Tied #1 Alone at the Top:
J.P. O'Connor '10 (pictured at right) capped off an
unbeaten senior season by winning the 157-pound title at the 2010
NCAA Wrestling Championships. In front of a sold out crow of
15,919, the Oxford, N.Y., native avenged a 2009 loss to two-time
All-American Chas Pami of Cal Poly with a 6-4 win, ending a
dominant run through the tournament in which he outscored his
opponents 51-10. With the win, O'Connor became the third
national champion for the Crimson, and the first wrestler in
program history to complete an undefeated season. The final
victory also tied O'Connor with Jesse Jantzen '04 for
the program record in wins with 132.
Tied #1 Mission
Accomplished:
Jesse Jantzen '04 won Harvard's first NCAA wrestling
championship in 66 years when he captured the 149-pound title in
2004. Jantzen was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the
championships after outscoring his opponents 53-15, etching his
name among those of the legendary Dan Gable and Cael
Sanderson. His final victory came via a 9-3 decision over
Zack Esposito of Oklahoma State, who would later go on to win the
weight class at the 2005 NCAA Championships. Jantzen's
cheering section in St. Louis included John Harkness '38, the
first Crimson grappler to have won an NCAA title.
Tied #1 A Champion is
Crowned:
John C. Harkness '38 (pictured below with Jesse Jantzen '04)
became Harvard wrestling's first NCAA national champion on
March 26, 1938 when he defeated Oklahom's Marshall Word for
the 175 lbs. title. Harkness, the Crimson captain that season, also
won the EIWA title and was named the EIWA's Most Outstanding
Wrestler.
#4 An Era of Dominance:
Jesse Jantzen '04 graduated in 2004 as the most accomplished
wrestler in Harvard history. The Crimson's all-time leader in
wins (132), win percentage (.910) and pins (50), Jantzen's
accomplishments also include;
2004 NCAA Champion
2004 NCAA Most Outstanding Wrestler
3 Time NCAA All-American
3 Time EIWA Champion
4 Time NCAA Qualifier
2 Time EIWA Fletcher Award Recipient
2002 EIWA Sheridan Award Recipient
2004 EIWA Wrestler of the Year
2004 Ivy League Wrestler of the Year
2002 EIWA Most Outstanding Wrestler
2001 Ivy League Rookie of the Year
#5 Kings of the Hill:
Harvard captured its first EIWA team championship in 2001 on the
heels of three straight top-four finishes. The Crimson lineup that
season featured EIWA champions Matt Picarsic '01 (133 lbs.)
and Dawid Rechul '02 (HWT), as well as runner-up Jesse
Jantzen '04 (149 lbs.). A total of eight Crimson
finished on the podium, including Keven El-Hayek '01
(3rd, 125 lbs.), Max Odom '03 (3rd, 157
lbs.), Pat O'Donnell '03 (4th, 165 lbs.),
Francis Volpe '00 (3rd, 184 lbs.) and Reggie Lee
'03 (5th, 197 lbs.).
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