For the second straight year, SUNY Cortland's Bobby Dierna (Webster/Wayne) has been named the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference (ECWC) Wrestler of the Year in a vote of the league's coaches and sports information directors.

Dierna earned the award after repeating as NCAA Division III champion at 157 pounds. He opened nationals with a 23-5 technical fall in 6:21, followed by pins in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Dierna capped a perfect 21-0 season with an 8-7 decision over Logan Thomsen of Wartburg in the championship match. Of Dierna's 21 victories this season, 20 were "bonus point" wins (nine pins, six technical falls, and five major decisions).

A four-time All-American, Dierna finished second nationally at 149 pounds in 2014 and third at 149 in 2013 in addition to his two national crowns at 157 pounds. He completed his collegiate career with a 106-9 record and 47 falls (35 pins, 12 technical falls) to rank seventh at Cortland in wins and second in falls.

In addition, three Cortland wrestlers - freshman Zach Gifford (Deposit), sophomore Tristan Broddus (Manlius/Fayetteville-Manlius) and junior Matt Norris (Homer) - were honored as members of the 2016-17 ECWC All-Academic Team. Recipients of ECWC All-Academic honors must have a 3.30 cumulative grade point average or higher (through the last eligible grading period of the current academic year) while completing an entire season as a member of a conference institution's wrestling team. Freshmen and transfers that have been enrolled full-time for at least one semester are eligible.

Cortland competes in the ECWC with Alfred State, Brockport, Ithaca, Oneonta, Oswego and Rochester Institute of Technology.