Banner-raising ceremony to kick off wrestling season

Ewing, NJ…When the 2009-10 season begins for the College of New Jersey wrestling team, the program will pay tribute to its long storied history as the team will raise a banner in Packer Hall recognizing their 600th dual meet victory earned at the end of last season.

The banner-raising ceremony is scheduled for the season opener on Saturday, November 7 against Norwich University. The match is slated to begin at 5 p.m. Former wrestlers, parents, and friends are encouraged to arrive at Packer Hall early as the ceremony will start at 4:45 p.m.

The Lions earned their 600th victory on January 31 with a 31-6 triumph over Roger William University at the Metropolitan Conference/New England Duals held at Hunter College. The Lions tacked on three more victories to end the season improving the program’s all-time mark to 603-110-7.

TCNJ is one of five NCAA Division III programs to eclipse that prestigious plateau and ranks 28th among all programs at the various NCAA and junior college levels. Among the schools competing under NCAA classification, the Lions rank second in winning percentage at .842, trailing only NCAA Division I powerhouse Oklahoma State University (.892).

To add to the celebration, a win by the Lions would garner veteran head coach David Icenhower his 500th career dual meet win. Icenhower enters the season with a mark of 499-74-4 and is one victory shy of becoming only the third coach at the Division III level to reach the milestone.

Courtesy of www.tcnjathletics.com