Wrestling Trio Earns National All-Academic Team Honors
Despite their most successful season in recent school history recently wrapping up, the honors continue come in for members of the 2023-24 Williamson wrestling team. The most recent ones were for seniors Talon Pisarchuk and Chase Whartnaby, as well as junior Michael Kling, as the trio was named to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association's 2024 National All-Academic squad.
In order to be considered for the honor, a student-athlete must have a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.50 or higher, and must be a starter or a significant contributor to his team's success. Freshmen are not eligible for consideration.
Pisarchuk just wrapped up the most successful season and career of any wrestler in Williamson history. Wrestling at 174 lbs., he finished 28-2 and earned his second straight national runner-up finish at the 2024 National Collegiate Wrestling Association's national championships. He was the national runner-up at 165 lbs. in 2023. He is the first wrestler in school history to earn All-American honors two straight years, as well as the first two-time Mid-East Conference champion. He leaves Williamson as the most decorated wrestler in school history.
Whartnaby capped off an outstanding career with this second straight appearance at NCWA nationals. A team captain along with Pisarchuk, he finished the 2023-24 campaign with a 17-8 mark.
A national qualifier in his freshman year, Kling finished the season this year at 15-9.
"All three guys are tremendous young men and we could not be prouder of their work on the mat, in the practice room and in the classroom," shared Williamson head coach Ron Frank. "They truly are Williamson men and are what Williamson is all about."
Williamson recently capped on an 11-4 dual meet season, that saw it produce two All-Americans in the same season in Pisarchuk and freshman Alexander Gamble-Williams, as well as a 15th place finish out of 88 teams at the 2024 NCWA national championships in Shreveport, Louisiana.
