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BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo wrestling program honored its 2004-05 team award winners at UB's annual Athletic Awards Banquet, which was held at the Millennium Hotel on May 3. Three different individuals from head coach Jim Beichner's team received awards at the ceremony.

Harold Sherrell

Junior Harold Sherrell (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) was honored with the Coaches' Award, sophomore Mark Budd (Orrville, OH/Orrville) received the Most Imporved Wrestler nod and freshman Dana Gingerich (Spring Grove, PA/DeLone Catholic) took the Top Newcomer honor.

Sherrell capably filled a gaping hole in Buffalo's lineup left by the redshirting senior Cerminara, a 2004 All-American. The versatile Sherrell, who has wrestled at 184, 197 and heavyweight for the Bulls, stepped into the 197-pound slot for Cerminara and responded by placing second at the Mat Town USA Invitational and third at both the Beast of the East Collegiate Classic and the New York State Collegiate Championships. At the MAC Championships, Sherrell posted two wins to earn third place. Both of his losses at the event came to Joel Weimer of Ohio, who held a national ranking during the year.

Still, during his one year as a starter, Sherrell posted a 22-17 record, including a 7-6 dual meet mark, one of only three Bulls to have a winning dual meet record this year. He also crossed the 40-win mark with a 10-1 major decision against John Grando in the third-place match at the New York State Championships.

Mark Budd

Budd wrapped up his first full season as a starter at 133 pounds by placing third at the MACs. At the beginning of the season, Beichner said a lot of his team's success depended on the success of redshirt sophomore. After a slow start that saw him struggle to a 13-14 record, the 133-pounder proved Beichner right. Before a 12-10 overtime loss to Kent State's Clayton Stark in the MAC Championships first round, Budd had won eight matches in a row. He picked up two consecutive wins in the consolation bracket, including a major decision of Stark in the third-place match, before falling to Northern Illinois' Sam Hiatt, 4-3, in the true second-place match. Budd finished the year 23-16 overall and 4-1 in MAC dual meets, winning 10 of his last 12 matches.

Dana Gingerich

Redshirt freshman Gingerich rebounded nicely from having his tonsils removed in December, forcing him out of the UB Open. He went 7-7 after the operation and earned a fourth-place finish at the MAC Championships with a consolation bracket pin against Central Michigan's Brandon Conklin, 6:29 into the match. Gingerich finished his first-year as a starter at 141 pounds with a 17-19 record, but a team-leading seven pins. He also was in the top five on the team in dual meet falls, escapes, reversals and takedowns.

The Bulls finished 3-10 overall and 1-4 in MAC dual meets under 10th-year head coach Beichner.