All-American wrestler recorded 103 victories in four years at The Hall
June 18, 2015
On Monday, June 22, the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund will host the annual Hall of Fame Golf Outing and Dinner at Fairmount Country Club in Chatham, N.J. In advance of the event, SHUPirates.com caught up with the four exceptional individuals who will comprise the Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2015.
Today, we feature Lou Cerchio, a Plainfield native who helped elevate the Pirates into the national spotlight on the wrestling mat. A tremendous career that featured 103 victories culminated in an All-American performance during his third and final appearance at the NCAA Tournament in 1995. Cerchio will join former teammate Joe Burke as the only two wrestlers currently among the prestigious ranks of Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Famers.
*Note: All-time women's tennis wins leader Kristen (Downing) Liteplo was originally announced as part of the Hall of Fame Class of 2015. She is now scheduled to be a part of the Class of 2016.
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"Where is SHU?"
Growing up in Plainfield as the second of six children, Lou Cerchio emerged as a prep star on the wrestling mat; powering his way to county and regional championships for Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.
Location played a major role in his eventual path to The Hall as choosing to become a Pirate ensured that he could stay connected with his family while furthering his academic and athletic pursuits. At the time, head coach Al Reinoso had built SHU into a budding force on the collegiate scene but the heart of the wrestling world -- at least in a national sense - was still believed to reside in America's heartland.
Wrestling is a unique entity in the realm of athletics. Wrestlers are measured individually and train endlessly in search of personal glory. However, perhaps bonded by common sacrifice, each individual quest is powered by the fierce brotherhood cultivated within a team.
Common perception often betrays the nature of the sport itself; one which arguably offers competition in the truest sense of the word. Wrestling is not about vision quests or steel chairs. There are rarely bright lights and seldom a golden prize to be had.
Bouts are won and lost on the work that is put in long past when everyone else has gone to bed or hours before they arise to start their day. Wrestling, at its core, boils down to two adversaries with the same single-minded goal: to get past the guy in front of them not only for themselves, but for the guy next to them.
By all accounts, Lou Cerchio embodied what it means to be a wrestler. A tireless worker who was looked upon as a leader in a setting where most are working to assert themselves as an "alpha male," he let his actions speak for him.
Coming in as a 158-pounder, Cerchio scored 15 victories as a freshman but began to serve notice as a sophomore when he compiled a 25-3 record heading into his first of three appearances at the NCAA Tournament. Seton Hall sent a then-school record five wrestlers to the national stage that season but Cerchio saw his bid cut short in the first round by eventual national champion Pat Smith of Oklahoma State.
More fuel to the fire.
The next season, Cerchio remained at 158 pounds and went on to add 22 more wins to his collection and earn a second consecutive trip to the national tournament. His talent and dedication had taken him from South Orange to Ames, Iowa -- the epicenter of collegiate wrestling. Up against fourth-seeded Josh Robbins (Penn State), Cerchio was again thwarted in the first round by an opponent who would advance to the title match.
It would be the last time he returned home without fulfilling his mission.
During that same 1992-93 season, teammate and Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Famer Joke Burke wrestled his way to a fourth-place finish and All-American honors at 150 pounds. As a team, the Pirates finished ranked 19th in the country -- delivering a clear message that while the Midwest and its powerhouse programs may have been the center of focus, there were some men from the Garden State who could leave you flat in the center of the circle.
Burke's exploits had "broken the seal" Cerchio explains but in the interest of better positioning themselves to reach the ultimate goal of a national championship, the two decided to red-shirt the 1993-94 campaign while working to step up in weight class.
The formidable duo returned to action for the 1994-95 season but the transition initially appeared to be a rocky one for the always steady Cerchio. After entering the year with just 18 total losses, he dropped five decisions in the first two months of the season. His confidence never wavered however and he emerged from the stretch to post a 27-2 record after the calendar turned to 1995; a remarkable run that included 25-consecutive victories.
Going into his final trip to the NCAA Tournament, his objective was clear...show the world what he and his teammates already knew:
Lou Cerchio was an All-American wrestler.
But as the soon-to-be Hall of Famer says himself, "Until you win...nobody cares about you or where you're from."
So in his valedictory run, with no more "next times" in the bank, the only thing to do was go out and win.
Round one has been a thorn in his side during his two previous trips but with his career on the line, Cerchio broke through and out-dueled Zach Randall (Oklahoma) for a 6-3 victory.
His reward for the triumph? A date with Michigan's Chad Biggert, a Big Ten champion with his own All-American credentials. Such accolades mean little when it's time to compete in the circle however and Cerchio went on to double up Biggert, 4-2, to move into the national quarterfinals.
Sixth-seeded Stan Banks of North Carolina had out-scored his opponents, 22-6, on his collision course with Cerchio in the quarters but found his onslaught neutralized by the Plainfield native.
In a low-scoring, hard-fought affair, Banks squeaked out a 3-2 win and would eventually place third in the tournament.
Despite the setback, Cerchio's All-American dream remained alive. In his way stood Charles Gary of Illinois, but only for a short time. With 102 victories already to his credit, Cerchio dominated Gary in an 8-0 rout for his 103rd and final win, one that cemented his place in history.
After his prior two disappointing stints on the national stage, Cerchio says it was difficult to fully appreciate those wins in the moment. He does remember people taking notice however, approaching him with the question, "Where is SHU?"
A local kid who would ride his bike home when he found the opportunity, Lou Cerchio helped put Seton Hall on the map. Through his resolve and determination, he announced tom all of America that The Hall was home to Lou Cerchio, All-American.
Upon his return, he was quoted in a local paper as saying "There's no piece of wood or medal for getting All-America -- it's simply an honor...All I got was a handshake from a guy named Kraft."
On Monday, Cerchio will receive another honor befitting his accomplishments; one which has been a long time in the making.
Chances are, there are a few more handshakes in his immediate future as well.
Q: During your career at Seton Hall, did you and/or your teammates feel as if you had an added responsibility of putting N.J. wrestling on the map and serving notice?
Cerchio: We all had chips on our shoulders and yes we wanted to represent NJ, but it was deeper than that. Most of us were not the "blue chippers" with the exception of a couple wrestlers who we were able to add from other programs with less of a tight-knit team. Other teams could see how close we were and there was never a wrestler who left our team to pursue success somewhere else. When SHU came knocking and wanted us to become a Pirate, we immediately had reason to seek revenge against all others who doubted our ability or potential. There was one other school that I applied to that (fortunately) said no thanks to my services and I made sure I gave them something a little special each and every time I wrestled one of their guys. This was the type of motivation we all had deep inside, it was kind of like the "Little Engine That Could." Our program may have been small in stature but we were BIG in heart!......................
http://www.shupirates.com/sports/pirate-blue/spec-rel/061815aab.html
On Monday, June 22, the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund will host the annual Hall of Fame Golf Outing and Dinner at Fairmount Country Club in Chatham, N.J. In advance of the event, SHUPirates.com caught up with the four exceptional individuals who will comprise the Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2015.
Today, we feature Lou Cerchio, a Plainfield native who helped elevate the Pirates into the national spotlight on the wrestling mat. A tremendous career that featured 103 victories culminated in an All-American performance during his third and final appearance at the NCAA Tournament in 1995. Cerchio will join former teammate Joe Burke as the only two wrestlers currently among the prestigious ranks of Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Famers.
*Note: All-time women's tennis wins leader Kristen (Downing) Liteplo was originally announced as part of the Hall of Fame Class of 2015. She is now scheduled to be a part of the Class of 2016.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Where is SHU?"
Growing up in Plainfield as the second of six children, Lou Cerchio emerged as a prep star on the wrestling mat; powering his way to county and regional championships for Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.
Location played a major role in his eventual path to The Hall as choosing to become a Pirate ensured that he could stay connected with his family while furthering his academic and athletic pursuits. At the time, head coach Al Reinoso had built SHU into a budding force on the collegiate scene but the heart of the wrestling world -- at least in a national sense - was still believed to reside in America's heartland.
Wrestling is a unique entity in the realm of athletics. Wrestlers are measured individually and train endlessly in search of personal glory. However, perhaps bonded by common sacrifice, each individual quest is powered by the fierce brotherhood cultivated within a team.
Common perception often betrays the nature of the sport itself; one which arguably offers competition in the truest sense of the word. Wrestling is not about vision quests or steel chairs. There are rarely bright lights and seldom a golden prize to be had.
Bouts are won and lost on the work that is put in long past when everyone else has gone to bed or hours before they arise to start their day. Wrestling, at its core, boils down to two adversaries with the same single-minded goal: to get past the guy in front of them not only for themselves, but for the guy next to them.
By all accounts, Lou Cerchio embodied what it means to be a wrestler. A tireless worker who was looked upon as a leader in a setting where most are working to assert themselves as an "alpha male," he let his actions speak for him.
Coming in as a 158-pounder, Cerchio scored 15 victories as a freshman but began to serve notice as a sophomore when he compiled a 25-3 record heading into his first of three appearances at the NCAA Tournament. Seton Hall sent a then-school record five wrestlers to the national stage that season but Cerchio saw his bid cut short in the first round by eventual national champion Pat Smith of Oklahoma State.
More fuel to the fire.
The next season, Cerchio remained at 158 pounds and went on to add 22 more wins to his collection and earn a second consecutive trip to the national tournament. His talent and dedication had taken him from South Orange to Ames, Iowa -- the epicenter of collegiate wrestling. Up against fourth-seeded Josh Robbins (Penn State), Cerchio was again thwarted in the first round by an opponent who would advance to the title match.
It would be the last time he returned home without fulfilling his mission.
During that same 1992-93 season, teammate and Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Famer Joke Burke wrestled his way to a fourth-place finish and All-American honors at 150 pounds. As a team, the Pirates finished ranked 19th in the country -- delivering a clear message that while the Midwest and its powerhouse programs may have been the center of focus, there were some men from the Garden State who could leave you flat in the center of the circle.
Burke's exploits had "broken the seal" Cerchio explains but in the interest of better positioning themselves to reach the ultimate goal of a national championship, the two decided to red-shirt the 1993-94 campaign while working to step up in weight class.
The formidable duo returned to action for the 1994-95 season but the transition initially appeared to be a rocky one for the always steady Cerchio. After entering the year with just 18 total losses, he dropped five decisions in the first two months of the season. His confidence never wavered however and he emerged from the stretch to post a 27-2 record after the calendar turned to 1995; a remarkable run that included 25-consecutive victories.
Going into his final trip to the NCAA Tournament, his objective was clear...show the world what he and his teammates already knew:
Lou Cerchio was an All-American wrestler.
But as the soon-to-be Hall of Famer says himself, "Until you win...nobody cares about you or where you're from."
So in his valedictory run, with no more "next times" in the bank, the only thing to do was go out and win.
Round one has been a thorn in his side during his two previous trips but with his career on the line, Cerchio broke through and out-dueled Zach Randall (Oklahoma) for a 6-3 victory.
His reward for the triumph? A date with Michigan's Chad Biggert, a Big Ten champion with his own All-American credentials. Such accolades mean little when it's time to compete in the circle however and Cerchio went on to double up Biggert, 4-2, to move into the national quarterfinals.
Sixth-seeded Stan Banks of North Carolina had out-scored his opponents, 22-6, on his collision course with Cerchio in the quarters but found his onslaught neutralized by the Plainfield native.
In a low-scoring, hard-fought affair, Banks squeaked out a 3-2 win and would eventually place third in the tournament.
Despite the setback, Cerchio's All-American dream remained alive. In his way stood Charles Gary of Illinois, but only for a short time. With 102 victories already to his credit, Cerchio dominated Gary in an 8-0 rout for his 103rd and final win, one that cemented his place in history.
After his prior two disappointing stints on the national stage, Cerchio says it was difficult to fully appreciate those wins in the moment. He does remember people taking notice however, approaching him with the question, "Where is SHU?"
A local kid who would ride his bike home when he found the opportunity, Lou Cerchio helped put Seton Hall on the map. Through his resolve and determination, he announced tom all of America that The Hall was home to Lou Cerchio, All-American.
Upon his return, he was quoted in a local paper as saying "There's no piece of wood or medal for getting All-America -- it's simply an honor...All I got was a handshake from a guy named Kraft."
On Monday, Cerchio will receive another honor befitting his accomplishments; one which has been a long time in the making.
Chances are, there are a few more handshakes in his immediate future as well.
Q: During your career at Seton Hall, did you and/or your teammates feel as if you had an added responsibility of putting N.J. wrestling on the map and serving notice?
Cerchio: We all had chips on our shoulders and yes we wanted to represent NJ, but it was deeper than that. Most of us were not the "blue chippers" with the exception of a couple wrestlers who we were able to add from other programs with less of a tight-knit team. Other teams could see how close we were and there was never a wrestler who left our team to pursue success somewhere else. When SHU came knocking and wanted us to become a Pirate, we immediately had reason to seek revenge against all others who doubted our ability or potential. There was one other school that I applied to that (fortunately) said no thanks to my services and I made sure I gave them something a little special each and every time I wrestled one of their guys. This was the type of motivation we all had deep inside, it was kind of like the "Little Engine That Could." Our program may have been small in stature but we were BIG in heart!......................
http://www.shupirates.com/sports/pirate-blue/spec-rel/061815aab.html
