ST. LOUIS, MO – Rider University wrestling graduate student
Jesse Dellavecchia (Great River, NY/East Islip [Binghamton]) fell in the National Championship Bout at 157 lbs. to Iowa State's David Carr, 4-0, Saturday night at Enterprise Center. Rider's first-ever wrestler to advance to the National Championship bout, Dellavecchia ends the season at 11-1.
"Jesse represented Rider University and the wrestling program extremely well this year," said Rider Head Coach
John Hangey. "He had a very successful season, becoming a two-time MAC Champion, a three-time NCAA Qualifier, earning the fourth seed in a very competitive weight at the NCAA's and made history by reaching the National Finals. I am very proud of what he was able to accomplish this year in becoming an All-American. He deserves it."
A day earlier, Dellavecchia pinned top-seeded Northwestern wrestler Ryan Deakin in the semifinals. Dellavecchia became Rider's 16
th different wrestler to earn All-America honors in this year's tournament. Two different Broncs (John Carvelheira,
Chad Walsh) twice earned the honor to give Rider 18 All-America honors in program history.
The furthest a Rider wrestler had gone at NCAA's prior to Dellavecchia's historic run was to the third-place bout, an accomplishment the Broncs have boasted five times. Rider's first-ever All-American Lou DiSerafino, finished third in 1980, while Adam Derengowski (1991) and Doug Umbehauer (2009) also finished third. John Lucerne (1985) and current Rider Head Coach
John Hangey (1993) both finished fourth.