June 4, 2009

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Duke junior John Barone has been selected as the 2008-09 Atlantic Coast Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year in Wrestling, league commissioner John Swofford announced Thursday.

The Scholar-Athlete Award was established in September, 2007, to be awarded annually to the top junior or senior student-athlete in his or her respective sport. Candidates for the award must have maintained a 3.0 grade point average for their career as well as a 3.0 during the last two semesters.

A history major, Barone has been named to the All-ACC Academic Team each of his three years at Duke. He is also a member of the NWCA All-Academic Team and was recognized as the NWCA Academic Champion in 2007 and 2008. A member of the ROTC program, Barone was voted as the best leader in his squad during the Leader’s Training Course (LTC) in the summer of 2007. He has also led a small group in Bible study the past three years on the Duke campus.

In addition to his academic accomplishments, the Shirley. N.Y., native also greatly excelled on the mat this past season, posting a 36-8 record in the 184-pound weight class and eclipsing the 100-win mark for his career. Barone led Duke’s team in wins and in points scored while earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships.

Duke led all schools with eight selections to the 2008-09 ACC All-Academic Team – Dan Adamo, Jack Anderson, Barone, Robert Holbrook, Addison Nuding, Turner Rooney, Peter Terrezza and Mike Tunick.

Two-time All-American and 2007-08 ACC Wrestling Scholar Athlete of the Year Hudson Taylor was one of six Maryland wrestlers named to the 2008-09 ACC All-Academic Team. He is joined by teammates Danny Bichner, Mike Hromada, Patrick Klenkel, James Knox and Dex Lederer.

North Carolina (Andrew Cekuta, Daniel Helena and Jeremy Shaw) and Virginia (Rocco Caponi, Calvin Cardillo and Peter Ferrara) each had three student-athletes selected.