FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 27, 2005

                    CLARION WRESTLING EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE ITS 2005-06 RECRUITING LIST
        The 2005-06 Clarion University Wrestling recruiting list was announced today by eight year head coach Ken Nellis. The list features four state champions and a total of nine wrestlers who were champions or state placewinners. The list includes 13 wrestlers.
        “We are excited to announce our wrestling recruiting list for next season,” said Nellis. “On paper I would say this was our best recruiting class in the years I’ve been here as head coach and feel a large number of these recruits will be battling for starting time immediately. We’re excited about their talent, wrestling ability and academic backgrounds. Entering the recruiting year we knew we needed quality to fill a number of open spots and quantity to put talented challengers in the room to make each wrestler better. I feel we have accomplished both.”
        Starred as immediate impact wrestlers are Matt Myers (125 - Waldorf, Md.), Robert LaBrake (133- North Bennington, Vt.), Derrick Smith (141- Mexico, N.Y.), Dane Fuhrman (157/65 - Moberly, Missouri), Nick Billups (157/65 - Elderidge, Iowa), Logan Downes (174- Valley HS-PA) and A.J. Brooks (Hwt - Lewes, Delaware). Also signed to come to Clarion are: Jake Spuck (133- Oil City), Greg Lewis (141 - New Providence, Pa.), Raymond Schreffler (157/65 - Cumberland Valley), Lucas Christopher (157/65 - McMurray, Pa.), Brian Thomason (165/74 - Warnersville, Pa.), and Andrew Zachar (149 - Germany).
        Myers, who wrestled at McDonough high in Maryland, had a 37-0 senior year winning the Maryland State title at 130. In 2004 he also won the state title at 125, plus was third as a sophomore and fourth as a freshman. He had a career record of 132-11.
        LaBrake wrestled at Mount Anthony Union high, was a 4-time Vermont State champ and 2-time All-New England winner. He had a senior record of 56-1 at 130-pounds and a career record of 216-10.
        Smith wrestled at Mexico High in New York and finished 3rd at states his senior year at 140-pounds with a record of 50-2. He was also 8th at high school nationals. Derrick had a career record of 208-28.
        Fuhrman wrestled at 160-pounds at Moberly High in Misouri. His senior year he was 44-1 and won the state title at 160-pounds, while also finishing second as a junior. He had a career record of 147-27 and was his class valedictorian.
        Billups wrestled at North Scott High at 160-pounds and was 30-2 his senior year while placing second at Iowa States. He was also 6th as a junior at states. Billups compiled a career record of 120-27.
        Downes, from nearby Valley High School, wrestled at 171-pounds for coach Steve Ansanti. He was 44-5 his senior year and placed second at PA. States in Class AA. As a junior he was third at Class AAA states and had a career record of 148-24.
        Brooks, who attended Sussex Central High in Delaware, was a state champ as a senior with a 35-4 record at heavyweight. He was also a state runner-up as a junior and compiled a career record of 127-25.
        Spuck, from nearby Oil City high and coach Dan King, had a senior record of 40-9 and was a PIAA qualifier by virtue of his second place finish at Northwest Region at 130-pounds.
        Lewis, from Lampeter-Strasburg High, was 5th at PIAA AAA states as a senior at 140-pounds with a 41-4 record under coach Derrick Sola. He also had a career record of 95-23.
        Schreffler, who competed at 160-pounds at Cumberland Valley High, was a PIAA qualifier and the South Central Region Champ at 160-pounds. He had a senior record of 21-8.
        Christopher, who wrestled at 160-pounds at Peters Township HS, was 25-5 his senior year, but suffered a broken foot prior to the post-season. He had a career record of 57-28.
        Thomason, who wrestled at Schuylkill Valley High at 160-pounds, placed 6th at PIAA states his senior year with a 43-8 senior record.
        Zachar wrestled in Germany where his family was stationed in the Army. No stats were available.
CLARION NOTES: Clarion was 3-13-1 in dual meet action last year, while placing 5th at PSAC’s, 6th at EWL’s and 42nd at the NCAA Division I Tournament... Chris Horning, a D-I all-American with an 8th place finish at 157, returns to lead the Golden Eagles in 2005-06... Nellis has an 8-year dual meet record of 47-72-2 record at Clarion... He wrestled at Clarion from 1981-86 and put together a career record of 113-28-5... A 1981 graduate of Shaler High in Pittsburgh, he was a 2-time PIAA Champ with a career record of 124-3.