Abri, Leon To Compete At NCAA's
March 13, 2002 | Men's Wrestling
BOSTON - Senior Ali Abri (Ashland, VA) and junior Jose Leon (Santa Ana, CA) each earned spots in the NCAA Tournament in Albany, NY. The tournament will be held March 21st to the 23rd. Abri earned his berth by winning the 184-pound weight class at the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament, while Leon also received his bid by way of the CAA Tournament, finishing second at 125 pounds.
For Abri the nationals will signal an end to his impressive career at B.U. In his four years, Abri has compiled an overall record of 74-34. A three-time district and regional champ at Patrick Henry High School and winner of the Virginia State Championship senior year, Abri started every match as a freshman and ended his first season with an 18-11 record, good enough to place him third on the team in wins.
Abri followed up with a 15-12 record sophomore year and a 10-2 mark as a junior. This season has been Abri's most successful. His overall record on the year is 31-9, a mark that includes six victories by way of pinfall. Abri was perfect in the CAA with a 10-0 record and posted a 18-7 record in tournament matches.
Junior tri-captain Jose Leon will be joining Abri in Albany and has had an equally impressive season en route to the nationals. He compiled a record of 61-5 and captured a national championship as a senior in high school. Leon led the Terriers with 20 wins in his first season. Wrestling exclusively at 125, he also recorded a 12-2 mark in dual matches as a freshman.
This will mark Leon's second trip to the nationals. He qualified for the NCAA's as a sophomore while recording as 23-6 record. Leon was ranked as high as ninth in the nation, and recorded an 11-3 mark in tournament matches. Leon is currently 22-6 on the year and leads the team with seven pins.
