Pages 22-27 - Columbia University Athletics

columbia in the newsCOLUMBIA UNIVERSITY WRESTLING LIONS--ON THE RISEBy Wayne Catan (appears courtesy of Amateur Wrestling News May 2007 Vol. 52 No. 11)Matt Palmer got it done this year. The high school All-America went into the2006-2007 season with a goal to become Columbia University’s first two-timeAll-American, and when he defeated Josh Weitzel of Oklahoma he reached thatgoal in Auburn Hills, Michigan on March 17.Columbia’s last All-American was Dave Galdi (and that was 1982). The Lionshad two other All-Americans (Jerry Reid in 1976; Bob Hartman1951).Columbia is rich in history:Lou Gehrig attended Columbia….The Pulitzer Prize is awarded from Columbia…George Stephanopoulos, the former Sr. Political Advisor and CommunicationsDirector to President Clinton (and now talk show host) wrestled forColumbia…Matt Palmer became the first Columbia two-timeAll-American in 2006-07…Nat Pendleton was a two-time EIWA champion for the Lions and won an Olympic silver medal at the 1920 Olympic Games inAntwerp, Belgium. Furthermore, Mr. Pendleton was an actor with supporting roles in several high profile movies including theMarx Brothers’ “Horse Feathers.”Located in the gentrified section of Manhattan known as Morningside Heights, Columbia is a university that offers a real lifeexperience. Columbia is eight stops from Wall Street, a mile or so from Madison Avenue; MTV and VH-1’s studios are right downBroadway. And it gets better: the Fashion Industry is there too on Broadway. You want to work for Sports Illustrated? Just walk afew blocks and knock on the company door! Lincoln Center is a quick stroll as is Carnegie Hall, where you can catch Bob Dylansinging “Brownsville Girl.” Take another 15 minute train ride to SoHo and you can reconnoiter Andy Warhol’s Magnum Opuses.“Coming here you will get the best of both worlds. We provide a dynamic experience for the Ivy League student-athlete andwe don’t forget about you when you leave us as we have a vast alumni network that will help you in your future professionalendeavors,” said Brendan Buckley, The Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling. “You will have instant cachet with a Columbiadegree.”And here’s the kicker, the wrestling coach’s position is fully-endowed. That’s correct. It will never go away. Trust me, that’s a bigkicker. I went to Syracuse and that program is gone.Brendan Buckley has done something special at Columbia, the nation’s oldest wrestling program. He had four NCAA qualifiersand an All-America this year. Last year, the team had two and five made it to the “Big Show” in 2005, the year Buckley was votedEIWA Coach of the Year. His supporting cast is comprised of Tim Foley an All-America for the University of Virginia, Victor Sveda,a two-time All-American for the University of Indiana, Karl Roessler, a two-time All-American for the University of Illinois and YeroWashington, a collegiate All-American and Olympic alternate.This year, Buckley’s squad earned its first-ever top 25 national ranking. They did it by beating Penn, American, Cal-State Bakersfield,Stanford, and UC-Davis, to name just a few top-ranked teams. (That was the first win over Penn in 14 years.) Moreover, the Lionswon The New York State Collegiate Wrestling Championships and the Keystone Invitational.“We had four NCAA Qualifiers and I am proud of the way the team performed. We are starting to get the recognition of a toptierteam. This is a springboard for things to come here at Columbia,” Buckley continued.And the future belongs to Ryan Flores a two-time California state champion and nationally ranked heavyweight; Eren Civan ofMaryland, who was a double cadet champ in Fargo and Asics Jr. National All-American. Add Travis Creagan of Tennessee and PaulVaeth of Islip, NY and Columbia should keep up its winning ways.Matt Palmer started it for Coach Buckley and the above named student-athletes must take it from here! Start working…”TheLions’ Roar is Quiet No More.”Columbia - 26 - wrestling