Wrestling Media Guide 15-16.Pub (Read-Only)
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2015-16 Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat Wrestling TABLE OF CONTENTS PITT-JOHNSTOWN PRIMARY MEDIA OUTLETS WJAC-TV 6 SPORTS TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT Jordan Conigliaro Shawn Curtis, Mike Mastovich 49 Old Hickory Lane 47 Locust Street Track the Mountain Cats Johnstown, Pa. 15905 Johnstown, Pa. 15901 (814) 255-7651 (814) 532-5080 Through Social Media Fax: (814) 255-7658 Fax: (814) 539-1409 all season… SOMERSET DAILY AMERICAN ALTOONA MIRROR 334 West Main Street P.O. Box 2008 Somerset, Pa. 15501 Altoona, Pa. 16603 (800) 452-0823 (800) 222-1962 Fax: (814) 445-2935 Fax: (814) 946-7540 WTAJ-TV 10 SPORTS PGH. POST-GAZETTE P.O. Box 10 50 Blvd. Of The Allies Altoona, Pa. 16603 Pittsburgh, Pa. 15222 (800) 762-6053 (412) 263-1621 On the Pitt-Johnstown Fax: (814) 946-4763 Fax: (412) 263-1926 Website at PGH. TRIBUNE-REVIEW INDIANA GAZETTE (888) 748-8742 (800) 262-3077 www.pittjohnstownathletics.com Fax: (412) 320-7964 Fax: (724) 465-8267 BEDFORD GAZETTE THE ADVOCATE 424 W. Penn Street 147 Student Union Bldg. P.O. Box 671 Johnstown, Pa. 15904 (814) 623-1151 (814) 269-7470 (814) 623-5055 On Facebook at facebook.com/pages/Pitt-Johnstown- Athletics ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Design and Layout Chris Caputo, Sports Information Director, Ashley Grego, Sports Information Intern Cover Design and Layout Ali Single Contributing Editors And on Twitter at Pat Pecora, Jody Strittmatter, Shane Valko, @MtnCatAthletics Photography Ali Single, Stephanie Blackstone, Tami Knopsnyder, Pitt-Johnstown User Services, The Advocate, The Tribune-Democrat, Harrisburg Patriot News Printing Interior: Pitt-Johnstown Print Shop 1 2015-16 Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat Wrestling 2015‐16 Season Preview The 2014-15 season may have been one of the most 133-lb. Weight Class challenging in Head Coach Pat Pecora’s nearly four decades Sophomore Jimmy Harrison (Whitaker, Pa./West at the helm of the Mountain Cat wrestling program. By the Mifflin Area HS) and Division I transfer and former time the Super Region I Tournament rolled around, the PIAA State Champion Troy Dolan are expected to be the Mountain Cats had lost five opening day starters and two other starters to begin the season. Harrison, an Honorable Mention replacements for the year due to various injuries. Despite the NWCA All-Academic Team selection, wrestled in open setbacks, Pitt-Johnstown still posted an impressive 12-2 overall tournaments and had a 2-2 record in dual meets. Dolan, who dual meet record and a 5-2 mark in the Pennsylvania State has been out of wrestling since posting a 28-6 overall record Athletic Conference (PSAC). Four more Mountain Cats at the University of Missouri in 2008-09, was a three-time advanced to the 2015 National Tournament, and John PIAA AA State Champion from Derry Area High School. Blankenship (New Florence, Pa./United HS) became an All- However, a battle for the starting job could take place after American to keep the Pitt-Johnstown tradition of having at least the first semester with Nick Roberts entering the picture. one All-American for the last 37 seasons. Roberts will join the Mountain Cats after placing sixth at As a new year approaches, Coach Pecora, who enters his the Big Ten Tournament for Ohio State University. Roberts 40th season, returns a wealth of talent and must replace just one is also a three-time Pennsylvania AA State Champion. All-American in Zac Bennett (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Former PIAA State Qualifier Joe Davis (Patton, Pa./Cambria Hilltop HS) (197 lbs.), one of the seven wrestlers lost to Heights HS) and regional place-winner John Lobeck injury last year. (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic HS) will make their Pitt-Johnstown returns a line-up that features wrestlers who collegiate debuts after red-shirting in 2014-15. Freshmen in have been starters for several years or have starting experience this weight class include: two-time PIAA AA State Place- in every weight class. Blankenship, who placed sixth at last winner Austin McDermitt (Burgettstown, Pa./Burgettstown year’s National Tournament in St. Louis, returns for his junior HS), Jess Wetzel (Ashland, Pa./North Schuylkill HS) and season at 174 lbs., while National Qualifiers Evan Link Nolan Link if he does not wrestle at 125 lbs. (Cresson, Pa./Penn Cambria HS) (125 lbs.), Sam Hanau (Pittsburgh, Pa./Lakeshore (MI) HS) (141 lbs.), Tyler Reinhart (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg-Salem HS) (165 141-lb. Weight Class lbs.), and D.J. Sims (Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa HS) (285 lbs.) Two-time National Qualifier Sam Hanau returns for his are also back in 2015-16. In addition, three-time All-American senior year and one more shot at becoming an All-American. Travis McKillop (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell HS) and two- Hanau, who transferred to Pitt-Johnstown from Division I time National Qualifier Josh Duplin (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Central Michigan University prior to the 2013-14 season, Hilltop HS) return after red-shirting a year ago. Along with finished with a team-best 25-5 overall record and a perfect this talent, Coach Pecora added Division I transfers and former 12-0 dual meet record. He placed third at the PSAC PIAA State champions Troy Dolan (Wexford, Pa./Derry Area Championships to earn All-PSAC honors and qualified for HS) (133 lbs.), Nick Roberts (Friedens, Pa./North Star HS) his second straight National tournament by placing third at (133 lbs.), and Travis Shaffer (149 lbs.) (Derry, Pa./Derry the Super Region I tournament. Malachi Krenzelak Area HS) to the roster. (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan HS) looks to get back on the mat after sitting out the 2014-15 season. As a true The following is a tentative weight-by-weight freshman in 2013-14, Krenzelak was 6-5 overall and 1-1 in synopsis of the 2015-16 Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat dual meets. Corey Bush (Ridgway, Pa./Ridgway HS), who wrestling team. transferred from the University of Pittsburgh and started in the second semester last year at 133 lbs., will red-shirt this 125-lb. Weight Class year. Four-year starter and 2013 National Qualifier Evan Link returns to the Mountain Cat line-up for one more season. Link, 20-7 overall and 12-2 in dual meets last year, earned a spot on 149-lb. Weight Class the All-PSAC Team after placing third at the conference 2013 National Qualifier and 2014-15 starter Cole tournament. Link also finished fifth at the Super Region I Landowski (New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Area HS) is Tournament. He tied for the team lead in major decisions with expected to red-shirt this season. That opens the door for six and in falls with five. Freshmen in the weight class include: Travis Shaffer to wrestle one final season after Evan’s brother and PIAA AA State eighth-place finisher Nolan transferring to Pitt-Johnstown after wrestling three years at Link (Cresson, Pa./Penn Cambria HS), PIAA AA State the University of Pittsburgh, where he posted a 33-33 overall Qualifier Zeke Beatty (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands HS), record. Prior to that, Shaffer was a PIAA State Champion AAA Regional place-winner Kevin Miller (North Huntingdon, and a four-time state place-winner. Also looking to get mat- Pa./Norwin HS), and Kevin Stalter (White Oak, Pa./ time will be senior Craig Dawson (Penn Hills, Pa./Penn Hills McKeesport HS). HS), who wrestled at last year’s Super Region I 2 2015-16 Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat Wrestling 2015‐16 Season Preview 149-lb. Weight Class (Continued) 184-lb. Weight Class Tournament for the Mountain Cats. A freshman in this weight Senior, three-time All-American Travis McKillop class is 2015 PIAA AAA State Qualifier Noah Burkhart (Erie, (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell HS) comes off of a red-shirt Pa./McDowell HS). season looking to become Pitt-Johnstown’s 11th individual National Champion. McKillop is 82-14 in his Pitt- Johnstown career with a National Runner-up finish in 2014, 157-lb. Weight Class a third-place finish in 2013 and a seventh-place finish in Junior Luke Palamides (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township 2012. McKillop, one of Division II’s most dominant HS), sophomore Boe Bonzo (Rochester, Pa./Freedom HS), wrestlers, tied Dan Revesz’s school record of 13 falls in and red-shirt freshman Corey Falleroni (Lower Burrell, Pa./ 2013-14. Sophomore Brandon Naveiro (Wernersville, Pa./ Burrell HS) will compete for the starting spot at 157 lbs., Conrad Weiser HS) is the back-up at 184 lbs. after being while last year’s starter Steve Edwards (Lower Burrell, Pa./ forced into action last year as a true freshman due to Burrell HS) will red-shirt. After wrestling at 133 lbs. two injuries. Freshmen in this weight class include: Section seasons ago and sitting out the 2014-15 season, Palamides will Runner-up Mike Geyer (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland HS), move to 157 lbs. As a true freshman, Palamides was 14-12 Mitch Fitzgerald (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township HS). overall and wrestled at the Super Region I Tournament, while Bonzo, an Honorable Mention NWCA All-Academic Team selection, competed in open tournaments and wrestled in five 197-lb. Weight Class dual meets for Pitt-Johnstown last season. Falleroni red-shirted The starting job at 197 lbs. is up for grabs among as a true freshman a year ago after winning a PIAA State title at sophomore Forest Tuttle (Coudersport, Pa./Coudersport 152 lbs. in 2014. Freshmen in this weight class include: three- HS), who took over the starting job due to injuries time District Place-winner Tevin Mostoller (Stoystown, Pa./ midway through last season. Red-shirt freshman and PIAA North Star HS) and Devin Austin (Irwin, Pa./Penn Trafford AAA State Place-winner Zac Croyle (Kittanning, Pa./ HS).