Jan. 15, 2003
FAIRFAX, VA ... George Mason University junior Rob Becker has been ranked 19th in the nation at 149 pounds by InterMat in its Jan. 14 weekly poll for collegiate wrestling. It is the first time this season Becker has been nationally ranked.
A native of Mickleton, NJ, and a 2000 graduate of Clearview Regional High School, Becker is off to an outstanding start this season for the Patriots. Also ranked second in the Colonial Athletic Association at 149 behind Hofstra's John Masa (ranked 10th nationally by InterMat and by Amateur Wrestling News), he won each of his four matches last weekend, improving his overall record to 15-4, as George Mason (1-3 overall, 1-1 in the CAA) opened its dual meet season.
Becker won by fall in 24 seconds over Campbell's Elliot Berger Friday as the Patriots opened the season with a 21-20 CAA victory over the Camels. At the N.C. State Duals the next day, he scored a 14-3 major decision over Binghamton's Joe Gartiser (another CAA match), won a 4-3 decision against North Carolina State's Jake Giamoni (the defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion) and captured a 5-3 decision over Franklin & Marshall's Michael Parziale.
Becker has placed in each of the tournaments George Mason has competed in this season, finishing second at the Beast of the East College Invitational, fourth at the East Stroudsburg Open and seventh at the prestigious Las Vegas Invitational. He advanced to the NCAA Championships for the first time last March after placing second at 141 pounds at the CAA Championships, and he won one of his three matches at the national tournament.
Among his 15 victories this season, Becker has three falls, one by technical fall and six by major decision. Three of his four losses have come against wrestlers currently nationally ranked, including twice against Boise State's Collin Robertson (currently ranked eighth by InterMat, seventh by AWN) at the Las Vegas Invitational and once against Ohio's Jake Percival (fourth in both polls) in the finals at the Beast of the East College Invitational. For his Patriot career, Becker has a record of 67-24 with seven falls.
"This is a great honor for Rob to be nationally ranked, and well deserved," said Patriot head coach Brian Shaffer. "But he knows he can do even better. He's been dominant when he should be, and he's done well against other nationally ranked wrestlers. I believe he is worthy of being considered one of the best in the nation at 149 pounds."
George Mason visits Virginia Military Institute Friday to meet the Keydets at 7:30 p.m., then the Patriots remain in Lexington for the Virginia Intercollegiate Wrestling Championships at VMI Sunday.
