Top 10 Lehigh Wrestlers All Time

Talk about the champions, or the Top 25 nationally-ranked team!
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mookie
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Top 10 Lehigh Wrestlers All Time

Post by mookie » Sat Apr 04, 2020 10:08 am

All would agree that wrestling has evolved over the course of time, and Lehigh history features an impressive group of stars over almost 100 years.

Many of Lehigh's best wrestled multiple decades ago, so where do Robert Hamlin and Darian Cruz fit alongside legends such as Ed Eichelberger and Joe Peritore. That's what we're here to determine.

Individual production (pins, bonus points, winning pct.) and accomplishments (EIWA, NCAA titles) weighed heavily in the rankings, as did quality wins (defeating an NCAA champ as an example). Timing of a wrestler's career was considered as well (current time vs. 1930's as an example), but it served primarily as a tiebreaker.

Each day I will release one of the top 10 Lehigh wrestlers of all time beginning with #10 and starting with the following 5 Honorable Mentions.

Cory Cooperman: 3x EIWA champ (should have been 4x), 3x NCAA All American (2x 3rd place) - lost several close bouts to all time Oklahoma great Teyon Ware.

Jim Detrixhe: 2x EIWA champ, 1x All American (NCAA 4th), several quality wins over All Americans.

Paul Diekel: 3x EIWA Champ, 3x All American, defeated 3 NCAA champs.

Howell Scobey: 2x EIWA champ, NCAA champ in 1936 (only 4 in his weight class), Olympic team alternate.

Don McCorkel: 3x EIWA champ, NCAA All American. Defeated several NCAA All Americans.

Tomorrow: #10
Last edited by mookie on Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.


Oracle
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Re: Top 10 Lehigh Wrestlers All Time

Post by Oracle » Sat Apr 04, 2020 11:14 am

I like it
D3 for LU
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Re: Top 10 Lehigh Wrestlers All Time

Post by D3 for LU » Sat Apr 04, 2020 1:09 pm

This will be intriguing to see... let it roll, mook-ster!
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Asa Packer
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Re: Top 10 Lehigh Wrestlers All Time

Post by Asa Packer » Sat Apr 04, 2020 6:36 pm

Great idea, and cool to slow the rollout. Something to do besides neighborhood walks, reading and watching (too) much TV.
Richb-3
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Re: Top 10 Lehigh Wrestlers All Time

Post by Richb-3 » Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:53 pm

Mookie has set himself quite a task. Eliminating about 15 guys from about 20 individuala that have on at least one NCAA title, plus, Trenge, Peritore, Kilrain, Mike Brown Robert Hamlin(16 EIWA Titles and 16 AA's)- come to think of it how about top 25 guys and the first 5 HM (26-30) OH and an OGM
mookie
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Re: Top 10 Lehigh Wrestlers All Time

Post by mookie » Sun Apr 05, 2020 8:11 am

10. Jon Trenge

Jon Trenge was the fastest Lehigh wrestler to reach 100 wins. He accomplished the feat in 2003, when he also became Lehigh's first Midlands champion since Darryl Burley. A year earlier he became the first Lehigh wrestler in many years to win the prestigious Las Vegas tournament.

In 2004 Trenge took an Olympic redshirt to train for the U.S. Olympic Team finishing fourth at the 211 lb. weight class at the Olympic Trials the highest undergraduate Lehigh finish ever at the Trials.

Jon won 3 EIWA championships and was a 3x NCAA All American finishing 2,2,3. A serious eye injury in his freshman season prevented him from competing in the post season. Certainly his biggest disappointment was losing in the NCAA finals to Minnesota's Damion Hahn while leading in the last 10 seconds.

He ended his career with the 3rd most bonus wins and 4th most falls in Lehigh history and had victories over many NCAA champions and place winners.

None too shabby, no?
Last edited by mookie on Sun Apr 05, 2020 11:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
jdalu75
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Re: Top 10 Lehigh Wrestlers All Time

Post by jdalu75 » Sun Apr 05, 2020 8:17 am

mookie wrote: Sun Apr 05, 2020 8:11 am Jon Trenge was the first Lehigh wrestler to reach 100 wins.
I'm sure that comes as a surprise to Pete Yozzo (101-13-3 lifetime record).
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jimk72
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Re: Top 10 Lehigh Wrestlers All Time

Post by jimk72 » Sun Apr 05, 2020 8:43 am

Question for Mookie..... Are you pro-rating for the disparity in opportunity over the decades when totaling accomplishments (wins/titles/etc.)? People from Mike Caruso's era and before only had 3 years, as freshman were not eligible. Also, schedules expanded quite a bit after '71-'72.
Richb-3
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Re: Top 10 Lehigh Wrestlers All Time

Post by Richb-3 » Sun Apr 05, 2020 10:46 am

Bernholz also had his 101st win when JT was in his active frosh year
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Re: Top 10 Lehigh Wrestlers All Time

Post by gimpeltf » Sun Apr 05, 2020 11:05 am

jdalu75 wrote: Sun Apr 05, 2020 8:17 am
mookie wrote: Sun Apr 05, 2020 8:11 am Jon Trenge was the first Lehigh wrestler to reach 100 wins.
I'm sure that comes as a surprise to Pete Yozzo (101-13-3 lifetime record).
He meant fastest (and subsequently edited it as such)
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