an equal playing field.  This year, they are all growing out mustaches.  Rouse’ goal is “…to have the winner’s trophy and a group shot showing off those mustaches.”

            Zach Sanford, wrestling in the 184 weight class, is thought to be their best shot at victory, but there are very high hopes for Danny Fernandez of the 197 weight class as well.  Fernandez was the runner up in Nationals two years ago.

            The National Tournament will be held in Lakeland at the Lakeland Civic Center.  Tickets are available online for fifty dollars and can also be purchased at the door for seventy dollars.  To pre-order your tickets online, go to http://www.ncwa.net/nationals. 

3/1/2008
Jason Balma

The Knights began their pursuit for the 2008 NCWA national title this weekend with an impressive first place finish at the Southeast Conference Championship hosted by Darton College.  This was the Knight’s second consecutive Southeast Conference title and fifth overall conference title.  The Knights boasted 232 tournament points, a 44 point margin over Marion Military Institute (Alabama); followed by University of Florida, Darton College (Georgia), and Kennesaw State University (Georgia), respectively.  Individual UCF tournament champions included Matt Bohren (141 lbs.), Rob McCarty (149 lbs.), Mike Lemieux (157 lbs.), Zach Sanford (184 lbs.), Danny Fernandez (197 lbs.), and Jesse Pinson (285 lbs.).  In all, the Knights qualified 18 wrestlers for the national tournament. 

At 125 lbs., returning NCWA finalist, Federico Carosio, suffered a loss in the finals to returning national champion CeeJay Hamilton.  Also at 125 lbs., Frito Cherenfant finished the tournament with a third place finish over Darton College’s Dakota Puryear.  The NCWA, unlike other college divisions, allows for a maximum of two wrestlers per weight class to qualify for the national tournament. 

At 133 lbs., after loosing a close match in the semi-finals, freshmen Steve DeAugustino finished third over FAMU’s Rueben Felder.  DeAugustino, the only freshmen in Central Florida’s starting lineup, has had an extraordinary work ethic this season that has established him as a strong competitor in the 133 lbs. weight class.      

At 141 lbs., returning NCWA All-American Matt Bohren won the tournament over freshmen teammate TJ Gillin.  Gillin won his semi-finals match over #2 seed Jarrett Williams (Darton College) with a last second takedown and near-fall in the third period. 

At 149 lbs., returning national finalist and senior captain Rob McCarty defeated Darton College’s Corey Wilson 6-2.  At 157 lbs. senior Michael Lemieux also won the tournament defeating University of Florida’s Freddie Williams 3-2 in the finals.  After suffering an end of the season injury last year, Lemieux is looking to make his mark on the NCWA in his final season.

165 lbs. sophomore Devon Jackson finished the tournament with a fourth place finish.  Jackson lost a close semi-final match to tournament champion, Ross Cravens (KSU), and lost another close match to University of Georgia’s Alan Taylor in the consolation finals.  At 174 lbs. sophomore CJ Hauser suffered a loss to University of Florida’s Ricky Rieck in the finals.

At 184 lbs., Zach Sanford and Richard Rippy continued their dominance of the weight class meeting in the finals for the third consecutive tournament.  Sanford, senior captain and two-time NCWA All-American, improved his season record to 42-4 with 318 NCWA points.  Sanford continues to lead the NCWA in points in all weight classes.

At 197 lbs. two-time All-American Danny Fernandez recorded a tournament championship over FGCU’s Nathan Behrent 5-4.  Also at 197 lbs., senior Billy Rippy finished the tournament in third place with notable victories over MMI’s Tyler Barberi and KSU’s Ben Ericks.

At 235 lbs., Brian Pierson finished second in the conference to MMI’s Jay Brenowitz.  At 285 lbs., returning NCWA finalist Jesse Pinson won the tournament with two first period pins and a forfeit in the finals.  Pinson leads the team in pins with 27.

Following the tournament, UCF’s assistant coach, Jason Balma, was named Southeast Conference Coach of the Year.  “It was an extreme honor to be selected for this award, especially considering it is voted by the other coaches, most of which are older and have many more years of experience than me.  I am really proud of the guys, they have really come together as a team this year and really represent everything that makes this sport so great,” said Balma.     

The Knights will now prepare for their seventh year of participation at the NCWA National Tournament, finishing 8^th, 4^th, 1^st, 1^st, 4^th, and 2^nd, respectively.  In the past six years, the Knights have claimed 44 All-American finishes and 8 national champion titles.  UCF will be hosting the National Tournament at the Lakeland Civic Center on March 13, 14, and 15.

7/9/2007 Central Florida Future Feature

Wrestle Mania

Six years ago, the UCF club wrestling team was nothing more than a vision shared only by a select few. Six national championship appearances and two first-place finishes later, the team is rising through the ranks and making a name for themselves, and a big name at that.

Since the team's founding in 2001 as part of the National Collegiate Wrestling Association, it has proved to be tough competitors and has competed with some of the top wrestling programs in the country. Yet to miss a national championship, they have consistently placed top 10, including two first-place finishes and, most recently, a second-place finish in the 2007 NCWA National Championship held at the UNI Dome in Dallas in front of a crowd of 15,400 in February.

"The NCWA National Championship is what we work for all season," said senior Paul Rothenberg, an All-American and the team's captain for the past two years. "We are a top team, and we compete like one. We're very competitive and extremely hard-working."

Rothenberg's stellar leadership and performance have made him just the 13th person in the NCWA's 10-year history to earn All-American four times.

During his four appearances at the national championship, Rothenberg placed third as a freshman, fifth as a sophomore, fourth as a junior and second as a senior.

As an engineering major who is on track to graduate, athletics is certainly not the only area he succeeds in. Many of the team's younger members look to him for both athletic and academic advice.

While UCF club wrestling is a fairly new program, wrestling was not always a club sport at UCF. From 1970 to 1986, UCF had a varsity wrestling team funded by the school's athletic department. However, the program was eventually eliminated because of gender equity problems created by Title IX.

Hard work, consistent success and numerous victories are perhaps shaping today's club team into the beginning stages of a dynasty.

Head coach Johnny Rouse, a two-time recipient of the NCWA National College Coach of the Year Award, could not be happier with his team's performance.

"We've certainly had quite a bit of success," Rouse said. "I am very proud of these guys."

Rouse, who has coached the team since its establishment, has quite a bit of wrestling background as it pertains to UCF.

In the late 1970s, Rouse was a member of the UCF Wrestling team and competed in the heavyweight class. Following graduation, Rouse continued to work with the team as an assistant for four more years and later as the head coach for another year.

As with any new club or organization, the UCF Wrestling team has had to overcome many obstacles.

"One major problem in fielding a great team each year is that the top high school wrestlers in the state of Florida choose to go to varsity programs outside of the state," Rouse said. "Also, UCF has become very difficult to gain admission to. Many wrestlers cannot get in based on academic merits alone. Athletes must be students first. We don't just have athletes. We have a group of academically and athletically talented individuals."

Coaches and athletes of the team also admit that there is an obvious disadvantage to being a club team. Club teams do not have access to the facilities that varsity programs have, nor do they have the recruiting capabilities. Funding is also an issue, as club sports are not funded by the athletic department.

"SGA funds about one-third of our budget, and we are very thankful for the support and the amount of funding we get from the Student Government Association," assistant coach Jason Balma said. "They help us a lot."

Despite some of these setbacks, the Knights continue to dominate and have proven themselves a major competitor in collegiate wrestling.

"We compete against many schools, including NCAA programs," Balma said. "We have the top programs in the league, like Grand Valley State, very worried. We are right at their heels."

UCF and Grand Valley State know each other extremely well. Often times these two teams find themselves within just a few points of each other during national championships. It was not long ago that UCF defeated two-time defending champions Grand Valley State to take first in the NCWA National Championship.

Balma feels that much of the team's success is due to how tightly knit the group is.

"It's amazing how close these guys are," he said. "They are family. We live, travel and compete with one another, and that is exactly what we encourage."

While the Knights continue to enjoy their success, there are always things that can be improved.

Many of the athletes would like to see a larger fan base and higher attendance at matches, among other things.

Next season will bring new tasks and challenges for the UCF Wrestling Club team, and with eight returning All-Americans, aspirations are high.

"We are looking for leaders to set an example for the younger members of the team," Balma said. "We also need the younger guys to step up. It's not always athletic performance that makes a team, it's leadership."

The UCF Wrestling program's hard work, dedication and tremendous success both academically and athletically is representative of the very best things about UCF.

Current news and information can be found at the UCF wrestling team's website at www.centralfloridawrestling.-com.