2007-08 NWCA All-Academic Team

Junior Andrew Anderson (Sioux City, Iowa) and sophomore Charlie Ettelson (Hudson, Iowa) were named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic wrestling team for the 2007-08 season.

Anderson has tallied a 3.29 cumulative grade point average while majoring in business technology. In 2007-08, Anderson posted a 21-11 overall record and qualfied for the NCAA Championships for the third straight season. He was a first-team all-Western Wrestling Conference pick as well as a first-team academic all-WWC honoree. Anderson placed sixth at the Midlands tournament on Dec. 30, marking the third time in as many years he has placed in the top six at one of the nation's most prestigious open tournaments. He tallied first-place honors at the Loras Open on Nov. 10 and placed second at the Kaufman-Brand Open on Nov. 17.

Ettelson has a 3.58 GPA in bio-medical sciences. Ettelson tallied an overall mark of 13-8 this past season, which included a 4-4 mark in dual action. He scured six major decisions, two technical falls and two pins. Ettelson was a first-team academic all-Western Wrestling Conference selection this season. He won the 149-pound title at the Loras Open (Nov. 10).

To qualify, wrestlers must have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA, been an NCAA qualifier or won 60 percent of his total schedule - and must have competed in at least 60 percent of said schedule. The other way to qualify for the All-Academic team is have a 3.0 cumulative and been an NCAA All-American.

Last season, 57 wrestlers were named to the All-Academic team. This year, that number increased 35 percent to 88 total wrestlers.

The 2007-08 All-Academic team was highlighted by 27 Division I All-Americans and three national champions - Brent Metcalf of Iowa (149), Jordan Leen of Cornell (157) and Mike Pucillo of Ohio State (184).

Four other finalists also made the squad: Eric Tannenbaum (165) and Steve Luke (174) of Michigan, Wynn Michalak of Central Michigan (197) and J.D. Bergman of Ohio State (285).

Five All-Americans were named to the All-Academic team at 197 pounds, the most of any weight single class. Nine of the 10 weights had at least two All-Americans represented on the All-Academic team.

"We're seeing more teams and more coaches aware on how important being recognized for academics can be," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "We had mountains of data to look through and reference while compiling this information. Our staff was impressed with not only the volume of nominations, but the number of new programs who were submitting All-Academic recommendations."

"The All-Academic Team represents more than just fine work in the classroom, because the impact of the Academic Progress Report is more important to a sport like wrestling now more than every," said Moyer. "These programs are making the grade.

"This is one important indicator to the academic integrity in our sport," added Moyer. "That said, we can't turn a blind-eye to the NCAA's yardstick (APR) for measuring academic integrity."