Feb. 20, 2003

FAIRFAX, VA ... George Mason University junior Rob Becker has been ranked 16th in the nation at 149 pounds by InterMat in its Feb. 18 weekly poll for collegiate wrestling. It is the sixth consecutive week Becker has been nationally ranked and is his highest ranking of the season.

Becker also is ranked among the top 10 wrestlers at 149 in terms of overall victories and falls. He is 27-5 overall this season and has seven wins by fall.

A native of Mickleton, NJ, and a 2000 graduate of Clearview Regional High School, Becker has had an outstanding season for the Patriots. Also ranked second in the Colonial Athletic Association at 149 behind Hofstra's John Masa (ranked 10th nationally by Amateur Wrestling News and 11th by InterMat), he has won six straight matches and 16 of his last 17. He also is 13-1 overall in dual meets and 7-1 against CAA opponents.

Becker placed in each of the tournaments George Mason competed in this season, finishing first at the Virginia Intercollegiate Wrestling Championships, 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 27 victories this season, Becker has seven falls, one by technical fall and 10 by major decision. Four of his five losses have come against wrestlers currently nationally ranked, including twice against Boise State's Collin Robertson (currently ranked sixth by both AWN and InterMat) at the Las Vegas Invitational, once against Ohio's Jake Percival (fourth in both polls) in the finals at the Beast of the East College Invitational and once to Masa at the CAA Duals in Fairfax Jan. 24. For his Patriot career, Becker has a record of 79-25 with 11 falls.

"This continues to be a great honor for Rob to be nationally ranked, and well deserved," said Patriot head coach Brian Shaffer. "But he still feels he can do even better. He has continued to develop throughout the season, and we believe he has a legitimate chance to be an All-American."

George Mason (2-12 overall, 2-6 CAA) hosts Old Dominion on Wednesday, Feb. 26, in its last dual meet of the regular season. The CAA Championships will be held at Hofstra Arena in Hempstead, NY, March 7-8.