Southern Maine Athletics

Daniel Del Gallo, Class of 2017, Wrestling

The first National Champion in the sport of wrestling in Huskies’ Athletics history, Del Gallo’s career academically and athletically is marked by rare achievements. Earning two degrees from the University of Southern Maine in 2017, in Philosophy and Sociology, Del Gallo also holds the distinction of being the first and only Husky student-athlete to earn the NCAA’s Elite 90 Award.  Given to the student-athlete competing at the national championship level with the highest grade point average, Del Gallo earned the prestigious Elite 90 honor in back-to-back years in 2015 and 2016. 
 
The all-time leader in wins for USM wrestling (137-19), Del Gallo earned a berth into the NCAA National Championship three times, qualifying at the Division III Northeast Regional Championship in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Serving as captain of his team during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, Del Gallo was respected by his peers and competitors. As a freshman, Del Gallo showed great promise earning New England Wrestling Association honorable mention and all-rookie team honors as well as earning the first of his four National Wrestling Coaches’ Association Scholar All-American citations.
 
As a sophomore, Del Gallo posted a record of 34-5 and claimed his first trip to the NCAA championship placing second the regional championship.  Repeating as an NWCA Scholar All-American, Del Gallo earned first team All-NEWA honors and picked up the first of his two Elite 90 awards. The following year, Del Gallo went 37-7, and earned a bevy of awards en route to reaching the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year, placing third at the regional championship.  Named the NCAA’s Elite 90 winner again, Del Gallo was also honored as a CoSIDA Academic All-American (second team) and a first team Academic All-District selection. Del Gallo was also named a first team Pilgrim League All-Star and All-New England Wrestling Association.
In his final season of competition, Del Gallo was ranked as high as no. 2 in the country in his weight division (149 lbs) and tore through his competition with a record of 45-1.  During his senior year, Del Gallo not only eclipsed the 100-win mark, but established the all-time wins record in program history.  Suffering his lone loss of the year at the NCAA Regional Championship, Del Gallo qualified for his third NCAA National Championship with a second place finish in the region.  At the national championship, Del Gallo rumbled his way through the competition to claim the title and become just the third All-American in program history.
 
Seeded fourth in the tournament, Del Gallo earned convincing wins over his first two opponents by major decision and fall to advance to the championship semifinal.  With a spot in the championship bout on the line, Del Gallo squared off against two-time defending national champion Kenny Martin of Wartburg and battled to a 7-5 decision to challenge for the title.  In the championship match, Del Gallo took on Aaron Engle of Cornell College.  After a scoreless first period, Del Gallo record a single-point in the second period with an escape, before going ahead of Engle 3-0 in the third with a takedown.  Engle earned a single point with an escape in the period, before Del Gallo defended his way to a 4-1 win with riding time for the title.