Cedar Rapids, IA – Senior captain
Joseph Rossetti traveled to Iowa this weekend to represent the Ephs at the Division III National Championships in the 141 lbs. division.
Seeded eighth in a field of 18, Rossetti squared-off with Jacob Reed of Ohio Northern in his first bout of the tournament. After a scoreless first two periods, Reed was able to pick up three points in the third from a reversal and riding time to take a 3-0 win by decision.
Now in the wrestle-back bracket with his back against the wall, Rossetti took on Xavier Pena of Centenary. In a thrilling match, Rossetti came back from a 4-2 deficit heading into the third period to win by 6-5 decision courtesy of a critical escape with 1:35 to go and a takedown 40 seconds later.
In his next match, Rossetti was paired with Jimmy McAuliffe, the two seed out of Elmhurst College. In a high scoring bout, McAuliffe established a 9-4 lead in the first period which Rossetti was unable to overcome. McAuliffe advanced with a 14-8 win by decision and Rossetti's run came to a close.
Head Coach
Scott Honecker had this to share about Rossetti: "When a season comes to an end there's always mixed emotions, and when an athlete's career comes to an end those emotions are intensified. When it comes to Joe Rossetti, all I am feeling is gratitude. He has been the face of Williams wrestling and he's upheld a standard of dedication and consistency that we should all be chasing. I've been fortunate to be around many of the Williams wrestling greats over the years and Joseph stands among them. The degree to which he committed himself to this sport and to our program has been tremendous. He competed with both intensity and grace and led a resurgence this season that he should reflect on with great pride. Joey did it the right way. On a personal level, I am humbled that he chose Williams years ago and feel lucky to have made the walk with him as many times as we did."
