Manotti, Lee Earn Top Rankings from W.I.N. Magazine
Manotti upsets Oklahoma State’s Esposito to earn first-ever top ranking.
ITHACA, N.Y. – For the first time in program history, the Cornell wrestling team has two wrestlers ranked No. 1 in the nation in their respective weight classes, as senior Travis Lee (133) and junior Dustin Manotti (149) were both at the top of W.I.N. Magazine’s rankings released earlier today. While Lee has been at the top of the 133-pound ranks for the majority of the past two seasons, Manotti upset previously top-ranked Zack Esposito (Oklahoma State) on Jan. 22 at the NWCA National Duals to become the top-ranked wrestler in his weight class for the first time in his career.
Lee has compiled a record of 22-1 this season and has faced second-ranked Shawn Bunch of Edinboro twice, with each wrestler winning once. A three-time All-American and the 2003 national champion at 125 pounds, Lee has 128 career wins, just six shy of tying Mark Fergeson ’93 for the most all-time at Cornell. He has been victorious in his past 40 dual bouts dating back to Feb. 2, 2002. After claiming the 125-pound national title in 2003 with a perfect 34-0 record, Lee moved to 133 pounds and was the top ranked wrestler at that weight for nearly the entire 2003-04 regular season before falling in the national semifinals.
The third time was the charm for Manotti, as the junior had faced Esposito twice before and lost, falling 5-2 in the 2004 NCAA semifinals and 8-3 at this season’s NWCA Marines All-Star Classic. This time around, Manotti broke a 3-3 tie with 30 seconds left in regulation with his second takedown of the match and secured riding time en route to a 6-4 triumph. Manotti has an overall mark of 26-1 this season and is currently tied for eighth on the Big Red’s all-time win list with 94 victories. An All-American in each of his first two seasons, Manotti needs just six wins to become the sixth Cornell grappler to reach the 100-win plateau.
Manotti and Lee and the rest of the 14th-ranked Cornell squad will begin defense of its Ivy League title when it welcomes Princeton and Penn to the Friedman Wrestling Center this weekend. The Big Red will face the Tigers on Friday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m., and will take on No. 24 Penn on Saturday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. in a match that will be broadcast live on College Sports Television (CSTV).
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