The Maryland State Wrestling Association announced its 2009-2010 All-Academic Team last week, honoring 16 wrestlers for their achievements both on and off the mat.
Spanning 14 weightclasses and the same number of schools in the Maryland-area, these 16 wrestlers have undoubtedly performed to the most elite levels high school wrestling has to offer, and in true form of a great student-athlete, they have surpassed their physical accomplishments with that of their schooling.
With a 4.6 GPA and two state championships on his resume, it is no surprise that Urbana’s Adam Krop is at the top of the list when it comes to the MSWA’s All-Academic Team, and the extraordinary young man will be heading to Princeton in the Fall.
Other young men toping the 4.0 GPA include two-time MIAA place-winner Tim Kerner of St. Mary’s, St. Paul’s two-time state champion Eric Friedman, state runner-up and two-time state place-winner Ben Culver out of Easton and Glenelg’s four-time state place-winner and amazingly 4.2 GPA holding Brendan Conway.
Adding to the 4.0 GPA club was B-CC’s state place-winner James Roach, who holds a 4.4 GPA, two-time state place-winner Josh Lowy of Sherwood, capping at a 4.5 GPA, Arundel’s 4.4 state qualifier Stephen Kidwell, Middletown’s state runner-up and 4.0 GPA holder Judd Ziegler, and Patrick Louis Carey, the 4.25 state champion of North County.
Just below the 4.0 mark but still maintaining a 3.96 GPA is Walter Johnson’s state qualifier Patrick Teixeira and John Carroll’s state titlist Mathew Miller, who holds a 3.9 GPA.
Winters Mill’s recipient, Justin Kozera, is a state champion with a 3.46 GPA.
Centennial and North County were the only two teams to have two wrestlers in the MSWA’s All-Academic Team, seeing their honorees in Nathan Kraisser, Brian Kraisser and Patrick Downey.
Nathan Kraisser, who is a two-time state champion from Centennial, holds a 3.89 GPA, while Brian Kraisser has a 3.88, and Downey of North County is a two-time state champ with a 3.65.
2009-2010 MSWA All-Academic Team
103 | Tim Kerner | 12 | St. Mary’s | 4.1, 2x MIAA place winner |
112 | Nathan Kraisser | 10 | Centennial | 3.43, 3.89, 2x State Champion |
119 | Eric Friedman | 9 | St. Paul’s | All A’s, school doesn’t provide GPA, 2x State Champion |
125 | Adam Krop | 12 | Urbana | 4.0, 4.6, 2x State Champion |
130 | Ben Culver | 10 | Easton | 4.025 weighted, State runner-up, 2x State place winner |
135* | Brendan Conway | 12 | Glenelg | 3.8, 4.2, 2x State runner-up, 4x State place winner |
135 | Stephen Kidwell | 11 | Arundel | 3.956, 4.367, State Qualifier |
140 | Brian Kraisser | 12 | Centennial | 3.29, 3.88, 2x State place winner |
145 | James Roach | 12 | Bethesda-Chevy Chase | 3.7, 4.4, State place winner |
152* | Matthew Miller | 11 | The John Carroll School | 3.8, 3.9, State Champion |
152 | Josh Lowy | 12 | Sherwood | 3.8, 4.5, 2x State place winner |
160 | Judd Ziegler | 10 | Middletown | 4.0, State runner-up, 2x State place winner |
171 | Patrick Downey | 11 | North County | 3.2, 3.65, 2x State Champion |
189 | Patrick Louis Carey | 12 | North County | 4.00, 4.25, State Champion, 3x State finalist |
215 | Justin Kozera | 11 | Winters Mill | 3.46 weighted, State Champion |
285 | Patrick Teixeira | 12 | Walter Johnson | 3.47, 3.96, State Qualifier |