2018-19 Wrestling Roster
Merkin, Leonard
Leonard Merkin
- Weight:
- 157
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Brooklyn, N.Y.
- High School:
- Poly Prep
Bio
At Princeton
2021-22
Competed in a dual against Penn, a 3-1 decision loss to Carmen Ferrante.
2020-21
Season canceled due to COVID-19
2019-20
Did not compete collegiately.
2018-19
Advanced to the semifinal of the EIWA Championships after a 9-7 upset of second-seeded and eventual NCAA qualifier Jon Viruet of Brown; placed sixth at EIWAs after earning the starting position late in the season … posted a 9-8 dual win over #3 Oklahoma State … won twice at both Midlands and the Tiger Open … earned a win over Penn ... had a 9-5 record overall.
2017-18
Posted biggest win of the season in dual at Brown, a 10-4 decision over NCAA qualifier Justin Staudenmayer … finished one win away from making the Junior Worlds team … mostly backed up Princeton NCAA qualifier Mike D'Angelo at 157, but started three duals and competed in five tournaments … won twice at Midlands … earned five wins at National Collegiate Open … won the Long Island Open ... had a 17-8 record overall.
2016-17
Represented Princeton at the EIWA Championships at 165 and scored the fastest fall of the weekend, a :10 win over Harvard's Kyle Bierdumpfel … earned the starting job at 165 during the middle of the season, though he wrestled 18 of his 25 matches at 157 during the year … first win at 165 was by 22-11 major decision over Harvard … six of his 12 wins during the season were by fall ... had a 12-13 record overall.
Before Princeton
Four-time New York prep states champion … placed in the top three at Prep Nationals twice, including runner-up finish in 2016 … twice placed third at Eastern States … placed sixth at 2016 Super 32 … 2014 Fargo Junior All American 2014 … co-founder of Smoothie Boys (fundraising operation) … Princeton Cup Award Winner.
Personal
Son of Steve and Merina Merkin … has an older sister Yelena … interested in finance and cooking … enjoys fishing, the guitar and Rubiks Cube ... graduated from Princeton's civil and environmental engineering program and is pursuing a graduate degree in that field at Princeton.
2021-22
Competed in a dual against Penn, a 3-1 decision loss to Carmen Ferrante.
2020-21
Season canceled due to COVID-19
2019-20
Did not compete collegiately.
2018-19
Advanced to the semifinal of the EIWA Championships after a 9-7 upset of second-seeded and eventual NCAA qualifier Jon Viruet of Brown; placed sixth at EIWAs after earning the starting position late in the season … posted a 9-8 dual win over #3 Oklahoma State … won twice at both Midlands and the Tiger Open … earned a win over Penn ... had a 9-5 record overall.
2017-18
Posted biggest win of the season in dual at Brown, a 10-4 decision over NCAA qualifier Justin Staudenmayer … finished one win away from making the Junior Worlds team … mostly backed up Princeton NCAA qualifier Mike D'Angelo at 157, but started three duals and competed in five tournaments … won twice at Midlands … earned five wins at National Collegiate Open … won the Long Island Open ... had a 17-8 record overall.
2016-17
Represented Princeton at the EIWA Championships at 165 and scored the fastest fall of the weekend, a :10 win over Harvard's Kyle Bierdumpfel … earned the starting job at 165 during the middle of the season, though he wrestled 18 of his 25 matches at 157 during the year … first win at 165 was by 22-11 major decision over Harvard … six of his 12 wins during the season were by fall ... had a 12-13 record overall.
Before Princeton
Four-time New York prep states champion … placed in the top three at Prep Nationals twice, including runner-up finish in 2016 … twice placed third at Eastern States … placed sixth at 2016 Super 32 … 2014 Fargo Junior All American 2014 … co-founder of Smoothie Boys (fundraising operation) … Princeton Cup Award Winner.
Personal
Son of Steve and Merina Merkin … has an older sister Yelena … interested in finance and cooking … enjoys fishing, the guitar and Rubiks Cube ... graduated from Princeton's civil and environmental engineering program and is pursuing a graduate degree in that field at Princeton.
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Highlights from 2022 Gary Walters ’67 PVC Awards Banquet
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Monday, June 06
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