Virginia’s Henrich and Garland Named Top Wrestler and Coach, Virginia Tech’s Stephens Named VaSID Best Freshman

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Virginia’s Chris Henrich and Steve Garland helped lead the Cavaliers to their first ACC championship in three decades and the pair was honored, along with Virginia Tech’s Brian Stephens, by receiving the top wrestling accolades handed out by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID).

2010 VaSID Wrestling All-State Team

Henrich was named the VaSID Wrester of the Year, while Garland was tabbed the organization’s Coach of the Year. Rounding out the top honors was Stephens, who was a unanimous selection for the Commonwealth’s Rookie of the Year.

Henrich (Jr., Lansdale, Pa.), who is now a three-time VaSID first-team all-state selection, had a career year that saw him eventually finish third at this year’s NCAA National Championship at 174 pounds. He finished 5-1 at the championships, with his lone setback coming in a narrow 10-9 decision to Iowa’s Jay Borschel, this year’s 174-pound national champion.

Henrich posted a 35-3 overall record and a 19-1 dual meet mark, helping him earn All-America honors for the second season in a row. He finished the year ranked No. 3 nationally in his weight class in three different polls (InterMat, AWN and W.I.N.).

Garland guided his Cavaliers to their first ACC Championship since 1977 and finished the year with a 16-6 dual meet record. He was named the ACC Coach of the Year, a first in program history.

Garland coached a program-record eight national qualifiers. Those eight grapplers helped the Cavaliers to a 15^th-place finish at this year’s national championship event with 34 points, marking the program’s second-best finish at nationals.

Stephens (Fr., Piqua, Ohio) was not even supposed to see the mat this year for Virginia Tech, as the rookie was going to be redshirted. However, an injury forced him into the Hokies’ active line-up, where he quickly flourished.

The freshman posted 30 wins this past year, most as an unattached grappler in open events, including a 13-5 mark in active competition for Virginia Tech. After joining the line-up in January, he eventually was named the ACC Rookie of the Year and conference champion at 149 pounds, earning his first career national qualifier.

Virginia and Virginia Tech dominated the 2010 VaSID all-state teams, taking home 10 of the 20 total spots on the Commonwealth’s top wrestling listing. The Cavaliers led all programs with three first-team all-state selections, followed closely behind by Virginia Tech and Old Dominion, with a pair of first-team honorees apiece.

Eight different programs managed to be represented on this year’s all-state wrestling teams, which is comprised of wrestlers from the Division I, Division III and NAIA ranks.

Behind Virginia and Virginia Tech was Old Dominion with three total all-state selections, while the Apprentice School and Liberty each had two grapplers honored. George Mason, Southern Virginia and VMI helped round out the 20-member all-state teams with single selections.

VaSID was formed in 1983, and is comprised of sports information professionals from NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and independent institutions from the state of Virginia. The purpose of the organization is to promote college athletics at all four-year institutions.  For more information, please visit the VaSID website http://www.ferrum.edu/athletics/vasid/.