2019-2020 Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat Wrestling
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2019-2020 PITT-JOHNSTOWN MOUNTAIN CAT WRESTLING MEDIA OUTLETS PITT-JOHNSTOWN PRIMARY MEDIA OUTLETS WJAC-TV 6 SPORTS TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT Track the Mountain Cats Ryan Stanko, Josh Kurelac Shawn Curtis, Mike Mastovich 49 Old Hickory Lane 47 Locust Street Through Social Media Johnstown, Pa. 15905 Johnstown, Pa. 15901 (814) 255-7651 (814) 532-5080 all season… Fax: (814) 255-7658 Fax: (814) 539-1409 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 www.pittjohnstownathletics.com (888) 748-8742 (800) 262-3077 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- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Athletics Design and Layout Chris Caputo, Sports Information Director Cover Design and Layout Ali Single Contributing Editors Pat Pecora Photography Ali Single, Stephanie Blackstone, Tami Knopsnyder, Pitt-Johnstown User Services, The Advocate, The Tribune-Democrat, Harrisburg Patriot News on Twitter and Instagram at @MtnCatAthletics Printing Interior: Pitt-Johnstown Print Shop 1 2019-2020 PITT-JOHNSTOWN MOUNTAIN CAT WRESTLING 2019-2020 SEASON PREVIEW The 2019-20 season has the makings of a special one 133-lb. Weight Class for 44th-year Head Coach Pat Pecora and his Pitt- After winning a NCAA Division II National Johnstown wrestling team. Coach Pecora, whose 597 Championship at Wheeling Jesuit last season, Tyler career victories are 19 shy of tying former Oregon State Warner transferred to Pitt-Johnstown for his junior University coach Dale Thomas for the most all-time wins season in 2019-20 and is the preseason No.1-ranked in all divisions, welcomes back six All-Americans, wrestler at 133 lbs. Warner dealt Nebraska-Kearney’s including two-time NCAA Division II National Champion Wesley Dawkins a 4-1 loss in last season NCAA title Chris Eddins (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem HS), bout at 133 lbs. He finished his sophomore season at and 2019 National Champions Tyler Warner (Dennison, 25-1. Pushing Warner for the starting job at 133 lbs. is OH/Claymont HS) and Connor Craig (Cincinnati, OH/ Matt Siszka, a two-year starter for the Mountain Cats. Elder HS), who transferred to Pitt-Johnstown from Siszka earned All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Wheeling Jesuit (WV) University. Conference (PSAC) performer after placing second at The Mountain Cats, who earned the 2019-20 National last year’s tournament, also finished fourth at the 2019 Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Preseason No. 1 NCAA Super Region I Tournament. Two-time PIAA ranking, also return two-time All-American Devin Austin AA State Qualifier Al Miscovich (Greensburg, Pa./ (Irwin, Pa./Penn Trafford HS), and All-Americans Mount Pleasant HS) and 2016 PIAA AA State Brendan Howard (125 lbs.) (Uniontown, Pa./Jefferson Qualifier Tyler Tinsman (Strongstown, Pa./Marion Morgan HS) and Brock Biddle (174/184 lbs.) Center HS) will make their collegiate debuts after red- (Martinsburg, Pa./Central Martinsburg HS). shirting last year. Freshmen in this weight class In addition, Coach Pecora welcomes back Matt include: 2019 PIAA AAA State fourth-place finisher Siszka (Leechburg, Pa./Kiski HS) at 133 lbs., Alex Delp Kenny Hayman (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan (New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Area HS) at 184/197 lbs., HS), and PIAA AA State Qualifier Byron Daubert and Allan Beattie (New Kensington, Pa./Burrell HS), (Summerhill, Pa./Forest Hills HS). and Tyler Oliver (New Florence, Pa./United HS) both at 285 lbs., who all have starting experience. 141-lb. Weight Class Pitt-Johnstown has a ton of talent back in its starting With the loss of All-American Joey Alessandro in line-up, but the Mountain Cats must replace All-American this weight class, Coach Pecora must find a new starter Joey Alessandro (141 lbs.) (Irwin, Pa./Hempfield Area in 2019-20. Red-shirt freshmen Charlie Beatty HS), three-time NCAA National Qualifier Levi Niebauer (Marion Center, Pa./Marion Center HS) and (Carrolltown, Pa./Cambria Heights HS), two-time Miscovich, if he doesn’t wrestle at 133 lbs., will National Qualifier Corey Falleroni (Lower Burrell, Pa./ compete to be the new starter. Beatty was a former Burrell HS), and 2018 National Qualifier Steve Edwards PIAA AA fourth-place state finisher, while is a former (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell HS), who were all lost to Pennsylvania State Qualifier. In addition, two-time graduation. PIAA AA State place-winner and 2019 PIAA AA State Champion Jacob Ealy (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell HS) The following is a tentative weight-by-weight could also be in the starting mix at 141 lbs. if he does synopsis of the 2019-20 Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat not take a red-shirt. wrestling team. 149-lb. Weight Class 125-lb. Weight Class Two-time NCAA National Champion and top- Brendan Howard, ranked seventh nationally, enters ranked Chris Eddins has the starting spot at 149 lbs. his senior season as a returning All-American after placing locked down entering his senior season. Eddins won eighth at last year’s NCAA National Championships. the 2018 title at 141 lbs., then moved to 149 lbs. last Howard, who transferred to Pitt-Johnstown from Division year and made it back-to-back National Championships I Clarion University for the 2017-18 season, was 24-8 with a perfect 24-0 record. The Super Region I overall and 16-3 in dual meets in 2018-19. He won the Wrestler of the Year also claimed his second Regional Super Region I championship and tied for second on the title and ranked second in the NCAA’s Most Dominant team with 24 wins. Freshmen in this weight class include Wrestler category. Freshmen in this weight class Pennsylvania AAA State Qualifiers Marino Angelicchio include: 2019 Pennsylvania AAA Regional Qualifier (Greensburg, Pa./Greater Latrobe HS) and Cole Grove Dajauhn Hertzog (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg HS), and Maryland Salem HS) and PIAA AAA State Qualifier Joe Mwete Regional Runner-up DeSean Hunter (Baltimore, MD/ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brashear HS). Lansdowne HS). 2 2019-2020 PITT-JOHNSTOWN MOUNTAIN CAT WRESTLING 2019-2020 SEASON PREVIEW 157-lb. Weight Class 174-lb. Weight Class (Cont’d.) Similar to the 141-lb. weight class, Coach Pecora will after red-shirting as a freshman in 2018-19. A be looking for a new starter to replace two-time National freshman in this weight class is 2019 PIAA AAA Qualifier Corey Falleroni. Junior Jacob Smith (Irwin, seventh-place finisher Dillon Keane (McKean, Pa./ Pa./Penn Trafford HS), along with red-shirt freshman Bradford HS). Mike Capozzoli (Newport, Pa./Newport HS), a former PIAA AA State Qualifier, and fellow red-shirt freshman 184-lb. Weight Class and former Pennsylvania Regional Qualifier Nate Smith With Biddle moving down a weight class., 2019 (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) are expected to all NCAA National Champion and NCAA third-ranked compete for the starting job. Another red-shirt freshman Connor Craig (Cincinnati, OH/Elder HS) jumps and PIAA AAA fifth-place finisher, Jacob Burgette from 174 lbs. into the starting spot at 184 lbs. after (Scranton, Pa./Scranton HS), will also compete to start transferring from Wheeling Jesuit (WV) University. in this weight class if he does not wrestle at 165 lbs. Craig was 28-1 last season and defeated MeKendree Freshmen in this weight class include PIAA AA State (IL) University’s Nick Foster, in the NCAA finals at Qualifiers Chase Proudfit (Lilly, Pa./Penn Cambria 174 lbs. Juniors Nate Claar (Tyrone, Pa./Bellwood- HS) and Alex Weber (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Antis HS) and Brodie Englert (York Haven, Pa./Red Jefferson HS) and Pennsylvania AAA Regional Land HS) and sophomores Bryce Biddle Qualifiers Brock Moore (Johnstown, Pa/Greater (Martinsburg, Pa./Central Martinsburg HS) and Johnstown HS) and Sage Parsley (Greensburg, Pa./ Emorson Wentz (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff HS) Greensburg Salem HS). will look to backup Craig. 2018 PIAA AA State Place- winner Andrew Todaro (Mount Union, Pa./Mount 165-lb. Weight Class Union HS) will make his Pitt-Johnstown debut after Three-time NCAA National Qualifier and two-time red-shirting last year. A freshman in this weight class All-American Devin Austin returns for his senior season is PIAA AAA sixth-place finisher Ty McGeary at 165 lbs. Austin, a four-year starter for the Mountain (McDonald, Pa./West Allegheny HS). Cats and the No. 2-ranked wrestler at 165 lbs., placed seventh at the 2018 NCAA Championships, then took the 197-lb. Weight Class next step in his wrestling career and advanced to the 2019 With starting experience in several weight classes, National Semifinals before placing third. Junior Gage junior Alex Delp (New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Area Thomas (Glenville, Pa./Southwestern HS) proved to be HS) is expected to take over the full time starting a solid back-up who provided spots starts at both 157 lbs. duties at 197 lbs. Delp, a transfer from the University and 165 lbs. Thomas role will remain the same this year of Pittsburgh three seasons ago, was 9-3 overall and 7- after recording seven victories, including four dual meet 2 in dual meets wrestling at both 184 and 197 lbs. in wins for Pitt-Johnstown in 2018-19. Sophomore Logan 2018-19. Also back is senior Mike Geyer (Gibsonia, Witwicki (Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton, HS) will also look Pa./Pine-Richland HS).