Courtesy of gohofstra.com

Hempstead, NY – 2012 NCAA All-American Justin Accordino‘s Hofstra wrestling career has come to an end due to knee injuries, Pride Head Wrestling Coach Rob Anspach announced Thursday.

Accordino, Photo by BV

Accordino, who had been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the National Collegiate Athletic Association last June, did not get to wrestle in any competitions this season and reinjured his knee last fall. He will have his third knee surgery since 2009 this week. He ends his career with a 76-42 overall record including a 27-10 mark in dual matches and a 10-2 record in the Colonial Athletic Association.

A native of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Accordino placed sixth at 149 pounds to earn his first All-American honor at the 2012 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis last March. It was the second NCAA Championship appearance of his Hofstra career.

Accordino, who posted a career-best 26-14 record in 2011-12 including a 12-3 mark in duals and a 5-1 slate in the Colonial Athletic Association, placed second in the CAA last season after bouncing back from season-ending knee injuries the previous two seasons. He was granted medical hardship waivers for both the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.

After red-shirting as a true freshman in 2007-08, Accordino tallied a 25-13 record, was ranked as high as 16th, and placed third at 141 pounds in the CAA to earn his first bid to the NCAA Championships in 2008-09. He was 2-2 and advanced to the fifth round of the wrestlebacks at the national championships in St. Louis.

In 2009-10, Accordino was 3-1 in the second competition of the year at the North Carolina State Open when he suffered a season-ending knee injury. He underwent surgery and returned for the 2010-11 season. Accordino posted a 9-6 mark before suffering a second knee injury at the Southern Scuffle. In 2011-12, he opened the year 7-7 before winning 19 of the next 26 matches after the new year for a 26-14 record.

Accordino, who earned his bachelor’s degree in fine arts last May, is working toward a master’s degree in fine arts education.