Oct. 27, 2010
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Navy senior Bryce Saddoris (Spring Creek, Nev.), a three-year letterwinner and 2009 All-American, has been elected by his peers to serve as the 2010-11 Navy wrestling captain it was announced on Wednesday. Saddoris is the 101st different midshipman to serve as wrestling captain in what is the Academy's 103rd season of competition.
"Bryce is a leader by example," said 11th-year Navy head coach Bruce Burnett. "His teammates and coaches see how he trains, how he competes, how he handles himself and are truly inspired. Bryce is out there to help in whatever way he can. I've watched him mentor the younger guys in technique and I know he does it in the hall as well. He's just a phenomenal leader."
"I am honored that this group of guys, the wrestlers, wanted me to represent them," said Saddoris, who has enjoyed a storied wrestling career in Annapolis. "Any senior this year could represent the team as well as I could, which makes me want to work harder and ensure everyone is taken care of on and off the mat.
Saddoris has been at the head of the class both on and off the mat during his four years at the Academy. He heads into his senior season boasting a 110-32 career record, standing ninth on Navy's career wins list. As one of just five wrestlers in program history to reach the 30-win plateau three times in his career, he is on track to not only become only the second wrestler in school history to win 140 matches, but he has the opportunity to become the Mids' all-time winningest wrestler. Two-time All-American Matt Stolpinski (2005-08) is atop the leader board with 141 wins, as Saddoris trails his former teammate by 31 victories.
Off the mat, Saddoris holds a 2.50 grade-point average in history and appeared on the Commandant's List last spring after achieving a 3.07 GPA for that semester. He is ranked among the top 20 percent of his class of over 1,500 in military order of merit and hopes to service select Marine Corps.
In 2007-08, Saddoris began his wrestling career at Navy by turning in a 35-12 record which at the time marked the second-most wins by a Navy freshman and the most since Tyrone Neal set the record with 37 in 1998-99. He followed up with a career-changing season which not only led him to the second-most wins by a Navy wrestler in school history (43), but also guided him to the national semifinals where he would earn All-America honors at 149 pounds in his sophomore season. The 43 wins were the most by a sophomore in school history, while his 78-combined wins over his first two seasons shattered the Navy record which had previously been held by Greg Gingeleskie who amassed 59 wins as a freshman and sophomore in 1996 and `97. Along the way, he upset Academy rival Matt Kyler at the 2009 EIWA Championship to claim his first EIWA individual crown. He was rewarded as the recipient of the The Coaches Trophy, awarded at the conclusion of the EIWA Tournament to the championship's most valuable wrestler. While it was just the ninth time Navy wrestler had received the award, Saddoris was the first since Scott Kelly in 1987.
Last season Saddoris pushed up a weight class to 157 where he was again a success on the mat with a 32-12 record. He made his third-consecutive trip to the NCAA Championship after finishing as the runner-up at the 2010 EIWA Championship, however, came up short in stepping atop the podium.
"Everybody has some physical gifts - strength, balance, speed, agility and flexibility. Those five things make up a wrestler. You don't have to have all of them, but most good guys have at least two of them. Honestly, Bryce is strong. He's gifted strong and he works hard at getting stronger. I would put him in the top two percent among the guys wrestling when he was at 149 pounds and at 157, he's probably in the top 10 percent. Now if you have someone who is taller and as strong or stronger than you and you enter in with some leverage and strength, then there is a learning curve that comes into play with technique. He had to learn that last year when he moved to 157. Some things he could do at 149, he couldn't do at 157. That came into play against the Northern Colorado kid in the first round of the NCAAs. We've talked about things he needs to improve on and how we are going to do that. Based on the technical things that we've worked on, I don't think that'll happen again."
Saddoris once again has his sight set on the NCAA Championship and going out as a National Champion. Additionally, a trip to the NCAA Championship next spring would make him just the sixth wrestler in school history to be a four-time NCAA qualifier.
"Being the captain of the Navy wrestling program in its 103rd year of existence brings a lot of things into perspective. There are countless individuals who have gone before me who have made a large impact on this program. I will make sure that I do my best to honor those who have previously served as captain and have gone on to achieve great things by making sure my teammates are taken care of and the Navy wrestling program has a positive outlook on the Academy and the fans who support us."
Fans will get their chance to see Saddoris and his teammates this weekend when Navy plays host to its annual Blue/Gold Challenge Matches on Saturday at 7:00 pm. The matches will be held at Halsey Field House and admission is free.
### Go Navy ###
