University of Pittsburgh Athletics
2004-05 Pittsburgh Panthers Wrestling Season Outlook
10/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
2004-05 Pittsburgh Panthers Wrestling Season Outlook
10/22/2004
The Pittsburgh wrestling program has a rich history with 30 Eastern Wrestling League champions, 15 national champions and 64 All-Americans. One of the few accomplishments that have eluded the Panthers is an EWL team title and that is the goal of the 2004-05 squad.
With seven NCAA qualifiers on the roster, things continue to look good for the program and that is in large part to the coaching staff?s dedication to excellence. Led by head coach Rande Stottlemyer, now in his 26th season at the helm of the Panthers, and assistants Jason Peters, Carl Fronhofer and Bryan Stout, that goal might become a reality in the near future.
The following is a weight-by-weight breakdown for the 2004-05 season and what to expect from the Panthers:
125 ? Pittsburgh will have a new starter at 125 pounds for the fourth consecutive year, but the talent level of the three incoming freshmen is high and so are the expectations of the coaching staff. Dave Morgan, Zach Bowman and Geoff Moy will man the smallest weight class for the Panthers. Morgan is a West Scranton graduate and was a state finalist in his senior season at 130 pounds. Bowman went to nearby Canon-McMillan High and Moy is a resident of Santa Monica, California.
133 ? Moving up from 125 pounds is sophomore Drew Headlee, one of the top freshmen nationally in his weight class last season. Headlee finished with an 18-6 mark, including nine dual wins, seven falls and four major decisions. Also at 133 pounds is junior Mike Ciotti, who placed at EWLs the past two seasons for the Panthers.
141 ? Ronald Tarquinio is the returning EWL champ and will be expected to repeat in 2005. He has qualified for the NCAA Championships in each of the past two seasons and has a 72-34 career record with the Panthers, including 18 major decisions. Freshmen Joe Ciampoli, an Altoona native, and Julian Warshaw will provide depth.
149 ? The Panthers have a problem at 149 pounds that most coaches would love to have. Returning NCAA qualifier Matt Kocher returns after leading the Panthers with 32 wins in 2003-04 as a true freshman. Pitt also has Jeff Ecklof, an All-American transfer from Oklahoma, at this weight class but Ecklof will redshirt this season and have three years of eligibility remaning. Redshirt sophomore Mike Perinotti also provides depth at 149 pounds.
157 ? A new starter will take the mat for Pittsburgh at 157 pounds and that most likely will be sophomore Keith Gavin. Gavin won 21 matches in his debut campaign with the Panthers, including 20 wins in tournament action, four falls, two tech falls and two major decisions. Freshman Sean Richmond, from Easton, Pa., as well as Bryan Scott will look to push Gavin for the starting nod.
165 ? Pittsburgh also has two polished wrestlers at 165 pounds in senior Zachariah Doll and junior Justin Nestor. Doll is a three-time NCAA qualifier and is 55-28 lifetime for the Panthers. Nestor has made two NCAA Championships at 157 pounds and has won 66 matches in his career, including 23 by fall. Redshirt freshman Tim Allen will also compete at this weight class.
174 ? Junior Francis Iorfido returns after finishing second in the EWLs and making his first nationals appearance last season. Iorfido is 42-21 in two years as a starter, including a 14-6 dual meet mark. Senior Steve Selcher, a venerable option, as well as two freshmen, Nick Coleman and Nick Padezan, will push Iorfido for mat time.
184 ? With Mike Croyle graduated, Pittsburgh will have a new starter at 184 pounds as well. The competition will be heated as it is one of the Panthers? deepest weight classes. Returning wrestlers include sophomores Michael Heist, Eric Cassidy and Joe Ammendola. Heist and Cassidy both saw time in dual meets while Ammendola was redshirted after appearing in a few tournaments. Freshmen Kyle Deliere, from nearby Canon-McMillan High School, and Matt Darnell are also in the running for the starting position.
197 ? The second-highest weight classification is in limbo for the Panthers as senior Josh Birtwaits to hear from the NCAA regarding an extra year of eligibility. After two years of competition at North Idaho Junior College, Birt transferred to Pitt and wrestled just seven times in 2002-03 before assuming the starting nod at 197 pounds last season. Freshmen Lou Thomas and Dave Thurston will provide depth here and another option is to bump someone up from 184 if Birt is not eligible.
285 ? True freshman Zach Sheaffer, a Cumberland Valley High graduate, is the front-runner at the heavyweight position but sophomore Bob Kail and freshman Devin Derrico will push him for mat time. Any of the three will be a new starter after Travis Shirley graduated after last season. Kail was the team?s starter two seasons ago.
The Panthers? season will begin November 12 with a road dual meet against national powerhouse Iowa State. After returning home to take on EWL rival Bloomsburg on Nov. 17, Pitt will compete in the Michigan State Open, Mat Town Invitational and Las Vegas Invitational over the holidays. Back in dual meet action on January 8 of next year, the Panthers will host a team with national championship hopes in Lehigh before visiting Big Ten power Penn State the following day. Also on the schedule are home meets against another Big Ten power, Ohio State, on January 14, Cleveland State (Jan. 27), Rider (Jan. 29) and West Virginia (Feb. 5). The Panthers will have road meets at Slippery Rock (Jan. 19), Duquesne (with Franklin & Marshall and Eastern Michigan, Jan. 22), Clarion (Feb. 8), Lock Haven (Feb. 11) and Edinboro (Feb. 18).
The 2005 EWL Championships will be held at Clarion University on March 5-6 with the NCAA Championships being held in St. Louis, Mo., from March 17-19.
