Hempstead, NY - Following a terrific 2020-21 season, the Hofstra wrestling team hosted their annual Pride Wrestling Banquet from inside the Margiotta Hall Pride Lounge.

Prior to the start of the ceremony, Hofstra Head Wrestling Coach Dennis Papadatos and the Pride coaching staff honored the team's three departing seniors in Garrett Lambert (133 lbs.), Vinny Vespa (141 lbs.), and Charlie Kane (149 lbs.).

In his first year as a Hofstra wrestler, Joe McGinty won four of five matches at 157 pounds, and he ended the season on a four-match winning streak. McGinty was honored with the Best Newcomer/Freshman Award.

Greg Gaxiola received the Biggest Impact Award. The Californian joined the Pride as a graduate transfer from Fresno State and he proceeded to win six matches en route to qualifying for the NCAA Championships after placing fourth at 149 pounds at the EIWA Championships.

Redshirt freshman Ross McFarland was the winner of the Joel Kislin Best Attitude Award, named in honor of the late Hofstra wrestling alum Joel Kislin. Stepping into the starting line-up at 174 pounds, McFarland won five matches in 2021 and was the second seed in the EIWA Championships.

Redshirt senior Charles Small was presented with the Most Improved Wrestler Award. After winning 11 matches and finished seventh at the EIWA Championships in 2019-20, Small qualified for the NCAA Championships with a third-place finish in the 184-pound bracket at this year's EIWA Championships, and he scored an upset victory in the first round of the NCAA Championships.

For the third consecutive year, Trey Rogers was named the Hofstra wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A Pre-Medical Studies major in his third year with the Pride, Rogers holds a 3.91 cumulative grade-point average while qualifying for the NCAA Championships after taking fifth at 197 pounds at this year's EIWA Championships. Rogers was also an EIWA Academic Achievement Award recipient for the third year in a row. Rogers was also named the winner of the Hofstra Strength Award.

Named after Hofstra wrestling alumnus Steve Molello, the Steve Molello Coaches Award is given to the Hofstra wrestler who best exemplifies dedication to wrestling, academic, community service, and all other facets of the program, and redshirt junior Zachary Knighton-Ward was this year's recipient. The redshirt junior won eight matches at 285 pounds and qualified for the NCAA Championships with a third-place finish at the EIWA Championships.

An EIWA champion at 157 pounds, junior Holden Heller was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Heller became Hofstra's first EIWA champion since 2014, and he finished his junior year at 8-2 and a first-time NCAA Championships qualifier. Heller was also a recipient of an EIWA Academic Achievement Award, his third consecutive academic award as a Hofstra student-athlete.

Hofstra Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief Revenue Officer Jay Artinian began the ceremony by congratulating the team and the student-athletes for their accomplishments during the year. Hofstra wrestling would like to thank its sponsors for helping put on this terrific event honoring the student-athletes of the Hofstra wrestling program.