ICYMI: @BigRedWrestling sophomore Ben Darmstadt will miss the 2018-19 season.https://t.co/VUbIhCMVJB
— Cornell Daily Sun Sports (@DailySunSports) September 25, 2018
Sophomore Ben Darmstadt, a breakout freshman All-American for Cornell wrestling last year, has suffered a pars fracture on his spine and will be out of commission for the 2018-19 season, according to Darmstadt and head coach Rob Koll.
Darmstadt told The Sun he fractured his L5 vertebrae during the course of the season last year and the recovery has not been fast enough to get him ready for the upcoming season.
"I wrestled with it. I didn't know I had the fracture until after nationals," said Darmstadt, who, finished sixth in his first go-around at NCAAs last season at 197. "I tried to take off some time this summer but I'm not ready to compete yet, for sure. So I've just got to let it heal."