2023 -- H 6174
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
CONGRATULATING JOZIA H FRY OF JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY AND
NATHAN LACKMAN OF RH ODE ISLAND COLLEGE ON WINNING THE NCAA
DIVISION III WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Introduced By: Representatives Baginski, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Hull, Noret,
Chippendale, O'Brien, Kennedy, Edwards, and Ajello
Date Introduced: March 21, 2023
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, Joziah Fry, a native of Coventry, was a three-time Rhode Island High 1
School State Champion and a four-time finalist. As a freshman on the Johnson & Wales 2
University Wrestling Team, he has been one of the most dominant NCAA student-athletes in 3
recent years. He finished the regular season competition undefeated, and entered the Division III 4
NCAA Tournament as the favorite and the number one seed; and 5
WHEREAS, Mr. Fry began the Tournament in dominating fashion as he quickly pinned 6
his opponent in the opening round. His second-round match against Brady Koontz of Dubuque 7
was a struggle to the finish before Joziah prevailed by the score of 3 to 2; and 8
WHEREAS, In the semi-finals, Mr. Fry once again got off to a quick start as he 9
vanquished the fourth seed in a 21 to 3 tech-fall victory to set up a national title match against the 10
defending champion and number two seed, Jacob Decater, representing Baldwin-Wallace 11
University. In a very competitive, back-and-forth match, Joziah Fry used his tenacity, strength, 12
quickness and amazing skills to secure a 4 to 2 victory and the NCAA Division III National 13
Championship at the 125-pound weight; and 14
WHEREAS, Nathan Lackman from Wernersville, Pennsylvania, is a distinguished Rhode 15
Island College wrestler. He earned All-Region wresting honors as a freshman, was a National 16
Wrestling Association Coaches (NWCA) Scholar All-American as a sophomore, and was the 17
NCAA Division III Wrestling Champion at 157 pounds as a junior; and 18
WHEREAS, Nathan Lackman moved up in weight to the 165 pound weight class for his 19
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senior year and after a dominant season, he entered the NCAA Championship seeded first. In the 1
first three rounds of the tournament, Mr. Lackman easily dispatched his opponents, winning his 2
first-round match by the score of 8-0, his second round match by the score of 8-2, and beat fifth 3
seeded Nicolas Sacco in the semifinals by the score of 7-3; and 4
WHEREAS, In the Championship match Nathan Lackman faced his brother, Matt 5
Lackman, a junior from Alvernia University. In a thrilling back and forth match that went to 6
overtime, Nathan emerged victorious by the score of 3-1, to win the National Championship; 7
now, therefore be it 8
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 9
congratulates Joziah Fry of Johnson & Wales University and Nathan Lackman of Rhode Island 10
College on winning the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships. We wish them continued 11
success in all of their future endeavors, in athletics, in the classroom, and in life; and be it further 12
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 13
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Mr. Joziah Fry, and Mr. Nathan Lackman. 14
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