Keith Nelson and Dave Paquette Named Scholar All-Americans

Providence, RI—Rhode Island College seniors Keith Nelson (Rhinebeck, NY) and Dave Paquette (Ledyard, CT) were named Scholar All-Americans by the NCAA Div. III Wrestling Coaches Association.

Nelson owns a 3.14 cumulative grade point average as a telecommunications major. As a senior in 2004-05, he closed out his career earning All-New England honors with a third place finish at 174 lbs. at the NECCWA Championships. He went 4-2 at the NECCWA Championships. He was 34-10 at 174 lbs. with 136 points, 67 takedowns, seven reversals, 16 near-falls and six pins on the season. He placed second at the RWU Invitational on Nov. 13, third at the Doug Parker Invitational on Nov. 20 and fifth at the R.I.T. Invitational on Dec. 4 in the 174 lbs. weight class. Nelson took home third place at 174 lbs. at the Citrus Invitational on Dec. 29.

Paquette owns a 3.44 cumulative grade point average as a computer information systems major. As a senior in 2004-05, he earned All-New England honors with a sixth place finish at 157 lbs. at the NECCWA Championships. He went 3-3 at the NECCWA Championships. He was 21-13 at 157 lbs. with 79 points, 63 takedowns, 14 reversals, seven near-falls and one pin on the season. He placed sixth at 157 lbs. at the Doug Parker Invitational on Nov. 20. Paquette placed fifth at 157 lbs. at the Citrus Invitational on Dec. 29.

Head Coach Jay Jones’ team closed out the 2004-05 season at the New England College Conference Wrestling Association (NECCWA) Championships, hosted by Johnson & Wales University on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 19-20. The Anchormen took home third place with 87 points. It was the highest finish for the RIC grapplers since the 1992-93 squad also placed third. Springfield College won the New England Championship with 128.5 points. RIC had seven wrestlers attain All-New England status.

The Anchormen were 16-3 overall, 11-1 against New England College Conference Wrestling Association (NECCWA) opposition and 5-1 in the Pilgrim Wrestling League on the season.

-end-