Ryan Crookham, 133lbs of Lehigh University, has been named the EIWA "Freshman of the Year" following his 3rd place finish at the 2024 NCAA Championships.

Crookham finished the season with a 23-1 record, with his sole loss coming to 2x NCAA Champion Vito Arujau in the semi-finals of the NCAA Championships. Crookham posted two victories over Arujau durning the season, one of them at the 2024 EIWA Championships where Crookham became a rare champion in his freshman season.

With both NCAA finalists at 133lb graduating, it is probable that Crookham will start the 2024-25 NCAA wrestling season as the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the nation.

His high school accomplishments include: Three-time Pennsylvania AA state champion with 116-3 career record and 51 falls… three-time region and district champion… 2022 District XI Scholar-Athlete of the Year… 2022 Lehigh Valley Live Wrestler of the Year…  ranked 20th in the Class of 2022 by InterMat and 11th by FloWrestling… Beast of the East Champ… first-ever eighth grader to win the Super 32 high school division… Ironman runner-up… Fargo All-American… nominee for USA Today Wrestler of the Year.
 
Personal: Son of Ryan and Michele Crookham… siblings Hunter, Kamryn and Grace… father wrestled at Bloomsburg and Trenton State.