SUNY Oneonta junior wrestler #Chris Wade (Islip/Islip)# has been selected as the Rookie of the Week announced today by the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference.  Wade earned the honor after his second place finish at last weekend's New York State Collegiate championships hosted by Cornell University.
     Wade was the only non-Division I wrestler at the two-day tournament to advance into the championship finals. Wade was the runner-up at 174 lbs. and, along the way, defeated two nationally ranked wrestlers in leading Oneonta to a seventh place finish as a team, which was its best finish since the 2005 event when the Red Dragons were sixth.
     Wade opened the championships with a pin of Dan Steiger of Alfred State in a time of 4:16. He then defeated Mike Ciaburri of Cortland, 3-2 in the quarterfinals. The win over Ciaburri, who is currently ranked 10th in Div. III, was his second win against Ciaburri within the week.
     In the semifinals, Wade faced the top seed, and No. 6 wrestler in Div. III, David Priest of Ithaca and defeated him 7-3 to advance into the final. In the championship match he lost a close 1-0 decision to Collin McDonald of Div. I Cornell University.
     The Red Dragons will host Oswego tomorrow at Noon in the Dewar Arena of the Alumni Field House.  Highlighting the dual-meet will be the naming of a Golden Anniversary Team in celebration of the 50th year of wrestling at the college.