James Bethel became the first and only four-time All-American in SUNY Oneonta history.

He finished fourth at the NCAA Division III tournament as a freshman in 2015, finishing with a 39-6 record, including a 29-match win streak, and a school record 23 pins. He also became the first and only wrestler in school history to be Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference Rookie of the Year while also earning all-state honors.

After sitting out the 2015-16 season following offseason shoulder surgery, Bethel returned to the mat and won his second NCAA Regional title and finished fifth at the NCAA tournament. He had a 44-4 record, including a perfect 17-0 record in dual meets, and recorded 19 pins.

In his junior season, Bethel won the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference and his third NCAA Regional title. He returned to the NCAA tournament as the No. 2 seed and finished runner-up, losing 10-5 in the finals after leading 5-4.

After winning the only New York State championship in school history, Bethel went on to capture his fourth NCAA Regional title and also be named Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. The No. 1 seed at the NCAA tournament, he was upset in the second round, but won three matches on the final day to finish third. He had a 50-2 record with a school record 30 pins as a senior to finish his career with 167 wins and more than half coming by fall. Bethel was awarded the NCAA Division III Most Dominant Wrestler award and was named Co-Wrestler of the Year by the ECWC.

Bethel was a three-time National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American and was also named to the ECWC All-Academic Team three times. He also received the SUNY Chancellor Award for Student Excellence, the highest honor a SUNY student can receive.