Chris Eddins, who sat at the top of the 149-lb. weight class, lead a group of six Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers named 2019-20 All-Americans by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).
Each year the NWCA recognizes the outstanding work of the DII Student-athletes by naming the All-Americans based on their achievements in the national championship, however, this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic the championships were canceled. All-American honors were based on each wrestler's overall body of work through the super-regional tournaments and up to the national championships.
Eddins, a four-time National Qualifier and a 2018 and 2019 NCAA National Champion, held the nation's top spot at 149 lbs. throughout the entire 2019-20 season.
2019 All-American
Brendan Howard (125 lbs.) was third, while 2019 National Champion
Connor Craig was fourth at 184 lbs. In addition, 2019 All-American
Brock Biddle was fifth at 174 lbs. and 2019 National Champion
Tyler Warner (133 lb.s) and now 3-time All-American
Devin Austin (165 lbs.) were both seventh in their respective weight classes.
"With the cancellation of the national tournament the NWCA Division II leadership group thought it was still very appropriate to name All-Americans this year. The leadership group did a great job of weighing different options and polling the membership. We are happy that we can make the most out of an incredibly unfortunate situation. Although this is not the same as having a national tournament, these individuals should be recognized for their amazing season results and super-regional tournaments. Congratulations to the 2020 All-Americans and National Qualifiers," said Jason Warthan, NWCA Division II President & University of Indianapolis Head Coach.
The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: Coaching Development, Student-Athlete Welfare, and the Promotion of Wrestling.
