May 19, 2004

Slippery Rock, Pa. - The Rock recently received a pair of academic honors from the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

Rock junior co-captain Jason Cardillo (Oakdale/South Fayette HS) was named to the NWCA's All-Academic Team in recognition of his 3.571 grade point average as an Exercise Science major.

Cardillo won the NCAA Division I East Regional championship in the 165-pound weight class last winter to earn his first national tournament berth. He finished fourth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament and had a 29-14 record.

As a sophomore, Cardillo placed third in PSAC tournament competition and earned a regional runner-up honor.

The Rock wrestling team, as a group, had a 2.984 accumulative grade point average and finished 14th in the NWCA's Top 30 All-Academic Teams competition.

The 2003-04 Rock team was coached by Jim Harshaw and had a 7-16 record in dual meets.

Harshaw, who coached two seasons at SRU, resigned last month to accept a job at his alma mater, the University of Virginia.