University of Pittsburgh Athletics
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VMI
Pitt Opens Dual Season with Three Bouts at Navy
11/11/2023 11:00:00 AM | Wrestling
PITTSBURGH—Coming off a strong start to the 2023-24 season last Sunday at the Clarion Open, the Pitt wrestling program begins its dual campaign this Sunday with a trio of matches at Navy's Alumni Hall.
The 16th-ranked Panthers head to Annapolis with a healthy and full lineup of starters, including eight individuals who appeared in this week's weight-by-weight InterMat polls.
No. 7 Cole Matthews at 141 pounds and No. 11 Holden Heller at 165 pounds are among Pitt's highest ranked individuals, and the pair of super seniors were named as team captains this week by head coach Keith Gavin, who takes a 48-32 dual record (33-17 in nonconference duals) into his seventh season.
Pitt also has a quartet of redshirt freshman ranked from Gavin's outstanding 2022 recruiting class, led by No. 9 Dayton Pitzer at heavyweight. At 133 pounds, Vinnie Santaniello vaulted up to No. 10 after his run to the finals of the Clarion Open. Mac Stout, who was named Co-ACC Wrestler of the Week after winning the Clarion Open title at 197 pounds, came in at No. 16 in his weight class this week. And also building off a finals appearance at Clarion, Finn Solomon launched up to No. 22 at 149 pounds.
Also ranked for the Panthers, Clarion Open champion at 184 pounds Reece Heller is off to a 5-0 start this season and sits at No. 13 in his weight class, while redshirt sophomore Luca Augustine ranks at No. 22 at 174 pounds and is set to wrestle for the first time this season on Sunday.
Rounding out Pitt's lineup, veteran Colton Camacho at 125 pounds and redshirt freshman Jared Keslar at 157 pounds aren't far off national rankings, and a strong performance from that pair this weekend could give the Panthers a chance at having 10 ranked individuals this season.
Pitt will open the Navy Duals against VMI from the Southern Conference at 12 p.m. in Annapolis, followed by a 1:30 p.m. matchup with Morgan State, whose program is returning this season after a large donation to HBCU wrestling allowed the Bears to reinstate wrestling after a 25-year hiatus.
Then the Panthers conclude the day with the marquee matchup of the event: Pitt versus Navy. The Midshipmen upset No. 23 Illinois last weekend and have made great strides under Coach Cary Kolat since Pitt pull away from Navy on their last visit to Annapolis at the start of the 2020-21 season.
Follow @Pitt_WRES on the X app for live updates from Sunday's Navy Duals.
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