Hofstra sophomore Lou Ruggirello has been named to the 2007-08 National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic wrestling team, NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer announced Thursday.

To be named to the All-Academic team wrestlers must have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA, been an NCAA qualifier or won 60 percent of his total schedule - and must have competed in at least 60 percent of said schedule. The other way to qualify for the All-Academic team is have a 3.0 cumulative and been an NCAA All-American.

Ruggirello, who received Hofstra's 2008 Dr. James M. Shuart Male Scholar-Athlete Award Thursday night, carries a 3.54 overall grade point average as a business major and in the fall of 2007 posted a 3.94 GPA. He has received the CAA Commissioner's Academic Award in each of his two years.

The Walden, New York native posted a team-best 38-7 record during the 2007-08 campaign and won his second consecutive CAA Championship at 133 pounds to once again qualify for the NCAA Championships. Lou posted a 4-2 mark at the NCAA's and was the recipient of the Manuel Gorrarian Award, which is presented to the wrestler with the most victories by fall in the least amount of time at the Championships.

In December 2007 Lou became Hofstra's first-ever top-ranked wrestler at his weight class as he was number one in both the Intermat/USA Today rankings and the W.I.N. Magazine rankings following his wins over then #1 and eventual national champion Coleman Scott (Oklahoma State) and then #14 David Marble (Bucknell) at the Northeast Duals. Lou was also selected to compete in the prestigious National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic this past season, which pits two of the top-ranked wrestlers at each weight class against each other, and posted a 6-0 win over then #2 Mack Reiter of Minnesota.

A two-time CAA Wrestler of the Week selection in 2007-08, Lou was the 2007 CAA Rookie of the Year and owns a career mark of 69-16. He is the Pride's first NWCA All-Academic award winner since Paul Siemon was honored in 2004 and 2005 and the sixth Hofstra wrestler to receive he award.

Last season, 57 wrestlers were named to the NWCA All-Academic team. This year, that number increased to 88 total wrestlers. The 2007-08 All-Academic team was highlighted by 27 Division I All-Americans and three national champions - Brent Metcalf of Iowa (149), Jordan Leen of Cornell (157) and Mike Pucillo of Ohio State (184). Four other finalists also made the squad: Eric Tannenbaum (165) and Steve Luke (174) of Michigan, Wynn Michalak of Central Michigan (197) and J.D. Bergman of Ohio State (285).  Five All-Americans were named to the All-Academic team at 197 pounds, the most of any weight single class. Nine of the 10 weights had at least two All-Americans represented on the All-Academic team. In all, 48 schools had at least one wrestler represented on the NWCA All-Academic Team, over half of all participating schools in NCAA Division I.

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