Charleston, S.C. Head wrestling coach Rob Hjerling announces the addition of nine athletes to The Citadel's wrestling team. The new cadet-student-athletes hail from all over the country and are here to represent the Bulldogs on the mat.
“I am very please with the quality of this class. They have embraced the ideals of the school and they fit in with our program. Most of these individuals will have an opportunity to step in and compete right away.”
Six athletes were added to the list of recruits in the late signing period, Kevin Ciccone, Paul Sanford, Brendan Prince, Derek Sickel, Ivan Muller and Joe DeLisle, bringing the total to nine. Justin Sparrow, Keith Koziel and J.C. Oddo made early commitments to The Citadel.
Sanford and Ciccone are expected to be at the 125 pound weight this season. Sanford was the No. 9 ranked senior in the nation at the 119 pound weight class. In addition to being a High School All-American last season with a sixth place finish at Senior Nationals, Sanford was also the Georgia Athlete of the Year for wrestling as he finished his high school career with an overall record of 186-13 for Northgate High School. Ciccone was a three-time Virginia state qualifier and two-time state placer with a sixth place finish as a junior and runner-up in his senior season while wrestling at Fredericksburg High School.
Coming in at the 157-pound weight class are Koziel, Prince, and Sparrow. Koziel was a five-time Florida state placer for Brandon High School, finishing fifth as a sophomore, third as a junior, and second during his eighth grade, freshman, and senior seasons. He was also the NHSCA Preseason Nationals runner-up.
Prince comes to The Citadel from Huntsville High School where he compiled a career record of 244-25. A three-time Alabama state finalist and 2007 State Champion, Prince was named the 2007 Metro Wrestler of the Year. With an impressive list of records under his belt, Prince earned USA Wrestling's 2007 All-American Honorable Mention honors. Prince holds the national record for the most takedowns in a single season, is No. 2 in all-time career pins, No. 4 in most career wins, and No. 5 in most pins scored by an individual.
Sparrow rounds out the list of incoming 157-pound grapplers. Sparrow finished his senior year with a 66-0 record. He was the state tournament Outstanding Wrestler and was voted as the North Carolina Wrestler of the Year. A three-time Conference Champion, four-time Regional Champion, and four-time North Carolina State Champion for East Gaston High School, Sparrow closed out his high school career with a 242-6 overall record.
Oddo will wrestle for the Cadets at the 165-pound weight class. During Oddo's senior year he wrestled at 189 pounds. He placed fifth at the Beast of the East. He won his fourth state title and was the state tournament Outastanding Wrestler. He was also voted the South Carolina Wrestler of the Year and the South Carolina Dave Schultz High School Excellence award winner. With a mark of 210-7 over his four years of competition at Eastside High School, Oddo holds the record for the most career wins in South Carolina. He was a four-time South Carolina State Champion and four-time High School All-American. His high school team was four-time State Champions. Oddo was selected as the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the State Tournament as a freshman and as a senior.
Sickel will represent The Citadel at 174 pounds. The four-time New Hampshire State Finalist and three-time State Champion compiled a career mark of 157-27 while at Timberlane High School. He placed seventh at the Beast of the East tournament in 2006 and was the 2007 New England Champion. Sickel was a High School All-American, placing eighth at Senior Nationals.
Two of the new Cadets, Muller and DeLisle, will be wrestling as heavyweights and at the 197 pound weight class respectively for the Bulldogs. Muller was a two-time Cadet All-American from Rummel High School, placing fourth in freestyle and fifth in greco-roman at Fargo, a four-time Southeast Regional heavyweight champion, and three-time state placer. Muller finished fourth as a sophomore, second as a junior and was the Louisiana heavyweight State Champion in his senior season. DeLisle was a two-time Florida state placer and the 2007 State Champion for Olympia High School.
Action will begin Nov. 3, Homecoming weekend, as The Citadel Wrestling team hosts Duke and George Mason. For all the latest news from The Citadel wrestling team and all Bulldog athletics, go to www.CitadelSports.com.
