CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced its 2020 Academic All-MAC Wrestling team today as 49 students were named to the team.
Highlighting the 2020 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team is four-time Academic All-MAC selection graduate senior Tim Rooney of Kent State. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Rooney is an exercise physiology major with a 3.813 GPA and was the MAC Champion at the 133-pound weight class on March 8 at the 2020 MAC Wrestling Championship.
Central Michigan’s Drew Hildebrandt and Dresden Simon are both three-time Academic All-MAC honorees. Hildebrandt, a native of Granger, Ind., is a finance major with a 3.64 GPA and was the MAC Champion at the 125-pound weight class, while Simon, a native of Dansville, Mich., is a sport management major with a 3.50 GPA and was the MAC Champion at the 141-pound weight class and was named the MAC Tournament Outstanding Wrestler at the 2020 MAC Wrestling Championship on March 8. In addition, Ohio senior Zac Carson is also a three-time Academic All-MAC selection. Carson previously earned the honors in 2017 and 2018 with Eastern Michigan.
There were also six two-time Academic All-MAC honors earned Derek Spann of Buffalo, Drew Marten and Landon Pelham of Central Michigan, Bryce West of NIU and Killian Cardinale and Shane Jones of Old Dominion.
Central Michigan led the way with six wrestlers (Brock Bergelin, Ben Cushman, Drew Hildebrandt, Drew Marten, Landon Pelham and Dresden Simon), while George Mason also posted six wrestlers (Colston DiBlasi, Talha Farooq, Alex Madrigal, Paul Pierce, Ali Salem and Cornelius Schuster) named to the Academic All-MAC Team.
Bloomsburg had five honorees (Trevor Allard, Alex Carida, Kyle Murphy, Nate Newberry and Jarrett Walters), while Missouri also witnessed five wrestlers (Jacob Bohlken, Connor Flynn, Jarrett Jacques, Peyton Mocco and Dylan Wisman) named to the Academic All-MAC Team.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the regular season meets. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award. Outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments for the current season are only considered.
2020 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team (49):
Trevor Allard, Bloomsburg, Graduate, 3.91 GPA, Business Admin. (MBA) (Mexico, N.Y.)
Alex Carida, Bloomsburg, Sophomore, 3.71 GPA, Supply Chain Mgmt. (Hackettstown, N.J.)
Kyle Murphy, Bloomsburg, Senior, 3.28 GPA, Early Childhood Education (Bridgewater, N.J.)
Nate Newberry, Bloomsburg, Senior, 3.54 GPA, Finance-Economics (Biglerville, Pa.)
Jarrett Walters, Bloomsburg, Sophomore, 3.73 GPA, History (Danville, Pa.)
Troy Keller, Buffalo, Senior, 3.50 GPA, Environmental Studies (North Tonawanda, N.Y.)
^Derek Spann, Buffalo, Junior, 3.40 GPA, Environmental Studies (Boonville, N.Y.)
Brock Bergelin, Central Michigan, Sophomore, 3.43 GPA, Information Systems (Denmark, Wis.)
Ben Cushman, Central Michigan, Redshirt Freshman, 3.56 GPA, Biology (Flushing, Mich.)
^+Drew Hildebrandt, Central Michigan, Junior, 3.64 GPA, Finance (Granger, Ind.)
^Drew Marten, Central Michigan, Sophomore, 3.75 GPA, Biochemistry (Tecumseh, Mich.)
^Landon Pelham, Central Michigan, Junior, 3.38 GPA, Business Admin. (Tecumseh, Mich.)
^+Dresden Simon, Central Michigan, Junior, 3.50 GPA, Sport Management (Dansville, Mich.)
Greg Bulsak, Clarion, Junior, 3.82 GPA, Nutrition & Fitness (South Park, Pa.)
Cameron Butler, Clarion, Junior, 3.61 GPA, Special Education (Swan Point, Md.)
Luke Funck, Clarion, Junior, 3.50 GPA, Management (Jonestown, Pa.)
John Kelbly, Cleveland State, Sophomore, 3.26 GPA, Criminology (Smithville, Ohio)
Tyler Vath, Edinboro, Graduate, 4.00 GPA (grad), Teacher Certification (Saegertown, Pa.)
Colston DiBlasi, George Mason, Senior, 3.55 GPA, Mathematics (Kansas City, Mo.)
Talha Farooq, George Mason, Junior, 3.75 GPA, Criminology (Arlington, Va.)
Alex Madrigal, George Mason, Senior, 3.24 GPA, Psychology (Chicago, Ill.)
Paul Pierce, George Mason, Sophomore, 3.25 GPA, Undecided (Stafford, Va.)
Ali Salem, George Mason, Sophomore, 3.23 GPA, Bioengineering (Manlius, N.Y.)
Cornelius Schuster, George Mason, Sophomore, 3.53 GPA, Finance (Westminster, Md.)
Colin McCracken, Kent State, Sophomore, 3.733 GPA, Engineering & Tech. (Waynesburg, Pa.)
^+*Tim Rooney, Kent State, Graduate Senior, 3.813 GPA, Exercise Physiology (Columbus Ohio)
DJ Fehlman, Lock Haven, Senior, 3.795 GPA, Geology (Warren, Pa.)
Alex Klucker, Lock Haven, Senior, 3.800 GPA, M.S. Sport Science (Summerdale, Pa.)
Trey Hartsock, Lock Haven, Senior, 3.790 GPA, Elementary Education (Lewistown, Pa.)
Brock Port, Lock Haven, Sophomore, 3.454 GPA, Criminal Justice (Bellefonte, Pa.)
Jacob Bohlken, Missouri, Senior, 3.568 GPA, Biochemistry (Smithville, Mo.)
Connor Flynn, Missouri, Senior, 3.400 GPA, Business MBA (Dardenne Prairie, Mo.)
Jarrett Jacques, Missouri, Sophomore, 3.484 GPA, Communications (Columbia, Mo.)
Peyton Mocco, Missouri, Redshirt Freshman, 3.955 GPA, Industrial Engineering (West Allis, Wis.)
Dylan Wisman, Missouri, Senior, 3.500 GPA, Graduate School (Winchester, Va.)
Gage Braun, NIU, Redshirt Freshman, 3.21 GPA, Pre-Med Biology (Springfield, Ohio)
Caleb Brooks, NIU, Redshirt Freshman, 3.27 GPA, Pre-Physical Therapy (Canal Winchester, Ohio)
Mason Kauffman, NIU, Sophomore, 4.00 GPA, Kinesiology (Stratford, Wis.)
^Bryce West, NIU, Sophomore, 3.25 GPA, Kinesiology (Solon, Iowa)
+*Zac Carson, Ohio, Senior, 3.884 GPA, Integrated Social Studies (Akron, Ohio)
Logan Stanley, Ohio, Sophomore, 3.59 GPA, Mild-Moderate Educational Needs (Fredericksburg, Ohio)
Joe Terry, Ohio, Junior, 3.564 GPA, Biological Sciences (Pickerington, Ohio)
^Killian Cardinale, Old Dominion, Sophomore, 3.55 GPA, Speech Pathology & Audiology (Bristow, Va.)
Kenan Carter, Old Dominion, Senior, 3.54 GPA, Communications (Aurora, Ill.)
Will Hilliard, Old Dominion, Junior, 3.60 GPA, Health Sciences (Phoenix, N.Y.)
^Shane Jones, Old Dominion, Senior, 3.29 GPA, History (Stroudsburg, Pa.)
Ryan Cloud, Rider, Senior, 3.36 GPA, Health Sciences (Brookville, Ohio)
Gino Fluri, Rider, Senior, 3.43 GPA, Secondary Education (Blairstown, N.J.)
Justin Ruffin, SIUE, Sophomore, 3.27 GPA, Communications (McDonough, Ga.)
^ 2019 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
+ 2018 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
* 2017 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
~ 2016 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team
