99-00 Terriers Debut at West Point Open
November 8, 1999 | Men's Wrestling
WEST POINT, N.Y. - (Nov. 6) The Boston University wrestling team opened its 1999-2000 season with a fourth-place showing at the seven-team West Point Open on Saturday, November 6.
Highlighting the day for the Terriers was a pair of first-place performances from Jose Leon (Santa Ana, CA) and Mike Messina (Smithtown, NY), who were making their collegiate debuts. Leon, seeded third in the 125-pound bracket, won his first match 17-6 and earned a second-round pin before defeating top-seeded Dave Ilaria of Seton Hall in the finals, 11-3.
Messina, the number-four seed in the 141-pound division, won four matches on the day, including a 3-2 decision over top-seeded Frank Palumbo of SUNY-Brockport in the semifinals. He then went on to win a tie breaker in the final to defeat Brockport's Lenny Baker.
Also turning in strong performances for the Terriers was Malik Elliott (Park Forest, Ill), who pinned two opponents and defeated a third before dropping a tie breaker in the 157-pound championship round to Army's Ben Celver. Ali Abri (Ashland, VA) also placed with a fourth-place finish at 184 pounds.
Host Army finished first overall with a team score of 110. They were followed by Seton Hall (98.50), Brockton (79.50), Boston University (69.50), Lycoming (62.50), A.I.C. (51.50), and Bucknell (46).
The tournament featured Terrier head coach Carl Adams facing one of his former wrestlers Tod Giles.
Giles, who is the head coach at West Point and a former All-American for Adams, was recently elected into the Boston University Hall of Fame in October.
Adams will have another chance to face Giles and his team when the Cadets come to Boston for a dual meet on Saturday, January 29, 2000.
The Terriers will have a two-week break before next taking the mat at the Navy Classic on Saturday, November 20.
