ITHACA, N.Y.—Kyle Dake and Cam Simaz were named the Most Valuable Wrestlers for the Big Red wrestling team on Sunday afternoon at the team's annual banquet. The coaches handed out yearend awards and honored the team's eight seniors at the Lake Watch Inn.

Matt Bogumil '05, “The Voice of Big Red Wrestling,” served as the master of ceremonies for the afternoon. Nine team awards were handed out and followed by speeches by seniors Maciej Jochym, Quin Leith, Frank Perrelli, Derek Schreiner, Simaz, Philip Smith and team manager Lexy Cook.

Dake and Simaz were given the Peter J. Floros Memorial Award as the Most Valuable Wrestlers after winning NCAA titles this season. Dake won his third-straight title in as many years and became the first wrestler in history to ever win NCAA titles at three different weight classes. The Big Red junior finished the season with a perfect 35-0 record at 157 pounds and notched his 100^th career victory in his NCAA finals win over Iowa's Derek St. John. Dake and Simaz tied for second on the team in pins with 12. Dake was unable to attend the banquet because he is wrestling with Team USA in Baku, Azerbaijan. His parents, Jodi and Doug Dake, accepted his awards.

Simaz also was awarded the Andy Noel “Leadership” award. The Big Red senior ranks second in the career books with 145-21 record. Simaz was 31-1 for the season with his only loss coming from a medical forfeit at the Body Bar Invitational. The four-time All-American went 5-0 at the NCAA tournament to top off his stellar career with a NCAA title at 197 pounds. Simaz tops the Cornell record books with 100 career bonus wins. At the EIWA tournament, Simaz became just the 11th wrestler in conference history to win a fourth EIWA title. Simaz earned the Fletcher Award, given to the wrestler that has scored the most points for his team at the tournament in his career. With two wins by fall and a major decision, Simaz was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Simaz finished his Ancient Eight career a perfect 20-0 and was named first-team All-Ivy for the fourth time.
He was also named Ivy League Wrestler of the Year for the second year in a row.

Steve Bosak earned the Most Falls Award and the James Meldrim '63 Memorial Award for outstanding character, sportsmanship, and contribution to Cornell Wrestling. Bosak wrapped up an impressive 2011-12 season by winning the NCAA title at 184 pounds. The Big Red captain entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed and notched four wins to advance to the finals where he met No. 6 Quentin Wright of Penn State. Bosak avenged his Southern Scuffle finals' loss to the 2011 NCAA champion with a 4-2 sudden victory decision to win the NCAA crown. Bosak is now a two-time All-American. With a 33-4 season record, Bosak totals a 106-27 mark for his career to rank 15^th in the Cornell record books. He opened the season on a 13 match win streak that saw him win titles at the Binghamton Open and Body Bar Invitational. At the Las Vegas Invitational, he placed second losing a 7-3 decision in the finals to the eventual No. 1 NCAA seed, Joe LeBlanc of Wyoming. Bosak also placed second at the Southern Scuffle. On Jan. 8, he edged out No. 1 Robert Hamlin of Lehigh in a dual, 2-1.

Senior Frank Perrelli earned the Eric LaFrance “Tough Guy” award. Perrelli wrapped up his Cornell career with a 33-7 record and a 110-41 overall mark. The Big Red senior finishes ranked 12^th in the record books for career wins with 110. Perrelli went 4-2 at the NCAA tournament to place fourth and earn All-America honors. Perrelli won his second-straight EIWA title to qualify for his second NCAA tournament. Perrelli opened his season by winning the Binghamton Open and followed with second place finishes at the Body Bar Invitational and Las Vegas Invitational. He also took third at the Southern Scuffle.
 
The Russ Martin Award for Outstanding Freshman was given to Marshall Peppelman and Chris Villalonga. Both wrestlers qualified for their first NCAA tournaments this season and were named second-team All-Ivy. Peppelman compiled a 28-17 overall record this season while wrestling at 165 and 174 pounds. He opened the season with a third place finish at the Binghamton Open and followed with a fifth place showing at the Body Bar Invitational the next weekend. Peppelman went 5-2 at the Southern Scuffle to take seventh, and he was second at the New York State tournament at 174 pounds. With a 4-2 mark, Peppelman placed fourth at the EIWA tournament to qualify for his first NCAA tournament. Villalonga opened the season at 141 pounds, but moved up to earn a starting spot at 149 pounds. He went 5-0 to win the title at the Cleveland Open and took fifth at the Southern Scuffle, where he notched three-straight major decisions. Villalonga highlighted a solid season by defeating No. 8 Corey Jantzen, 1-0 in the Big Red's dual against Harvard on Jan. 20. He went 5-1 at the EIWA tournament to earn a bid to his first NCAA tournament. Villalonga finished the season with a 24-12 record.

Mike Nevinger earned the Carl W.E. Alquist Award for Most Improved Wrestler. Nevinger compiled a 33-12 record on his way to a seventh place finish at the NCAA tournament to earn All-America honors. In his first year as a starter for the Big Red, Nevinger placed second at the EIWA tournament to automatically qualify for the NCAA tournament. In November, Nevinger helped the Big Red to defeat No. 3 Minnesota by upsetting No. 10 Nick Dardanes, 9-6. Nevinger opened the season with second place finishes at the Binghamton and Body Bar opens. He also took eighth at the Las Vegas Invitational and seventh at the Southern Scuffle.
 
Craig Eifert was awarded the Graham Morin Eleventh Man Award. Eifert was 18-9 for the season. He opened the season by taking first at the Binghamton Open at 149 pounds and followed with a fifth place finish at the Body Bar Invitational and eighth at the Southern Scuffle. Eifert wrestled at 149, 157 and 165 pounds in duals this season.

Senior Quin Leith received the Donald Dickason '53 Academic Award. Leith earned the award for the third year in a row. He is enrolled in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences where he is studying applied economics and management.

The Big Red finished fourth at the NCAA tournament with a school record 102.5 points and three NCAA champions. Cornell also tied its school best five All-Americans. The Big Red compiled an 11-1 dual record and was a perfect 5-0 in Ivy competition to earn its 10^th straight Ivy League title. Cornell earned its sixth-straight EIWA title.