RallyNorth.net

Malo will wrestle for Williams next year

Tuesday, May, 20 By Jean DePlacido
Staff writer

High school All-American Ryan Malo will head to Williams College in the fall to join two former St. John's Prep teammates on the Ephs.

Last spring he received a full scholarship to Boston University, but it wasn't the right fit for the Georgetown resident, who left after first semester ended and took classes at Northern Essex Community College.

Malo, the sectional, state, and New England champion in his senior year at St. John's, went 58-0 with 54 pins and was highly recruited out of high school. He finished in the top eight at the High School Senior Nationals in Virginia Beach, Va. | the first Eagle grappler to ever place at that event and was ranked 10th in the 189-pound weight class on the web site InterMat Wrestle in the final high school rankings.

"I always loved Williams," said Malo, who will complete the upper weight class Prep trio with Kyle Ayer in the 197 pound class and Tim Kiely in the heavyweight division. "Kyle signed on to Williams my sophomore year in high school and I visited him the end of that year and again in my junior year. I really loved the school and the area, but when my college decision time came I wanted to give Division 1 a try. Financially,  the opportunity was too big to pass up.

"That whole recruiting time was an experience you never can prepare for until it happens, and it is a crazy atmosphere. I'm a country boy at heart. I live in a small town and went to an all boys school. St. John's is big, but it is a close knit group. I was never looking for the big city atmosphere. I'm happier driving around Georgetown or hanging out at my house."

It didn't take long for Malo to realize BU was not where he wanted to spend the next four years. It just wasn't right for him.

"I wanted to give it some time, but within the first weeks I knew I wasn't going to be happy there," said Malo, who will wrestle in the 184-pound class for the Ephs.

"I can't say anything bad about my coaches at BU | they always looked out for me," said Malo, who is busy working at Ferncroft Country Club and coaching at Doughboy Wrestling club. "I will enter (Williams) as a sophomore and I am going to major in political economy. After I left BU I had no idea what my options were, and I knew Williams only took four or five transfers each year, but the guy that got the ball rolling was Kiely. He talked to coach (Dan) DiCenzo, who did a ton of work helping with my application.

"It's really exciting to be part of the team. Kyle, Tim, and I all wrestled together at St. John's, worked out and lifted during the summer. They are not only teammates, but great friends. When I went out last winter to visit them I met the rest of the guys on the team. They were a young team this year and still did very well."

Malo had been told everything would work out at Williams, but he did not receive the official acceptance letter until Thursday.

"I was taking a nap when the mail came, and my mom told me there was a letter from Williams. I jumped up and opened it," said Malo, who had an illustrious career for the Eagles with a 148-27 mark with 107 pins. "They are taking care of me financially. I think too many kids focus on the numbers with the whole Division 1 package and don't think about the entire situation. I am going to a top academic school and also a very strong athletic NESCAC program. My family is all on the North Shore and can drive to see my matches. I couldn't be happier."