Conrad repeats as an Academic All-American

2017 Jun 8

Junior Brandon Conrad (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg Area) became just the third repeat Academic All-American in Lycoming College's athletics department history and the first wrestler to repeat on the team, as the College Sports Information Directors of America announced the men's at-large team on Tuesday, June 6. After earning second team honors as a sophomore, Conrad is a third-team selection as a junior.

The chemistry major is the first Warrior to repeat on the Academic All-America squad since softball player Jeanine Evans '00 was a second-team pick in 1999 and a first-team selection as a senior. The lone other repeat selection was Meg Altenderfer '86, who was a first-team at-large selection with the women's swimming and diving team in 1985 and '86.

Conrad, a chemistry major, earned NWCA Scholar All-American honors for a second straight year after going 31-8 overall and finishing fifth at the NCAA Mideast Regional at 174 pounds. He won his first tournament title in college by taking first at the Messiah Invitational and placed at all three other tournaments the Warriors competed in.

Conrad, a two-time regional placewinner, is 80-39 in his career with 24 pins. He earned his first Academic All-American honors in 2015-16 after going 36-13.

To be eligible for the Capital One Academic All-American award, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 15,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.

The at-large category groups multiple sports, including golf, tennis, lacrosse, rifle, swimming & diving, ice hockey and field hockey. Conrad is the 10th Warrior to earn Academic All-American status as an at-large selection and the first since men's swimmer Joe Andrie was a Third Team All-American in 2012. Andrie just graduated from Penn State Hershey's College of Medicine and is now set to begin his residency.

The Warriors enjoyed one of the finest seasons in the 24-year career of head coach Roger Crebs, as the team posted an 18-3 dual meet record, finished third at the Budd Whitehill National Duals, won the RIT Invitational, its first tournament win in 12 years, and also hit a high-water mark by taking seventh at the NCAA Mideast Regional. Crebs also became the school's all-time leader in coaching wins during the season, surpassing the mark of 376 set by Budd Whitehill from 1956-93.