The Elite 10

Teams.NCMat

Wrestling Mall

Free Newsletter

Mats for Sale

Forum

Make NC Mat your start-up page

Contact NC Mat

Submit a link

Feedback

January 10

The College Wrestling Season has completed what many consider the 1st third of the season as all the open meets before Christmas. Teams and members of teams competed in tournaments far and wide. Las Vegas to the west, Pensacola and Georgia Tech to the South and several ventures into the tough wrestling terrain of Pennsylvania and New York were the extremes teams traveled to find competition. It is hard to go east from North Carolina to wrestle and not get wet. Most of the tournaments were ¥Open meetsƒ in which teams could have multiple entries or wrestlers could compete unattached and even alumni and old guys could participate. This gives teams chances to enter many wrestlers and see how they handle college competition.

University of North Carolina TarHeels (0-0) - The # 1 TDR ranked team (#25 nationally) is the Tar Heels of University of North Carolina. Coach Bill Lamƒs team looks quite formidable as they performed well in Open meets at Cornell, the VerticalNet at home, and the national Las Vegas Open. At the Open meets the team showed some depth with two wrestlers placing in the same weight class at the same events. The tentative starting lineup for their Home dual opening against nationally ranked Lehigh Jan. 7th at 2:00 looks to be Chuckie Conner or Chris Collins (125), ¥Buckeyeƒ Brad Byers (133), Mike Booth (141), John Mark Bentley (149) with Jay Barnwell as a strong back up. Christian DiGuiseppe or Dennis Landin (157), Jake Reynolds (165), Corey Bell (174), Nick Richmond (184), Clint Osborn (197) and Matt Kenny (285) filling the lineup. Ryan Adams also looks to be a top level back up at 285. More at http://tarheelblue.fansonly.com/sports/m-wrestl/unc-m-wrestl-body.html

The rest of the Carolinas teams in alphabetical order:

The Anderson College Trojans have won 3 of 4 duals so far with Steve Volponi and Buck Buhler red-shirting this year the team will depend on others to step up such as Scott Goldstein to lead the way. He is at 165 and looking to compete at Midlands and do well at Nationals. The team is led by new coach Dock Kelly from UNC-Greensboro. The rest of the line-up looks to have freshman Kenya Edwards (125) and Gerry Braun (133), Darrell Stephens (141) and two veterans battling it out at 149 in Jeremy Mayfield and Ben Howard. Both will see extensive action at this weight class with the loser eventually going up and being a solid competitor at 157. At 174 Chris Bailey is a solid wrestler while at 184 Ryan Hardy looks promising and will be a force in the region at this weight class. A battle at 197 with the Jeffrey Crocker and Josh Hawkins winner having a good chance to qualify for nationals. Travis Gilbert will be a major contender at 285. He only weighs about 215 but is working with assistant coach (former All-American) Tim Morrissey, and assistant coach Aaron Sheets. (former division 3 All-American from John Carroll) More at http://www.andersoncollegesports.com/wrestling/default.html

Appalachian State Mountaineers (0-1) - Travis Drake (133) has led the team in Opens yet stumbled in their first dual meet with short squad against Campbell. The Mountaineers have a tough line-up with Richard Caisse (125). The middleweights are loaded with tough juniors Andy Putnam (149), Pete Boccia (157) and Mark Fee at 165. The rest of the line-up has less experience with Kyle Spencer (174), Daniel Salter (184), Geoff McIntosh (197) and Danny Misenheimer at (285), while Davey Blake, Carlos Garcia and J.D. Walters battled it out at 141. Coach Paul Mance is preparing his team for better results at their next match at Duke on Jan. 12th. More at http://www.goasu.com/pages/wrestling/wrestling.php3?appears=wrestling

Belmont ¨ Abbey Crusaders (2-3) - This 3rd year program continues to grow and improve as a force in the National Club Wrestling Association. Team members competed in 5 dual meets and the Pembroke Open. Coach Kevin Andres expects their lineup for their home tournament on Jan. 13th to be Josh Cline (125), Ryan Roberts (133), Dan Black (165), Christopher Russell (174), Matt Morgan or Pete Zelinskie at (184), Ryan Maguire or Wil Hart at (197), Atiah Hadi (235) and leading the teams in wins with 9 Ron Richard at (285). More at http://www.bacwrestling.com/

Campbell Fighting Camels (2-3) - The highlight so far has been the upset of in-state rival Appalachian State. That and competition in two open tourneys have brought about the following line-up. Freshman Andy Bricker at 125 has started with a (7-4) record. He has two brothers, Adam and Joey, on the team. They back up Adam Doherty at 133. The team has an opening at 141, which has been filled by a variety of newcomers with red shirt freshman Mike Wrinkle as the lone returnee at 141. Veteran Mike Cox has moved up two weights to 157 and done well by placing 2nd at the VerticalNet Open at UNC. He may drop down to 149 later in the season. Newcomer Lantz Nixon from Ohio at 165, Josh McConnell (174), Chris Pfeffer (184), Jason Greenawalt (197) are not well seasoned but are trying their best to fill those weights. Injured Senior John Christian hopes to rejoin the team soon and compete at 184 while poster boy senior John Black completes the lineup. Black is the quickest heavyweight wrestler weƒve seen who doesnƒt look like he would be the fast. This looks to be his year at Nationals. Coach Dave Auble looks to take his team to compete next in state at the North Carolina State Duals on Jan. 13th at 9:00 a.m. More at http://www.campbell.edu/academics/athletics/index.html

The Citadel Bulldogs (1-1) - Second year coach Rob Hjerling is looking to improve with his young team as they have attended open meets and hosted their own Citadel Duals. The team will next compete at their own Low Country Duals on Jan. 2nd. Veterans Mike Regner (174) and Robby Bell (157) are looking to qualify for the nationals. The rest of the starting lineup looks to be Clarence Davis (125), Nick Merritt (133), Anthony Del Priore (141), Wayne Watts (149), Keith Clifton (167), John Bohren (184), Everett Jordan (197) and Troy Bartges. (285) More at http://www.citadelsports.com/wrestling/default.html

Davidson College Wildcats (0-2) - The team has lost two duals yet has competed well in three Open meets. Coach Tom Oddo is pleased how senior Dan Carman (125), junior Jeffrey Bender (157) and Anthony Albert (149) have led the team in the early competition. The rest of the lineup looks to include Steven Root (133), Grant Doombos (141), Gary Brandt (165), Mark OƒHair (174), Jeff Libersat (184) and Wes Wooten (197) with a 285 actively sought on campus. The team will next battle Gettysburg College at Washington & Lee in Virginia. More at http://www.davidson.edu/administrative/athletics/menvars/wrestle.html

Duke University Blue Devils (1-2) - Coach Clar Anderson has taken his Blue Devils to five open meets scattered hither and yond in addition to dual meets at James Madison (Va.), Drexel and Bucknell in Philadelphia. The team will next compete at home on Jan. 9th and Jan. 12th in the cozy confines of Cameron Arena before joining the N.C. State Duals on the 13th. We expect the following wrestlers to be represent Duke in this busy week Tommy Hoang and Stuart Holzer at 125, Sean Meakim, (133), Harry Clarke (141), Andy Soliman (149) Jason Gorski (157), Matt Hoover (165), Frank Cornelly (174), Thomas Cass (184), Daegan Smith (197) and Levi Karnehm (285). More at http://www.goduke.com/wres/mwres/

Gardner-Webb Bulldogs (0-4) - Started with 4 tough open tournaments then the Citadel Duals. Team has been idle since then until their first home meet with Pensacola Christian on Jan. 2nd. A challenging a rough season lays ahead as the team is making the adjustment to Division I. Thus the team has no post-season opportunities this year. Top-level competition will be met at the Midwest Classic in Indiana Jan. 5-6th and the Virginia Duals Jan. 12-13th. Coach Dick Wince projects the following lineup Zach Homan (125), Scott Chenevey (133), Myron Draytn (141), Troy Davis (149), Kenny Wince (157), Erik Wince (165), Jason Smith (174), Matt Hillman (184), Garrett Bradford (197) and Seth Morrow (285). More @ http://www.gardner-webb.edu/GWU/main/athletics/Men/wrestling/wrestling.html

North Carolina State Wolfpack (0-3) - The team has competed in three competitive meets but has been plagued with bad fortune and luck at Las Vegas, Lehigh and Navy. A very bumpy start to the season yet a promising prospective lineup. Coach Bob Guzzo has an exciting Wolfpack lineup with veteran middleweights in Ryan McCallum (133), Pierre Pryor (157), Scott Garren (165) and Dustin Kawa (174). They are the kind of wrestlers who get falls, near-falls and technical falls, and those guys are always fun to watch. Tommy Davis (149) isn't a pinner, but he's an excellent wrestler and gets lots of major decisions. Oraefo Brown (141) is the one weak link in there, and he's capable of being pretty good. The switch of Gore and Breitenbach at 184 and 197 will be very interesting. Gore really came on at the end of last season at 197, but was always a little undersized for that weight. He looks like a monster at 184, but according to the coaches won't have any trouble making weight. Breitenbach made the switch a natural by putting on about 10-15 pounds of muscle. He looks terrific at 197, very fast. The coaches believe he will be more than strong enough to be competitive at that weight. Yet State has very little depth at 125 or heavyweight. This was a problem that showed at the ACC Tournament last year, when George Cintron and Mike Mordarski both went down late in the year with injuries. Big home meets with nationally ranked Lehigh on Jan. 7th at 7:30 and the N.C. State Duals on Jan. 13th at noon. More at http://www.gopack.com/wres/mwres/

UNC-Greensboro Spartans (0-0) - Coach Denny Moore has had the Spartans racking up the travel mileage with an active schedule at seven open meets in Maryland, Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Illinois in addition to the VerticalNet Open. Their lineup for their first home dual with nationally ranked Illinois on Jan. 11th at 7:00 p.m. looks to be Tony Stewart at 125, Wade Cecil (133), senior Corey Williams (141), senior Greg Fox (149), Terry Garbis (157), Nate Parmeter (165), Luke Bialy (174), Josh Bocks (184), Matt Dunn (197) and Brian King and Brian King taking on the heavyweight duties. More at http://www.uncgspartans.com/wres/mwres/

UNC-Pembroke Braves (2-5) - Team has competed in several Open meets and the Campbell duals. Coach P.J. Smith has a large stable of recruits and walk-ons to work with. We expect the following lineup for their next home meet Jan. 9th with Pensacola Christian; David Nobles or Brandon Davis at 125, David Crooke or Jason Joyce at 133, David Cooper (141), Steve Ardman, Jerome Benjamin or Aaron Gunning at 149, Scott Acfallie (157), Marty McNeil (165), Ben Stepp (174), Luciano Vera (184), Clifford Gore (197) and Jamie Cummings and Josh Woodruff at 285. More at http://www.uncp.edu/athletics/wrestlin/index.htm

There are non-varsity club teams at Wake Forest, UNC-Charlotte and others that are continuing the wrestling tradition in hopes of expanding their team to the varsity level some day. We are waiting to hear more from these clubs as we continue these monthly summaries of college wrestling in the Carolinas.

To learn the results of previous open meets and meets contact the TDR to subscribe!