University of Virginia Library

Edwards Confident Of Wrestling Future;
Zablow, Howser Top Strong Contingent

With Atlantic Coast Conference
schools assembling in Raleigh this
weekend for conference track,
tennis, and golf tournaments, many
Virginia coaches whose sports are
out of season, have turned their
eyes to the duties of recruiting
outstanding prospects for next
year. One such busy man is
Virginia's outstanding wrestling
mentor George Edwards.

Edwards, spending the past few
weeks frantically making phone
calls and writing letters, has come
up with a brilliant array of talent
for next year's team. Among his
stellar recruits are one Pennsylvania
state champ in the 138 division, a
two time Virginia state champ, and
a host of boys who performed well
in district and high school
competition.

Lynn Howser, one of two stars
from Mt. Lebanon High in
Pennsylvania, was the outstanding
wrestler in the 138 class, and
reportedly "turned down a full
scholarship at Maryland." Shelly
Zablow is the two time state champ
from Granby High in Norfolk. He
called Coach Edwards just last week
to inform him he had selected
Virginia over Lehigh.

Another outstanding prospect
definitely committed is Wayne
Hiffman from Allentown,
Pennsylvania. Hoffman won
fourteen of sixteen matches, and
lost in the district tournament by
one point.

Kim Hatcher, who will wrestle
in the 118 or 126 classes next
year, is Coach Edward's second
prospect from Mt. Lebanon.
Hatcher had an outstanding dual
match record of 13-0-1 before
meeting the same fate Howser did,
in losing in district competition.

A second outstanding high
school grappler from Virginia is
Chip Childs, who wrestled out of
Episcopal High School in
Alexandria. His three year record at
Episcopal was 30-3.

"All this looks so good," Coach
Edwards said, "but we'll just have
to wait to get down on the mat.
Our schedule is a little tougher, and
VPI and Maryland are both at the
end of the season, but only time
will tell."