Mat Memories
1/27/2020 12:56:00 PM | General, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
GW wrestling alumni gathered to celebrate program history
Joe Mannix hadn't seen some of the faces in more than three decades, but the memories came flooding back on GW Wrestling Alumni Weekend.
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The GW Athletic Hall of Fame member made the trip from Long Island to be among more than two dozen former Colonial grapplers who gathered in Foggy Bottom in celebration of the program.
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"This whole thing it's not just about wrestling, it's more about really close friends," said Mannix, who totaled 137 career wins from 1984-1989 to rank second on the program's all-time list. "When you're in a wrestling room and you're cutting weight and you're traveling on the road, there's a bond. I don't want to sound cliché, but we spilled blood and sweat together."
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The alumni spanned the program's history from Larry Broadwell, who was part of the program's move from club to varsity status in 1966, to Mannix, who wrestled the final matches in its history at the 1989 NCAA Championship.
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In between, the Colonials found a way to leave their mark on the collegiate wrestling scene.
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Rich DiPippo recalled being part of a six-man team who trained in the basement of Corcoran Hall upon his arrival in 1975. By his graduation four years later, the Colonials had a home in the new Smith Center and showcased their progress by winning the Capital Collegiate Classic to establish local supremacy.
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A GW men's basketball season ticket holder, DiPippo was proud to have the program recognized at halftime of the Colonials' win over Saint Joseph's on Saturday afternoon.
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"It's a great thing to see these guys and be together," DiPippo said. "We all chose to be at GW. It was a start-up program, and we built it into something special."
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The program made the leap onto the national stage in the 1980s under Hall of Coach Jim Rota. In his 12 seasons, the Colonials earned 125 wins and were represented at the NCAA Championship six times.
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The highwater mark came in 1985 when Wade Hughes earned All-American honors by finishing third in the country in the 126-pound weight class. His 57 wins in a season and 174 career victories were both national records.
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Now retired in the Richmond area, Rota was on hand for Alumni Weekend, bringing along a dozen binders thick with results, press clippings and photos spanning his tenure. He relished the chance to remember all his wrestlers feats on the mat and celebrate all they've accomplished in the years since they donned the Buff and Blue.
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"Just being able to share the camaraderie that's built up over the years, it's special," Rota said. "You can see that 30-40 years later we still have friendships that are strong."
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The GW Athletic Hall of Fame member made the trip from Long Island to be among more than two dozen former Colonial grapplers who gathered in Foggy Bottom in celebration of the program.
Â
"This whole thing it's not just about wrestling, it's more about really close friends," said Mannix, who totaled 137 career wins from 1984-1989 to rank second on the program's all-time list. "When you're in a wrestling room and you're cutting weight and you're traveling on the road, there's a bond. I don't want to sound cliché, but we spilled blood and sweat together."
Â
The alumni spanned the program's history from Larry Broadwell, who was part of the program's move from club to varsity status in 1966, to Mannix, who wrestled the final matches in its history at the 1989 NCAA Championship.
Â
In between, the Colonials found a way to leave their mark on the collegiate wrestling scene.
Â
Rich DiPippo recalled being part of a six-man team who trained in the basement of Corcoran Hall upon his arrival in 1975. By his graduation four years later, the Colonials had a home in the new Smith Center and showcased their progress by winning the Capital Collegiate Classic to establish local supremacy.
Â
A GW men's basketball season ticket holder, DiPippo was proud to have the program recognized at halftime of the Colonials' win over Saint Joseph's on Saturday afternoon.
Â
"It's a great thing to see these guys and be together," DiPippo said. "We all chose to be at GW. It was a start-up program, and we built it into something special."
Â
The program made the leap onto the national stage in the 1980s under Hall of Coach Jim Rota. In his 12 seasons, the Colonials earned 125 wins and were represented at the NCAA Championship six times.
Â
The highwater mark came in 1985 when Wade Hughes earned All-American honors by finishing third in the country in the 126-pound weight class. His 57 wins in a season and 174 career victories were both national records.
Â
Now retired in the Richmond area, Rota was on hand for Alumni Weekend, bringing along a dozen binders thick with results, press clippings and photos spanning his tenure. He relished the chance to remember all his wrestlers feats on the mat and celebrate all they've accomplished in the years since they donned the Buff and Blue.
Â
"Just being able to share the camaraderie that's built up over the years, it's special," Rota said. "You can see that 30-40 years later we still have friendships that are strong."
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