Rader Enjoys Success at WVU

By Delano Farley
Brandon Rader, a Parkersburg native and freshman at WVU, is continuing to add to his already impressive wrestling credentials. Most recently, Rader has achieved All-American status in the NCAA wrestling world. The 141-pound grappler capped off his freshman season with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA tournament, and became the first-ever WVU true freshman to achieve All-American status and number 28 overall.

Rader joined the WVU wrestling team after achieving a high school wrestling record of 159-9, winning four state wrestling titles, and winning a national high school championship. He also received the 2005 Robert Dutton Award, which is given annually to the state of West Virginia’s top high school wrestler.

The freshman wrestler entered the tournament with a 26-3 record overall and finished the season with 30 wins and 6 losses, tying current assistant coach Shane Cunanan for most wins in a season by a freshman in WVU history. Rader’s feat of achieving the All-American status also keeps the Mountaineers streak of having at least one All-American every year since 2002 intact.

In addition, Rader earned the Eastern Wrestling League’s 2006 freshman of the year honors, defeated nine nationally ranked wrestlers, and became only the fourth West Virginia native to accomplish All-American honors. Only Jimmie Cox (1929), Mike Mason (1997-98) and Sam Kline (1999) had accomplished the feat before Rader.