Div I Conference Previews

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These are the SoCon and EWL previews with Tennessee wrestlers mentioned. I will post more conference previews that mention our guys as they are available.

UT-Chattanooga looks to repeat with Brands at the helm

 

The head coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga has changed but one thing hasn't - the Mocs will once again be the team to beat in the Southern Conference.

Former University of Iowa National Champion and Olympic bronze medal winner Terry Brands takes over a program that has won 19 Southern Conference titles and four in the past five years. He and assistant Coach Lee Fullhart, also a former Iowa NCAA champion, will look to not only continue the team's league success, but also bring it into the national spotlight.

With all five 2002 NCAA qualifiers back on the squad, it will be tough for any of the other five teams in the conference to knock the Mocs off the top. Sophomore Matt Pitts at 125, junior Jared Sullivan at 141, junior and sophomore Austin David at 197 won SoCon titles Quantel Langford at 174 last season and earned automatic berths into the NCAAs. Senior Craig Johnson at 165 was a runner-up in the league tourney and earned one of the three wildcard berths.

Pitts was named the league's Freshman of the Year last season as in on InterMat's others to watch list at 125 to start the season. Junior Quentin Bell, third in the conference last season at 157, will also be a solid part of the lineup.

The Mocs not only won the conference tournament title last season; they also went a perfect 5-0 in league duals, finishing with a 5-0 mark and a 7-8 overall record.

VMI was right behind Tennessee-Chattanooga in both races. After losing a close dual meet to the Mocs, VMI finished just two points behind them in the SoCon Championships with two conference champions of their own and three NCAA qualifiers.

Like the Mocs, VMI also returns all of their NCAA Tournament wrestlers and will be the toughest test for T-C again this season.

VMI will be led by SoCon champions Adam Britt at 157 and Matt Erwin at 174. Britt, a two-time NCAA qualifier and repeat SoCon champion, is ranked 10th at 157 to begin the season. He set a school record for wins in a season with 40 last year, against just eight losses. Erwin, also a senior, starts the season ranked 7th at 174. He qualified for the NCAA Tournament his first two seasons before redshirting and made it back to the big dance last March for the third time in his career. He had a 33-9 junior season.

Others to watch for the Keydets are junior Jason Cox (18-17, 2nd at SoCon Tournament at 184), sophomore Mike Parsons (29-8, 2nd at SoCon Tournament at 149) and junior David Walker (17-20, 3rd at SoCon Tournament at 197).

The Citadel took third in the league last year, but lost their only NCAA qualifier. Three returning Bulldogs placed second in the league tourney last season, but did not receive wildcard berths.

Leading the Bulldogs this season are SoCon runners-up sophomore Sean Markey at 133, junior Jordan Everett at 197 and sophomore heavyweight Billy Linane. Also back to the squad is 2002 SoCon fourth-place finisher Mike Martinez at 141.

For The Citadel to compete for an upper division finish again this season, several new faces will have to step into the lineup and make an impact.

Appalachian State may not have the power up and down the lineup to compete with Tennessee-Chattanooga and VMI for the title, but the Mountaineers do boast some of the best individual talent in the league.

Senior Travis Drake has been tabbed the SoCon Wrestler of the Year the past two seasons and finished last year with a 35-6 record after winning the conference title at 133 and gaining at NCAA Tournament berth. He begins the season ranked 15th in the nation at 133.

Mark Fee is ranked fourth in the nation at 174 and for good reason. The senior grappler repeated as SoCon champion at 165 last season and was one of the surprises at the NCAA Tournament with a fifth-place finish, to become Coach Paul Mance's second all-American in 26 years. He led the team in pins with 14 and finished the campaign with a 30-10 mark.

Back after an injury-plagued season is senior Richard Caisse at 125. Caisse finished third in the SoCon Championships last season and missed out on a trip to the NCAAs. He and Drake will offer a tough one-two punch at the lower two weights.

UNC-Greensboro and Davidson filled up the bottom two spots in the SoCon last season and probably will do again this year. Both are dealing with numbers issues, as both only field 13-man rosters at this time.

UNC-Greensboro finished with a 3-7 mark last season and went 2-4 in league duals. The team's lone SoCon champion and NCAA qualifier, heavyweight Greg Forbes, was lost to graduation.

Davidson returns four starters from last year's squad that went 0-15 overall and 0-5 in the conference.

Grant Doornbos finished 5-13 at 149, Adam Sperling was 5-10 at 157, Brandon Zeigler went 7-8 at 197 and Mo Idilbi at 165 finished 1-14.

Head Coach T.J. Jaworsky, a three-time National Champion at North Carolina, brought in a solid recruiting class of nine members and continues to work to turn the program around.

Top All-American Hopefuls:

Tennessee-Chattanooga - Matt Pitts, 125; Jared Sullivan, 141.

VMI - Adam Britt, 157; Matt Erwin, 174.

Appalachian State -Travis Drake, 133; Mark Fee, 174.

Other Top Wrestlers:

Tennessee-Chattanooga - Quentin Bell, 149/157; Craig Johnson, 165; Quantel Langford, 174; Austin David, 197.

VMI - Mike Parsons, 149; Jason Cox, 184; David Walker, 197.

The Citadel - Sean Markey, 133; Jordan Everett, 197; Billy Linane, 285.

Appalachian State - Rich Caisse, 125;

 

West Virginia looks to rule the EWL again

 

The Eastern Wrestling league was owned by West Virginia last season and it appears the Mountaineers are more than prepared to defend that title. In fact, this team should be able to do some considerable damage at the NCAA Championships after finishing 13th there last March.

 

Led by returning National Champion Greg Jones at 174, the defending league champions (12-2 overall, 7-0 in the EWL) are loaded at just about every weight. Jones had a very impressive run to his NCAA title last March and finished with a 34-2 record. Impressive for anyone - let alone a freshman. The sophomore grappler enters the season as the top-ranked man at 174.

 

But this is far from a one-man team for Coach Craig Turnbull.

 

Beginning with junior Casey Brewster at 125, a transfer from EWL rival Edinboro, the Mountaineers have someone every weight class with NCAA qualifying hopes, if not all-American possibilities.

 

18th-ranked sophomore Brandon Lauer gets the nod at 133, while fourth-ranked senior Shane Cunanan, a three-time NCAA qualifier, fills the 141-pound spot. Senior Billy Smith, a two-time participant in the NCAAs, starts the season ranked 12th at 149. Senior Tom McMath, who went 33-4 and qualified for the NCAA Championships last season, is ranked 11th in the preseason at 165. Freshman Matt Lebe is penciled in as the starter at 157.

 

And just when you think you may get a break in the lineup after 165, all you find is the top-ranked Jones at 174. Following him will be sophomore Ryan Wilman or freshman Mike Massenzio at 184 and two-time NCAA qualifier Adrian Thompson, a transfer from Howard, at 197. Sophomore Brent Miller, ranked seventh at 197, will move up to heavyweight for the Mountaineers after qualifying for the NCAAs at 197 last season.

 

Edinboro finished second in the EWL last season and returns several NCAA-experienced individuals who hope to help Fighting Scots improve on solid 10-4 overall and 5-2 EWL dual marks from last season. The squad finished off the year with a 14th-place finish at the NCAAs.

 

Gone is Josh Koscheck, the second NCAA Champion in school history. That means the returning starters and new faces in the lineup will have to work that much harder to keep up with West Virginia.

 

Cory Ace, ranked seventh in the preseason poll at 133, moves up to 141 this winter, after posting a 21-12 record last season and finishing eighth in the NCAAs at 133. Senior David Shunamon starts the season ranked 20th at 197 after a 27-10 record last season. He is a two-time NCAA qualifier and was an All-American in 2001, placing sixth. He is a two-time EWL runner-up. Matt R. King is ranked 13th in the preseason poll at 165 and went 23-6 in his NCAA qualifying sophomore season. Jacob Gray returns to the lineup at 125 after redshirting last season due to injuries. He was an NCAA qualifier in 2001. The other Fighting Scots with NCAA experience are sophomores Shawn Bunch at 133 and Ryan Yates at 157. Bunch won the 125-pound EWL championship and finished 22-6 as a freshman. He went 3-2 at Nationals, with both losses coming in sudden victory. Yates was an EWL runner-up last season and also got a taste of the NCAA Championships in his freshman season.

 

Lock Haven was a third-place finisher in the league last season and tied for 19th in the NCAA Tournament. The team lost EWL champion and All-American JaMarr Billman at 149, but does return a very tough and experienced middle part of the lineup.

 

First-year Head Coach Rocky Bonomo will look to Mike Maney, Jason Gilligan, Charlie Brenneman and Ed Pawlak to lead the team.

 

Maney finished eighth in last season's NCAA Championships at 141 and starts his junior season ranked second. The other three mentioned are also juniors and help give Lock Haven a very strong middle part of the lineup. The team needs to find some new faces to step in at the lower and upper weights to help solidify the lineup.

 

Pittsburgh finished last season 12-6 overall and 4-3 in the EWL and took home fourth-place honors in the EWL Tournament. Of the team's six 2002 NCAA qualifiers, only two are back for this season. One of those lost, EWL runner-up Jacob Lininger, transferred to Minnesota.

 

Carl Fronhofer and Justin Giovinco are back for the Panthers. Fronhofer was a three-time NCAA qualifier at 165 and makes the jump to 174 for his senior season. Giovinco, also a senior, qualified for the NCAAs last season and begins the year ranked 15th at 149.

 

Other Panthers who will make an impact in the EWL this season are James Thornton at 125, Mike May at 133, Ron Tarquinio at 141 and Justin Nestor at 157.

 

Clarion finished fifth in the league last season and could be ready to leapfrog over some teams this year. All four NCAA qualifiers from last year's team return and a 2001 NCAA qualifier rejoins the team after taking a redshirt last year.

 

The big men will lead Clarion's hopes for an EWL title and top 15 NCAA finish. Senior John Testa is ranked seventh at heavyweight and senior Eric Mausser is the ninth-ranked 197-pounder in the preseason. Senior Rad Martinez at 133 qualified for the NCAAs last season, as did junior 157-pounder Jeremy Reitz. Sophomore Frank Edgar returns to the lineup at 141 after qualifying for the NCAAs as a freshman in 2001 and redshirting last season.

 

Cleveland State returns four NCAA qualifiers and looks to finish in the upper division of the EWL after a sixth-place league finish last year.

 

Seniors Rocco and Phil Mansueto give the Vikings a strong start to the lineup at 125 and 133, respectively. Phil begins the season ranked 10th at 133. Senior Gerald Harris is the 10th-ranked 184-pounder to begin the year and Russ Davie, a junior heavyweight, is ranked 16th. Another Viking to be on the lookout for is junior Stipe Miocic at 197.

 

Virginia Tech finished seventh in the EWL last season and was 5-10 overall and 1-7 in EWL duals. The Hokies may be the most improved team in the league, but it will take some doing for them to finish in the upper division of this very tough league.

 

Nine starters are back for Virginia Tech and a solid incoming class will make for some interesting battles in the room for roster spots. The top Hokie is senior Scott Justus at 184. He is ranked eighth to start the season. Justus went through the regular season undefeated last season, but was upset as the No. 1 seed in the first round of the NCAAs and did not place. Another returning NCAA qualifier for the Hokies is 19th-ranked sophomore David Hoffman at 133. Three newcomers to the lineup who could make an impact this season are sophomore Chris Stith at 157 and freshmen Tyde Prater at 141 and Andrew Ponofrio at 149.

 

Bloomsburg brought up the rear in the EWL last season and despite bringing back an experienced lineup, the team will be hard-pressed to get out of that position this year. But new Coach Dan Wirnsberger doesn't have a bare cupboard to work with.

 

Justin Johnson, an EWL runner-up and NCAA qualifier last season as a sophomore, is ranked 13th to start the season at 184. Senior 157-pounder George Carter is ranked 17th in the preseason rankings and senior Hunter Guenot at 174, ranked 18th at 165 in the preseason, returns from a redshirt season.

 

 

Top All-American Hopefuls:

Bloomsburg - George Carter, 157; Justin Johnson, 184

Clarion - Eric Mausser, 197; John Testa, 285

Cleveland State - Phil Mansueto, 133; Gerald Harris, 184

Edinboro - Shawn Bunch, 133; Cory Ace, 141; Matt R. King, 165; David Shunamon, 197

Lock Haven - Mike Maney, 141

Pittsburgh - Justin Giovinco, 149; Carl Fronhofer, 174

Virginia Tech - Scott Justus, 184

West Virginia - Shane Cunanan, 141; Billy Smith, 149; Tom McMath, 165; Greg Jones, 174; Brent Miller, 285

 

Other Top Wrestlers:

Bloomsburg - Hunter Guenot, 174

Clarion - Ran Martinez, 133; Frank Edgar, 141; Jeremy Reitz, 157

Cleveland State - Rocco Mansueto, 125; Stipe Miocic, 197; Russ Davie, 285

Edinboro - Jacob Gray, 125; Ryan Yates, 157;

Lock Haven - Charlie Brenneman, 157; Jason Gilligan, 165; Ed Pawlak, 174

Pittsburgh - Mike May, 133; Ron Tarquinio, 141; Justin Nestor, 157

Virginia Tech - David Hoffman, 133

West Virginia - Casey Brewster, 125; Brandon Lauer, 133; Adrian Thompson 197

 

Quantel Langford at 174Casey Brewster at 125West Virginia looks to rule the EWL againCraig Johnson at 165Craig Jonhson, 165; Quantel Langford, 174;Casey Brewster, 125;

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Deep talent pool in EIWA

 

The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) produces some of the best talent every season and this year is no different. The league has changed since last season, with Bucknell out and American University in, but one thing hasn't changed - there will be great battles all season and into the league tourney.

Lehigh is the defending EIWA champion and also had an outstanding NCAA Championship, with a seventh-place finish. One reason the Mountain Hawks did so well last season is because of the performances of Rob Rohn at 184 and Jon Trenge at 197. Rohn has graduated after his NCAA title run, but NCAA runner-up Trenge returns and is the favorite at that weight this season.

As many as five freshmen could be in the lineup for Lehigh this season, led by Minnesota transfer Cory Cooperman at 133 and redshirt freshman Troy Letters at 165. Letters placed third at the Midlands last year as a true freshman. Two other freshmen who were rated in the top 3 in the All-American polls are Derek Zinck at 157 and Travis Frick at 184. Those four should help make the Mountain Hawks very salty for the next four years.

Pennsylvania took runner-up honors in the EIWA last season and finished just out of the top 10 in the NCAA Championships last season, taking 11th, 4.5 points behind Illinois.

The Quakers did lose their three All-Americans and another NCAA qualifier from last year, but do bring two NCAA qualifiers back. Junior Mason Lenhard at 125 and sophomore heavyweight Matt Feast gained valuable experience in Albany, N.Y. last season. Also back is 2000 NCAA qualifier Jody Guiricich. He will battle for the starting spot at 149.

Cornell finished a few points behind Penn for third in the EIWA last season and also had a strong NCAA Championships, with an 18th-place team finish with a pair of All-Americans.

With both of those All-Americans returning, along with three other NCAA qualifiers, the Big Red will make a strong push for the EIWA title this season.

Leading the way is sophomore Travis Lee at 125 and senior Clint Wattenberg at 184. Lee won the EIWA last season and took that momentum into the NCAA's and left with a seventh-place finish. Wattenberg was the league runner-up to NCAA champ Rob Rohn at 184 and finished sixth at the NCAA Championships.

NCAA qualifiers junior Alejandro Alvarez at 133, junior Scott Roth at 165 and sophomore Matt Greenberg at 197 also return to the lineup, as does EIWA third-place finisher senior Gabe Webster at 157.

Harvard was the fourth EIWA school to finish in the top 25 at the NCAA Championships last season. A pair of All-Americans guided Harvard to a 22nd-place finish after taking fourth in the EIWA Championships.

One All-American is gone to graduation, heavyweight Dawid Rechul, but NCAA third-place finisher Jesse Jantzen returns at 149. He won the EIWA title as a freshman and followed that up with an outstanding weekend in Albany. Another returning NCAA qualifier, junior Patrick O'Donnell at 165, moves up to 174 this season. Junior Robbie Griffin, a fifth-place EIWA finisher at 157 last season, also moves up one roster spot to 165.

Brown qualified a quartet of wrestlers to the NCAA's last season and brings three of them back in hopes of improving on last year's fifth-place EIWA finish.

Seniors Clinton Frease at 141, Jason Mercade at 149 and junior Nick Ciarcia at 184 all finished third in the league tourney last season and made trips to the NCAA's. Ciarcia wrestled at 197 last season and moves down a weight for this year.

Navy had a solid 2001-02 season, including a 4-1 mark in EIWA duals and a sixth-place finish in the EIWA tourney, but the Midshipmen have to replace one of the best wrestlers in school history - two-time All-American Mark Conley.

Returning NCAA qualifier and EIWA third-place finisher senior Steve Kovach at heavyweight is the top returnee to the room. He just missed earning All-American status last season and is looking to end his career on the awards stand this year. Junior Michael Carbonaro at 157 and senior Luke Lazzo at 165 both finished sixth in the EIWA last season.

The other service academy in the EIWA, Army, finished right behind Navy in the league tournament last season.

Phillip Simpson, an EIWA runner-up and NCAA qualifier at 141 last season, returns for his sophomore season and will either be at 141 or 149 this year. He had an incredible rookie season, finishing with a 37-8 record with 20 pins. He fell one win shy of earning All-American honors last year and will be a force nationally this season. Senior Jeremy Conner, a fourth-place finisher in the league last season, returns for the Black Knights at 157.

Rutgers had a trio of NCAA qualifiers last season and two are back to lead the Scarlet Knights into battle. Junior Greg Austin led the team in wins last season with a 32-11 record at 149 and is back after a fourth-place EIWA finish. Sophomore Andrew Roy at 174 also finished fourth in the EIWA last season and earned a trip to the NCAA's.

Other top returnees for Rutgers are sophomore Andrew Tilles at 133, sophomore Chris Ressa at 165, senior Ryan McGrath at 197 and senior heavyweight Frank Sabatino.

Those six will be counted on to lead the Scarlet Knights up the EIWA ladder.

Princeton may not have power up and down the lineup like so many of the EIWA teams do, but the Togers do boast one of the best individuals in the nation, let alone the league.

Senior Greg Parker was the NCAA runner-up at 174 last season after striking gold at the EIWA Championships. Parker's lone losses in a 33-2 campaign were to freshman NCAA Champion Greg Jones of West Virginia. Parker steps up a weight class to 184.

Two other 2002 EIWA place winners return for Princeton. Junior Brian Kirshbaum was sixth at 125 last season and moves up to 133. Junior heavyweight Joe Looke also took sixth in the EIWA last season.

A pair of EIWA place finishers return for last year's 10th-place team in the league - Columbia.

Junior Daniel Green was fifth at 125 and senior Steven Popovitch was fourth at 133, which gives the Lions a tough one-two punch at the beginning of the lineup.

A very solid recruiting class, led by four National place winners, will help improve Columbia's lineup immediately. Three of them, High School National Champion Matt Palmer at 165, fifth-place finisher Ricky Turk at 141 and seventh-place finisher Kirk Davis at 184, are slotted in the starting lineup to begin the season.

East Stoudsburg improved a great deal last season, as the team's 8-9 dual meet record shows. But with the depth of the EIWA, the Warriors could only manage an 11th-place finish in the league tourney.

A strong recruiting class will help to add depth to the team, but with the loss of five seniors and with no returning EIWA place finishers back, it may take another season or two for the Warriors to battle for an upper-division finish in the league.

Franklin & Marshall had one EIWA place winner last season and he returns, along with several other veterans.

Sophomore Rich Gebauer took fifth at 133 in the EIWA last year and is back with the hope of improving on his placing and qualifying for the NCAA Championships. Other returnees are junior Isaiah Hankel at 165, senior William Filbert at 125, senior Derek Michalowski at 174, sophomore R.P. Norley at 197 and senior Dennis Maguire at 285.

With the departure of Bucknell, American was granted acceptance into the EIWA. The Eagles lost their two NCAA qualifiers, but do bring back a quartet of battle-tested juniors.

American will be led into action by former Oklahoma State assistant Mark Cody.

Top All-American Hopefuls:

Lehigh - Troy Letters, 165; Jon Trenge, 197.

Cornell - Travis Lee, 125; Clint Wattenberg, 184.

Harvard - Jesse Jantzen, 149; Max Odom, 157.

Navy - Steve Kovach, 285.

Army - Phillip Simpson, 141.

Princeton - Greg Parker, 184.

Other Top Wrestlers:

Lehigh - Mario Stuart, 125; Cory Cooperman, 133; Tristan Boyd/Bruce Kelly/Tommy Rohn, 141; Derek Zinck, 157; Bradley Dillon, 174.

Pennsylvania - Mason Lenhard, 125; Jody Giuricich, 157; Marcus Schontube, 184; Michael Faust, 197; Matthew Feast, 285.

Cornell - Byron Warner, 141; Gabe Webster, 157; Scott Roth, 165; Matt Greenberg, 197.

Harvard - Robbie Griffin, 165; Patrick O'Donnell, 174.

Brown - Clinton Frease, 141; Jason Mercado, 149; Nick Ciarcia, 184.

Army - Jeremy Conner, 157.

Rutgers - Greg Austin, 149; Andrew Roy, 174; Ryan McGrath, 197.

Princeton - Joe Clarke, 141; Joe Looke, 285.

Columbia - Daniel Green, 125; Erik Norgaard, 149.