LANCASTER, Pa. – James Conway has been named the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Wrestler of the Week after winning the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (CKLV) title at 184 lbs. Conway's conference wrestler of the week honor is his second in as many competitions and the third time he has won this award during his career.
Conway's championship run at CKLV was the first for an F&M wrestler as the Diplomats were making their first-ever appearance at the tournament in Las Vegas which is considered the premier fall semester tournament on the Division I schedule. The No. 3 seed entering the tournament, Conway defeated three nationally ranked opponents over the weekend. After starting his tournament with back-to-back pins, Conway defeated then-No. 16 Aaron Ayzerov (Columbia) by a 12-9 score in sudden victory.
During Saturday morning's semifinal round, Conway defeated then-No. 10 Isaac Dean (Iowa State) behind a pair of third period takedowns in the 9-5 final. During the finals, the senior captain shut out then-No. 7 Brock Mantanona (Michigan) by a 5-0 score to cape a perfect 5-0 record this past weekend. Conway is now 16-1 on the season and owns 89 career victories during his four attached seasons (plus a 22-4 record while redshirting a season ago). Seven of those 16 wins this season have come against nationally-ranked competition.
"James is the kind of athlete every coach hopes to have—detail-oriented, disciplined, and willing to outwork everyone," commented Roy W. Phillips '34 head coach Mike Rogers. "His success is simply the payoff for the consistent effort he brings to the room every day. His performance at CKLV was no accident; it's the result of countless hours of preparation and commitment. It's incredibly rewarding to see someone who invests so much into the process earn the success he's worked so hard for. James's achievements also demonstrate that F&M is on the rise—competing with and beating bigger, better-funded programs. He's proof you can reach your dreams at a smaller school."
Conway's run to the CKLV championship has caught the attention of the national rankers as the 2024 Elite 90 Award recipient is currently the No. 7-ranked wrestler at 184 lbs. in rankings released by InterMat, FloWrestling, The Opn Mat, and The College Wrestling Report.
Franklin & Marshall will return to competition on Thursday, December 18 when the Diplomats travel to South Carolina for a dual at Presbyterian where they will wrestle Air Force (9 a.m.), Davidson (11 a.m.), and Presbyterian (1 p.m.).
