ERIE, PA – Eight members of the Mercyhurst University wrestling team were named to the 2014-15 Division II All-Academic Wrestling Team as selected by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association. Additionally, the Lakers finished tenth in the country in top team GPA.
As a team, Mercyhurst posted a team GPA of 3.223 with the University of Indianapolis claiming the Academic National Championship with a 3.482. The team GPA is calculated by averaging the cumulative grade point averages of ten wrestlers from each team of which eight of those wrestlers must have competed in their team’s NCAA Division II National Qualifying Tournament.
Two years ago, the Lakers won the Division II Academic National Championship for having the highest team GPA in the country.
Individually, Mercyhurst had two earn spots on the Division II All-Academic First Team, three landed on the Second Team, and three earned Honorable Mention status.
Redshirt sophomore Willie Bohince and redshirt junior August Mizia were the First Team members after both earned All-American status on the mat.
Bohince, a native of Level Green, Pennsylvania, finished eighth in the country at 125 pounds and ended his campaign with a 33-7 overall record. He currently sports a 3.27 GPA in accounting. Mizia, who hails from Bentleyville, Pennsylvania, placed third in the country at 174 pounds to conclude his season with a 33-6 overall mark. He has a 3.35 GPA in elementary education.
Mizia was also a First Team honoree in 2013-14.
Landing spots on the Second Team were redshirt senior Ryan Bohince, redshirt junior Michael Griffith, and redshirt junior Kody Young.
Bohince, the older brother of Willie, narrowly missed qualifying for nationals in his final season with the Lakers. He posted a 13-12 record this past season and finished his career with an 82-55 overall record. He has a 3.11 GPA in graphic design. Griffith, a native of Medina, Ohio, went 20-5 for the Lakers in 2014-15, wrestling primarily in tournaments. He holds a 3.12 GPA in criminal justice. Young, who hails from Brookville, Pennsylvania, went 16-13 while wrestling at 141 pounds. He has an even 3.00 GPA in exercise science.
Bohince was also a Second Team selection in 2012 and 2014.
Sophomore Michael Green, senior Ryan Martini, and junior Joey Miller earned Honorable Mention status.
After winning just one match as a freshman, Green, a native of Cobleskill, New York, went 9-15 as a sophomore this past season. He has a 3.94 GPA in criminal justice. Martini, a native of Mokena, Illinois, saw limited action on the mat this past season but carries a 3.61 GPA in biology. Finally, Miller, who hails from Mill Hall, Pennsylvania, went 13-10 for the Lakers and has a 3.42 GPA in sportsmedicine.
Martini and Miller were both Honorable Mention selections in 2013-14.
Mercyhurst ended the season with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships – the program’s best-ever result. The 2005, 2008, and 2009 squads all finished ninth at nationals which was the program’s best prior to this year’s result.
The Lakers also had a program-record six All-Americans this season – redshirt sophomore Willie Bohince (8th at 125), redshirt junior Jeremy Landowski (6th at 149), redshirt sophomore Francis Mizia (6th at 157), redshirt junior August Mizia (3rd at 174), sophomore Dakota DesLauriers (6th at 184), and sophomore Andrew Welton (5th at 285). The previous program record was four at the 2005 National Championships.
Mercyhurst had an 18-1 overall record and a perfect 7-0 mark against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opponents this year. Mercyhurst won its third consecutive PSAC Division II Regular Season Dual Championship with a league-clinching 24-15 victory over Pitt-Johnstown on February 14. Dating back to the 2012-13 season, the first year in which the PSAC handed out the Division II Dual Championship, the Lakers are 51-5 overall and 19-0 against PSAC opponents en route to their three consecutive regular season titles. Meanwhile, the 18 victories this season tied the program record for most dual victories in a season, which was established last season. The team’s .947 winning percentage also tied the program record, again set last season.
Then, at the Super Regionals, Mercyhurst tied for its best-ever finish after coming in second, behind only defending national champion, Notre Dame College, in the team standings. The Lakers finished with 126 team points, trailing only the Falcons’ 133 total points over the weekend.
The Lakers also finished second at the regional tournament in four consecutive seasons from 2004 to 2007.
Mercyhurst had three regional champions – Bohince at 125 pounds, Landowski at 149, and redshirt junior Angelo Bortoluzzi at 165. Meanwhile, four others joined the trio at the NCAA National Championships – Francis Mizia (second at 157), August Mizia (second at 174), DesLauriers (third at 184), and Welton (third at 285).
The seven national qualifiers marks the most the program has had under head coach Mike Wehler and is tied for third-most in school history – the 2005-06 squad had seven advance while both the 2003-04 and 2004-05 teams had eight advance to the National Championships.
