Wrestling | 4/11/2018 1:10:00 PM

ROCHESTER, NY – Freshman Kaidon Winters (Athens, PA/Athens Area) of the RIT wrestling team, was named the 2017-18 Empire College Wrestling Conference (ECWC) Rookie of the Year on Wednesday, April 11. He is RIT's first ECWC Rookie of the Year since Mike McInally in 2006-07.
 
Winters enjoyed an historic season at 157 lbs., becoming RIT's first freshman to qualify for the NCAA Championships in 11 years. Winters tied RIT Sports Hall of Famer Luke Baum's single-season program record with 42 wins, going 42-10 overall at 157 lbs. He was 16-1 in dual matches and broke three-time NCAA Champion Matt Hamill's single-season record with 22 wins by fall. Winters narrowly missed earning All-American status at the NCAA Championships, defeating the No. 7 wrestler in the nation in his opening match. Winters qualified for the national championship, after earning runner-up honors at the NCAA Mideast Regional.
 
Winters was a five-time Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference Rookie of the Week and two-time RIT Male Athlete of the Week selection. Winters was also runner-up in his weight class at both the RIT Invitational and ECWC Championship.
 
The Tigers enjoyed a successful 2017-18 season, winning nine dual matches for the second consecutive season, tied for the third most in the program's 90-year run. In addition, three different wrestlers advanced to the NCAA Championships for the second straight year.