Pitt’s Nauman Guaranteed All-America Status

PITTSBURGH – Pitt sophomore Tyler Nauman won three straight matches, including a win over the No. 2 seed at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship, as he has now been guaranteed All-America status heading into the final day of competition.

Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) entered the championship as the No. 10 seed in his second tournament appearance. His two wins in day one, set him up against No. 2 seeded Jamal Parks of Oklahoma State. Nauman took the 5-3 decision, advancing him to the semifinals.

Nauman met up with No. 6 seed Montell Marion of Iowa in the semis, and fell in a hard-fought match, 7-6. He will meet up with either Zach Bailey of Oklahoma or third-seeded Michael Thom of Minnesota in the wrestlebacks.

Also competing Friday for the Panthers were Anthony Zanetta at 125, Eric Albright at 149, Zac Thomusseit at 184, Matt Wilps at 197 and Ryan Tomei at heavyweight. After a strong two days of action, the five were eliminated from the tournament.

Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) fell into the consolation rounds after Friday night’s loss. Zanetta, who gained national respect for his outstanding wrestling during the week, battled against No. 9 Jarrod Patterson of Oklahoma, but fell 5-2.

At 149, Albright (York, Pa./Red Lion Area/Virginia) saw his collegiate career come to a close Friday night. Albright defeated Trenton Washington of Northern Iowa, 11-1, in the morning session, but fell 6-1 to fourth-seeded Kyle Ruschell of Wisconsin in the second session of the day.

Thomusseit (St. Parris, Pa./St. Parris Graham) had an impressive 4-0 win over No. 12 seed David Craig of Lehigh in the morning session, but fell by a 5-3 decision to Josh Ithnen of Nebraska to conclude his stellar sophomore season.

Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) also picked up another win on the day with a 5-4 decision over Matt Casperson of Boise State. In the evening session, Wilps fell 3-2 to No. 9 seed Chad Beatty of Iowa.

Heavyweight Ryan Tomei entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed, but fell to the consolation rounds in the opening day of action. Tomei’s breakout season was cut short by an 8-3 loss to Cameron Wade of Penn State.

Nauman will continue his All-America performance Saturday morning with the final session taking place Saturday night.
Pitt Wrestling Sends Six To NCAA Championship

Albright earns an at-large bid for the Panthers

PITTSBURGH - Pitt's wrestling team will send six to the upcoming NCAA Championship to be held March 18-20 in Omaha, Neb.

The Panthers earned five automatic qualifiers following its Eastern Wrestling League Championship, and picked up an at-large bid to redshirt senior Eric Albright at 149.

Joining Albright (York, Pa./Red Lion Area/Virginia) will be Anthony Zanetta at 125, Tyler Nauman at 141, Zac Thomusseit at 184, Matt Wilps at 197 and Ryan Tomei at 285.

Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks), a true freshman at 125, has recorded a 33-8 record on the season. In his first championship, he will meet up with Andre Gonzales (22-11) of Cal State Fullerton in the first round. 

At 141, Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) will be making his second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament. As a sophomore, Nauman (33-3) is seeded No. 10 and will face Cole Schmitt (20-16) of Wisconsin.

Albright (20-15) picked up Pitt's lone at-large spot and will make his second trip to NCAAs and will face Mario Mason of Minnesota (19-10). The transfer from Virginia earned a spot on the Cavaliers' NCAA team in 2008.

Thomusseit (St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham), who has recorded a 20-8 record on the year, earns his first trip to the tournament at 184 and will face No. 2-seeded John Dergo (26-2) of Illinois in the opening round.

At 197, Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) hopes to use the momentum from his EWL title as he heads to his first NCAA Championship. Wilps (31-8) will face No. 11 seed Patrick Bond (16-11) of Illinois.

Rounding out Pitt's representatives will be Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford), who has earned the eighth seed in his first-ever NCAA appearance. Tomei (32-5) will face Ziad Haddad (17-9) of North Carolina.

Zanetta, Nauman, Wilps and Tomei each won their weight class at the EWL Championships on March 7 while Thomusseit finished second and Albright took third.

The NCAA Championship three-day event will be held at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb.
Four Claim EWL Titles For Pitt

Panthers Finish Second At League Championship

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.  - Four Pitt wrestlers claimed Eastern Wrestling League titles Sunday night in the championship tournament as the Panthers finished second (121.50) to Edinboro (135.5) at the WVU Coliseum.

Pitt's Anthony Zanetta, Tyler Nauman, Matt Wilps and Ryan Tomei each won their respective weight classes with Tomei being named the EWL Tournament Outstanding Wrestler for the meet.

With a successful morning session, the Panthers placed six in the finals and all 10 Pitt wrestlers advanced to the evening session.

At 125, freshman Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) got the night started right with a 4-2 decision over Shane Young of West Virginia to win the title.

Jimmy Conroy (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) advanced to the finals at 133, but fell 2-0 in a hard-fought match against John Trumbetti of Lock Haven. Conroy finished second in the tournament.

Sophomore Tyler Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) was looking to defend his title at 141 from last season and was successful as he earned a 6-2 decision over Greg Lewis of Clarion.

Eric Albright suffered a first round loss to Mike Rowe of West Virginia (12-5) and fell into the consolation bracket. Albright (York, Pa./Red Lion Area/Virginia) rebounded, however and fought back to the third place match, where he earned a little redemption, defeating Rowe in their re-match, 7-3 to take third.

In possibly the most hard-fought battle of the day for the Panthers, Donnie Tasser (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) took two injury timeouts, but turned a 4-2 deficit into a sudden victory, 6-4, win over Corey Carlo of Cleveland State to take fifth place at 157.

At 165, Adam Counterman (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) scored a takedown with just seconds remaining in regulation to tie the score at 2-2 in the fifth place final. Counterman took advantage of the opportunity, scoring a takedown in sudden victory to take fifth place with the 4-2 win.

David Sullivan (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./East Stroudsburg) met up with Derek Caldwell of Lock Haven in the fifth place match at 174. Sullivan controlled the match and went on to the 5-1 win.

Zac Thomusseit (St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham) met up with Pat Bradshaw of Edinboro in the final at 184. The sophomore fell, 3-2, on a Bradshaw escape in the third period.

At 197, Matt Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) earned his first EWL title with a 12-4 major decision over Alex Thomas of Clarion. Wilps needed just two wins on the day for the championship.

At the heavyweight, junior Ryan Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) ended his EWL season the way he lived the majority of it - with a pin. Tomei captured the title with a fall (6:25) over Brandon Williamson of West Virginia.

Pitt's automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Tournament, held March 18-20 in Omaha, Neb., will be Zanetta, Nauman, Thomusseit, Wilps and Tomei. Additional qualifiers will be announced Wednesday, March 10.
Pitt Wrestling Earns First Ever EWL Championship

PITTSBURGH - In dramatic fashion in front of over 1,900 fans on Senior Night, the Pitt wrestling team (17-1-1, 6-0 EWL) claimed their first-ever Eastern Wrestling League title Friday night in a 21-13 victory over rival Edinboro (8-6, 4-1 EWL) at Fitzgerald Field House.

"This win was satisfying, certainly," head coach Rande Stottlemyer said. "But I'm the same person whether we win or we lose. It was just neat for our guys. We had such a great atmosphere and we are putting a good product out. I was told by Steve Pederson and Chancellor Nordenberg that they are lighting the Victory Lights on the Cathedral tonight and I am really touched by that.

"We have been close so many times so it was nice to get this one," Stotlemyer continued. "We really out-wrestled them tonight though. We were aggressive and went after them. I have to give credit to our lead-off guy (Anthony Zanetta). He went up against one of the top guys in the country and it wasn't that close. He just creates momentum for this team every time he steps on the mat."

Stottlemyer, in his 31st season, brought Pitt its first EWL regular season or tournament title in the 35th year of the league. The Panthers also won their sixth league match of the season for a school record and their only undefeated conference mark.

Pitt's win over the Fighting Scots is also the first since the 1998 season, breaking an 11-match losing streak.

The Panthers looked to be in control, starting off the night winning the first five matches and taking a commanding 15-0 lead. Freshman Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) defeated the No. 7 wrestler at 125, 4-1, to take the early lead.

Senior Jimmy Conroy (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) couldn't have asked for a better end to his collegiate career at Fitzgerald Field House as he closed out the 133 weight class with a 4-2 decision over Kyle Fluke.

At 141, sophomore Tyler Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown), who finished his dual season with an undefeated 18-0, had another strong performance with a 7-2 decision over Joel Webster. Nauman's 18 dual wins also ties the most in a season with Nick Mengerink's 18-0 record in 1997-98.

Senior Eric Albright (York, Pa./Red Lion Area/Virginia) followed that up with a hard-fought 4-3 decision at 149 over Torsten Gillespie. Donnie Tasser (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) sealed the match with a last-second decision, 7-6, over Johnny Greisheimer in the 157 weight class.

At 197, sophomore Matt Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) added to the tally with a 4-2 decision over Shawn Fendone, which set up an all-star battle in the heavyweight. Seventh-ranked Ryan Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn Trafford) matched up with No. 20 Chris Birchler with the score set at 18-13 in the final match of the night. Tomei needed to avoid a technical fall or a pin to seal the win for the Panthers. The junior looked strong from start to finish, taking the 7-3 decision and leading Pitt to the 21-13 team win.

The Panthers will have a break until the EWL tournament, held March 7 in Morgantown, W.Va. at the WVU Coliseum.

#18 Pitt 21, #25 Edinboro 13

125 - #19 Anthony Zanetta (Pitt) dec. vs. #7 Eric Morrill (Edinboro) (4-1)

133 - #28 Jimmy Conroy (Pitt) dec. vs. Kyle Fluke (Edinboro) (4-2)

141 - #16 Tyler Nauman (Pitt) dec. vs. Joel Webster (Edinboro) (7-2)

149 - #30 Eric Albright (Pitt) dec. vs. Torsten Gillespie (Edinboro) (4-3)

157 - Donnie Tasser (Pitt) dec. vs. Johnny Greisheimer (Edinboro) (7-6)

165 -#2 Jarrod King (Edinboro) MD vs. Adam Counterman (Pitt) (12-2)

174 - Phil Moricone (Edinboro) FALL vs. David Sullivan (Pitt) (4:15)

184 - Pat Bradshaw (Edinboro) dec. vs. #25 Zac Thomusseit (Pitt) (3-2)

197 - #19 Matt Wilps (Pitt) dec. vs. Shawn Fendone (Edinboro) (4-2)

285 - #7 Ryan Tomei (Pitt) dec. vs. #20 Chris Birchler (Edinboro) (7-3)
No. 18 Pitt Wrestling Remains Undefeated In EWL With 28-8 Win Over Clarion

PITTSBURGH - The 18th-ranked Pitt wrestling team (16-1-1, 5-0 EWL) claimed a 28-8 win over league foe Clarion Thursday night at Fitzgerald Field House, setting up the Eastern Wrestling League title match against Edinboro Feb. 19 at home.

"It was good that we got this one so we can now focus on Edinboro," said head coach Rande Stottlemyer. "This week of preparation will be the same as any other, but we are definitely looking forward to getting them in here for the match.

"Edinboro is a good team," Stottlemyer continued. "They have everyone back and always do a great job of being prepared at the end of the year."

The Panthers picked up their ninth consecutive win over Clarion, winning all but two bouts on the night. David Sullivan (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./East Stroudsburg) earned a major decision over Steven Cressley of Clarion, 10-8 at 174. Also with a bonus-point win on the night was junior heavyweight Ryan Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford), who pinned Quintas McCorkle in 2:48 to conclude the night's action.

Also picking up wins on the night were Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) at 125, with a 10-4 win over Joe Waltko of Clarion. At 133, Jimmy Conroy (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) earned a 4-1 decision over Jay Ivanco and at 141, sophomore Tyler Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) defeated Greg Lewis, 10-6.

With Nauman's win, he moves into 10th place in wins by a sophomore in Pitt history with 29.

The Panthers suffered losses at 149 and 157, but rebounded to win the remaining five bouts. At 165, Adam Counterman (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) battled to a 6-4 decision over Nick Milano in overtime. Zac Thomusseit (St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham) defeated Clint Podish at 184, 5-0 and Matt Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) picked up a 4-3 win over Alex Thomas.

The Panthers return to action Friday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. when they host Edinboro for the EWL title. The match will be held at Fitzgerald Field, with Pitt Wrestling Alumni's event to be held at 6 p.m., prior to the match.

"It will be great to have our alumni back here for the Edinboro match," Stottlemyer said. "We have typically had great participation in the past and I expect the same this season. We have great tradition at the University of Pittsburgh and I'm glad they are able to come back and continue to be a part of it."

#18 Pitt 28, Clarion 8

125 - Anthony Zanetta (Pitt) dec. vs. Joe Waltko (Clarion) (10-4)

133 - Jimmy Conroy (Pitt) dec. vs. Jay Ivanco (Clarion) (4-1)

141 - Tyler Nauman (Pitt) dec. vs. Greg Lewis (Clarion) (10-6)

149 - James Fleming (Clarion) Tech Fall vs. Eric Albright (Pitt) dec. vs. (16-0)

157 -Hadley Harrison (Clarion) dec. vs. Donnie Tasser (Pitt) (7-4)

165 -Adam Counterman (Pitt) dec. OT Nick Milano (Clarion) (6-4)

174 - David Sullivan (Pitt) MD Steven Cressley (Clarion) (10-2)

184 - Zac Thomusseit (Pitt) dec. vs. Clint Podish (Clarion) (5-0)

197 - Matt Wilps (Pitt) dec. vs. Alex Thomas (Clarion) (4-3)

285 - Ryan Tomei (Pitt) FALL vs. Quintas McCorkle (Clarion) (2:48)
No. 18 Pitt Wrestling Grabs School-Record 15th Win At West Virginia

PITTSBURGH - The 18th-ranked Pitt wrestling team claimed their school-record 15th dual win of the season Tuesday night with a 19-15 win on the road at West Virginia to improve to 15-1-1 on the year.

The 2009-10 Pitt squad surpassed its 1994-95 team, which tallied a 14-9 record. The Panthers tied the record last week against Millersville with a 53-0 win and now sit at 15-1-1 overall and 4-0 in EWL action.

Pitt and Eastern Wrestling League rival West Virginia split the 10 bouts, but the Panthers came up with two bonus-point wins to take the four-point victory. Sophomore Tyler Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) pinned Ryan Romano at 141 in 2:30. At 184 Zac Thomusseit (St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham) earned a 10-2 major decision over Robert DeSano.

Also earning wins on the night were Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) with a 5-4 decision over Shane Young at 125; Donnie Tasser (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) defeated Kyle Easton 4-2 at 157 and David Sullivan (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./Delaware Valley) earned a decision over Matt Weston, 2-1 at 174.

Pitt returns to action Thursday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. as the Panthers host Clarion at Fitzgerald Field House. The Panthers have just two regular season matches remaining this season, including Thursday against Clarion and Feb. 19 against Edinboro at home.

WVU 15, #18 Pitt 19
125: #19 Anthony Zanetta (PITT) dec. Shane Young (WVU), 5-4
133: #18 Colin Johnston (WVU) dec. Jimmy Conroy (PITT), 5-3
141: #18 Tyler Nauman (PITT) pinned Ryan Romano (WVU), 2:30
149: Mike Rowe (WVU) dec. Eric Albright (PITT), 4-3
157: Donnie Tasser (PITT) dec. Kyle Eason (WVU), 4-2
165: Donnie Jones (WVU) dec. Adam Counterman (PITT), 10-3
174: David Sullivan (PITT) dec. Matt Weston (WVU), 2-1
184: Zac Thomusseit (PITT) major dec. Rob DeSano (WVU), 10-2
197: Kyle Rooney (WVU) dec. #19 Matt Wilps (PITT), 5-2
HWT: Brandon Williamson (WVU) dec. #6 Ryan Tomei (PITT), 2-1
Pitt Wrestling Claims 28-6 Win Over Penn

PITTSBURGH - The 18th-ranked Pitt wrestling team improved to 13-1-1 with a 28-6 win over Penn Saturday afternoon at Fitzgerald Field House.

"I was very pleased today with our performance," Pitt head coach Rande Stottlemyer said. "It wasn't as close as I had anticipated, but we really out-hustled and out-wrestled them and I'm happy with the results. We had some guys get down early, like (Ryan) Tomei and (Tyler) Nauman and it didn't phase either one of them. They fought back.

"Our guys this year have really bought into the process," Stottlemyer continued. "We are young, but we have grown up a lot - just since the start of the season. We have confidence in what we're doing and that's a good thing."

The Panthers earned points on the first five weight classes as freshman Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) started Pitt off with a 4-3 decision over Mark Rappo of Penn at 125. At 133, Jimmy Conroy (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) took a 5-3 win over Bryan Ortenzio, Tyler Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) earned a 10-4 win over Zach Kremmerer at 141 and Eric Albright (York, Pa./Red Lion Area/Virginia) defeated Troy Hernandez, 3-1, at 149. At 157, Donnie Tasser (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) earned a win by medical forfeit after Matt Dragon was forced to withdraw with a shoulder injury.

At 165, Adam Counterman (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) fell in a tough one, 6-4, in the fourth overtime by sudden victory. Pitt's only other loss of the day came at 174 as Dave Sullivan (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./East Stroudsburg) was defeated, 8-3, by Scott Giffin.

Pitt won at 184, 197 and 285, which is becoming commonplace for the Panthers. At 184, Zac Thomusseit (St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham) defeated Harrison Cook, 9-3. Matt Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) earned a 2-1 win over Micah Burak and Ryan Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) earned a 14-5 major decision over Tyler Blakley.

The Panthers return to action Jan. 30 at Millersville for a 5 p.m. match. With a win, Pitt can tie its school record for dual match victories in a season with 14.  

Pitt 28, Penn 6

125 - Anthony Zanetta (Pitt) dec. vs. Mark Rappo (Penn) (4-3)

133 - Jimmy Conroy (Pitt) dec. vs. Bryan Ortenzio (Penn) (5-3)

141 - Tyler Nauman (Pitt) dec. vs. Zach Kremmerer (Penn) (10-4)

149 -Eric Albright (Pitt) dec. vs. Troy Hernandez (Penn) (3-1)

157 -Donnie Tasser medical forfeit vs. Matt Dragon

165 - Gabe Burak (Penn) 4th OT vs. Adam Counterman (Pitt) (6-4)

174 - Scott Giffin (Penn) dec. vs. David Sullivan (Pitt) (8-3)

184 - Zac Thomusseit (Pitt) dec. vs. Harrison Cook (Penn) (9-3)

197 - Matt Wilps (Pitt) dec. vs. Micah Burak (Penn) (2-1)

285 - Ryan Tomei (Pitt) MD vs. Tyler Blakley (Penn) (14-5).
Pitt Wrestling Dominates In 43-3 Win At Cleveland State

PITTSBURGH - The 18th-ranked Pitt wrestling team (12-1-1, 3-0 EWL) claimed a dominating EWL victory Thursday night with a 43-3 win over Cleveland State.

The Panthers earned five bonus-point wins on the night including tech falls at 133 and 141, and pins at 184, 197 and 285.

At 133, senior Jimmy Conroy (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) shut out Zech Huff, 16-0, in Pitt's first action of the day. The match at 125 was won by Pitt by default for an 11-0 Panther lead.

Sophomore Tyler Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) earned a technical fall, 17-2, over Mike Mencini at 141.

In the middle of the lineup, the Panthers earned three decisions including wins a 149, 165 and 174. At 149, junior Kyle Patton (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) earned a 7-3 decision over Dan Castillo, Adam Counterman (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) earned an 8-7 decision over Rob Michaels at 165 and David Sullivan (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./East Stroudsburg) earned a 3-2 win over Marcus Effner at 174.

The Panthers rounded out the night with three pins. Zac Thomusseit (St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham) took down Nick Anthony in 4:41 at 184 and Matt Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) pinned Jeff Schuller in 2:11. Ryan Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) rounded out the night for Pitt with a fall over Chris Weber (1:29) for the 43-3 team win.

Pittsburgh 43, Cleveland State 3

125: Anthony Zanetta (Pitt) wins by forfeit (6-0 Pitt)

133: Jimmy Conroy (Pitt) 16-0 Tech Fall Zech Huff (CSU) (11-0 Pitt)

141: Tyler Nauman (Pitt) 17-2 Tech Fall Mike Mencini (CSU) (16-0 Pitt)

149: Kyle Patton (Pitt) 7-3 dec. Dan Castillo (CSU) (19-0 Pitt)

157: Corey Carlo (CSU) 7-4 dec. Donnie Tasser (Pitt) (19-3 Pitt)

165: Adam Counterman (Pitt) 8-7 dec. Rob Michaels (CSU) (22-3 Pitt)

174: David Sullivan (Pitt) 3-2 dec. Marcus Effner (CSU) (25-3 Pitt)

184: Zac Thomusseit )(Pitt) Fall 4:41 Nick Anthony (CSU) (31-3 Pitt)

197: Matt Wilps (Pitt) Fall 2:11 Jeff Schuller (CSU) (37-3 Pitt)

HWT: Ryan Tomei (Pitt) Fall 1:29 Chris Weber (CSU) (43-3 Pitt)
Pitt Wrestling Earns 28-9 Win Over Lock Haven

PITTSBURGH - The 18th-ranked Pitt wrestling team (10-1-1) moved to 1-0 in Eastern Wrestling League action Friday night with a 28-9 win over Lock Haven.

"(Anthony) Zanetta started us off right and then we got some strong performances late in the match from (Dave) Sullivan, (Matt) Wilps, (Zac) Thomusseit and (Ryan) Tomei," head coach Rande Stottlemyer said. "We need to get Jimmy Conroy going though. If we are going to win, we are going to need him. Overall though, we had some great performances though and some guys stepped up."

The Panthers picked up major decisions at 125 with Zanetta, Sullivan at 174, Wilps at 197 and Tomei at 285, while sophomore Tyler Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) pinned Nikkien Fauntleroy of Lock Haven (4:29) for his eighth pin of the year, and 26th of his young career.

Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) picked up a 13-3 win over Nick Hyatt of Lock Haven to get things started for the Panthers. Sullivan (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./East Stroudsburg) claimed a 14-2 victory over Derek Caldwell and Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) won 14-5 over Harry Turner. Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) continued his domination at heavyweight, shutting out Dan Craig, 9-0.

Also picking up wins on the night for the Panthers were Adam Counterman (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) with a 7-6 decision over Kevin Dufresne of Lock Haven, and a 6-2 win over Jeremie Cook for Zac Thomusseit at 184.

The Panthers continue on in EWL action Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Bloomsburg.

"Sunday is huge for us," Stottlemyer said. "We need everyone in the lineup and someone is going to need to step up. Tonight, Counterman stepped up for us and we are going to need someone like that to come in and get a win. Every match in the EWL is big for us and Sunday is no exception."

Pitt 28, Lock Haven 9

125 - Anthony Zanetta (Pitt) MD vs. Nick Hyatt (LHU) (13-3)

133 - John Trumbetti (LHU) dec. vs. Jimmy Conroy (Pitt) (9-3)

141 - Tyler Nauman (Pitt) FALL Nikkien Fauntleroy (LHU) (4:29)

149 - Brock Parker (LHU) overtime (3rd) vs. Eric Albright (Pitt) (3-2)

157 - Seth Creasy (LHU) dec. vs. Donnie Tasser vs. (4-3)

165 - Adam Counterman (Pitt) dec. vs. Kevin Dufresne (LHU) (7-6)

174 -David Sullivan (Pitt) MD vs. Derek Caldwell (LHU) (14-2)

184 - Zac Thomusseit (Pitt) dec. vs. Jeremie Cook (LHU) (6-2)

197 - Matt Wilps (Pitt) MD vs. Harry Turner (LHU) (14-5)

285 - Matt Tomei (Pitt) MD vs. Dan Craig (LHU) (9-0).
Pitt Wrestling Claims Quad Meet With Three Strong Wins

PITTSBURGH - The 21st-ranked Pitt wrestling team improved to 9-1-1 on the year with three dominating wins on the day over Eastern Michigan, Columbia and Waynesburg. The Panthers defeated EMU 25-13, Columbia 28-9 and Waynesburg 39-3.

"The guys did a nice job and they wrestled hard," head coach Rande Stottlemyer said. "The last match (vs. Waynesburg) was nice because we got the backups in and it was an opportunity for them to showcase their talent at home. They are the fiber of our team and work so hard and I was excited that we got a chance to get them out there."

The Panthers had an impressive day as Zac Thomusseit and Matt Wilps each won three matches on the day, while other reserves were successful in their starts.

Thomusseit (St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham) started off the day with a 6-1 decision over Phillip Joseph of Eastern Michigan at 184. He followed that up with an 8-1 decision over Cary Aldrich of Columbia and a 5-2 decision over Corbin Semple of Waynesburg.

Wilps at 197 (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chariters Valley) collected a major decision (13-5) over Josh Lewis of Eastern Michigan, an 8-5 decision over Lou Miller of Columbia and an impressive pin of Robert Schultz in just 0:45.

Claiming falls on the day were Tyler Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) with a pin on Corey Phillips of EMU at 141 (2:21) and Ryan Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) pinned Kevin Lester of Columbia (2:31) in the heavyweight division. In addition, against Waynesburg, Jimmy Conroy recorded a fall over Nick Garber (3:58) at 133 and Adam Counterman recorded a tech fall (19-2) over Jared Roberts at 165, in addition to Wilps' fall in under a minute.

Getting a taste of the starting lineup was Donnie Tasser (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon), who went 2-0 on the day including a 5-4 decision over Matt Dunn of Columbia in three overtimes, and a 15-3 major decision over Alex Evanoff of Waynesburg. Adam Counterman (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) earned the start at 165 against Waynesburg and claimed a 19-2 tech fall over Jared Roberts. Andy Vaughan (Gibsonia, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic) also had a big win over the Jackets with an 11-1 major decision over Matthew Zimmerman at 174.

Pitt will return to action Friday, Jan. 15 when they host Lock Haven at 7 p.m. at Fitzgerald Field House in the Panthers' first EWL match of the year.  

Pitt 25, Eastern Michigan 13

125 - Anthony Zanetta (Pitt) dec. vs. Greg Egbert (EMU) (9-2)

133 - Sean Clair (EMU) dec. vs. Jimmy Conroy (Pitt) (2-0)

141 - Tyler Nauman (Pitt) FALL vs. Corey Phillips (EMU) (2:21)

149 - Eric Albright (Pitt) dec. vs. J.J. Johnson (EMU)(4-2)

157 - Aaron Sulzer (EMU) MD vs. Mark Powell (Pitt) (11-2)

165 - Justin Brandel (EMU) FALL vs. Karl DeCiantis (Pitt) (1:03)

174 - David Sullivan (Pitt) dec. vs. Nick Hendrick (EMU) (9-2)

184 - Zac Thomusseit (Pitt) dec. vs. Phillip Joseph (EMU) (6-1)

197 - Matt Wilps (Pitt) MD vs. Josh Lewis (EMU) (13-5)  

285 - Ryan Tomei (Pitt) dec. vs. David Wade (EMU) (5-1)

Pitt 28, Columbia 9

125 - Kyle Gilchrist (Columbia) dec. vs. Anthony Zanetta (Pitt) (9-3)

133 - Jimmy Conroy (Pitt) MD vs. Andrew Grabfelder (Columbia) (12-0)

141 - Tyler Nauman (Pitt) wins by forfeit

149 - Steve Santos (Columbia) dec. vs. Eric Albright (Pitt) (3-1)

157 - Donnie Tasser (Pitt) dec. OT vs. Matt Dunn (Columbia) (5-4)

165 - Eren Civan (Columbia) dec. vs. Karl DeCiantis (Pitt) (9-5)

174 - David Sullivan (Pitt) dec. vs. Stephen West (Columbia) (5-2)

184 - Zac Thomusseit (Pitt) dec. vs. Cary Aldrich (Columbia) (8-1)

197 - Matt Wilps (Pitt) dec. vs. Lou Miller (Columbia) (8-5)  

285 - Ryan Tomei (Pitt) FALL vs. Kevin Lester (Columbia) (2:31)

Pitt 39, Waynesburg 3

125 - Anthony Zanetta (Pitt) MD vs. Alex Crown (Waynesburg) (14-3)

133 - Jimmy Conroy (Pitt) FALL vs. Nick Garber (Waynesburg) (3:58)

141 - Jesse Byerly (Waynesburg) dec. vs. Victor Konno (Pitt) (8-4)

149 - Kyle Patton (Pitt) dec. vs. Garett Johnston (Waynesburg) (5-4)

157 - Donnie Tasser (Pitt) MD vs. Alex Evanoff (Waynesburg) (15-3)

165 -Adam Counterman (Pitt) Tech FALL vs. Jared Roberts (Waynesburg) (19-2)

174 - Andy Vaughan (Pitt) MD vs. Matthew Zimmerman (Waynesburg) (11-1)

184 - Zac Thomusseit (Pitt) dec. vs. Corbin Semple (Waynesburg) (5-2)

197 - Matt Wilps (Pitt) FALL vs. Robert Schultz (Waynesburg) (0:45)

285 - A.J. Hunte (Pitt) MD vs. Rick Janicki (Waynesburg) (21-8)

Columbia 31, Waynesburg 15

125 - Kyle Gilchrist (Columbia) MD vs. Alex Crown (Waynesburg) (11-0)

133 - Nick Garber (Waynesburg) FALL vs. Andrew Grabfelder (Columbia) (4:00)

141 - Jesse Byerly (Waynesburg) wins by forfeit

149 - Steve Santos (Columbia) MD vs. Garett Johnston (Waynesburg) (10-0)

157 - Matt Dunn (Columbia) MD vs. Jon Sanko (Waynesburg) (14-4)

165 - Eren Civan (Columbia) FALL vs. Jared Roberts (Waynesburg) (2:55)

174 - Stephen West (Columbia) MD vs. Matthew Zimmerman (Waynesburg) (9-1)

184 -Corbin Semple (Waynesburg) dec. vs. Cary Aldrich (Columbia) (7-0)

197 - Lou Miller (Columbia) TF vs. Robert Schultz (Waynesburg) (19-0) (2:54)

285 - Kevin Lester (Columbia) MD vs. Melvin Warrick (Waynesburg) (9-0)

Eastern Michigan 36, Waynesburg 11

125 - Alex Crown (Waynesburg) MD vs. Greg Egbert (EMU) (18-2)

133 - Andrew Novak (EMU) FALL vs. Chris Mullins (Waynesburg) (6:56)

141 - David Pienaar (EMU) dec. vs. Jesse Byerly (Waynesburg) (3-2)

149 - J.J. Johnson (EMU) MD vs. Abdul Yusuff (Waynesburg) (18-0)

157 - Aaron Sulzer (EMU) MD vs. Alex Evanoff (Waynesburg) (11-0)

165 - Alex Ortman (EMU) MD vs. Jared Roberts (Waynesburg) (9-0)

174 - Nick Hendrick (EMU) dec. vs. Matt Zimmerman (Waynesburg) (4-0)

184 - Corbin Semple (Waynesburg) FALL vs. Phillip Joseph (EMU) (5:40)

197 - Josh Lewis (EMU) FALL vs. Robert Schultz (Waynesburg) (2:41)

285 - Wes Schroeder (EMU) MD vs. Melvin Warrick (Waynesburg) (18-3)

Eastern Michigan 21, Columbia 18

125 - Kyle Gilchrist (Columbia) def. Greg Egbert (EMU)

133 - Sean Claire (EMU) def. Andrew Grabfelder (Columbia)

141 - Corey Phillips (EMU) won by forfeit

149 - Steve Santos (Columbia) def. J.J. John son (EMU)

157 - Aaron Sulzer (EMU) def. Matt Dunn (Columbia)

165 - Eren Civan (Columbia) def. Justin Brandel (EMU)

174 - Nick Hendrick (EMU) def. Stephen West (Columbia)

184 - Cary Aldrich (Columbia) def. Phillip Joseph (EMU)

197 - Lou Miller (Columbia) def. Josh Lewis (EMU)

285 - David Wade (EMU) def. Kevin Lester (Columbia)
Six Pitt Wrestlers Place At Nittany Lion Open

PITTSBURGH - The 25th-ranked Pitt wrestling team had a successful day at the Nittany Lion Open Sunday as six Panthers placed, highlighted by a second place finish by junior heavyweight Ryan Tomei.

Also placing on the day were Anthony Zanetta at 125 (fifth), Tyler Nauman at 141 (fifth), Mark Powell at 157 (seventh), Ethan Headlee at 174 (sixth) and Matt Wilps at 197 (fourth) in addition to Tomei.

Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) won his first two matches of the day before falling to the consolation bracket. The true freshman didn't let that discourage him, however, as he won five consecutive, including a major decision and a fall, to take fifth. Zanetta claimed that fifth place spot by a close 9-8 decision over Matthew Snyder of Virginia.

Previously undefeated headed into the weekend, Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) started off the weekend strong at 141 with a 12-0 major decision in the first round over Nicholas Hucke of Missouri, and earned a fall (6:11) over Alex Cournoyer of Boston. Nauman, however, fell in the third round to Colby Pisani of Penn State, 9-3, and dropped to the consolation bracket. Nauman won the next three, including a fall (6:31) over Cody Farinella of Missouri to take fifth.

Powell (Washington, Pa./Trinity/Purdue) went 6-2 on the day to earn a seventh place finish at 157 following a 3-0 decision over Corey Lear of Bucknell. In the 165 weight class, Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg) wrestled unattached and picked up a sixth place finish. On the day, the junior picked up a fall (4:21) against Owen Smith of Maryland and a 14-6 major decision over Michael Billings of Navy.

In the 197 weight class, Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) earned a fourth place finish, including a 10-1 major decision over A.J. Brentzel of Pitt-Johnstown, who wrestled for the Panthers last season. Wilps fell in the third place match, 7-6, to Brent Haynes of Missouri, which placed him fourth overall.

Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) started out the Nittany Lion Open with a fall (6:18) over Mike Cook from Bellefonte and followed it up with a 10-2 major decision over Mike McClure of Michigan State. The junior picked up two more wins before falling in the championship round, 3-2, to Zachery Rey of Lehigh. Tomei is now 14-2 on the year with both losses coming to sixth-ranked Rey.

The Panthers will host both Rutgers and rival Penn State Saturday, Dec. 12 at 5 p.m. at Fitzgerald Field House for Pitt's home opener.
Pitt Wrestling Defeats No. 17 Illinois and Moves To 5-1 On Season

PITTSBURGH - Pitt wrestling picked up its biggest win of the season Sunday morning at the Sprawl & Brawl duals as they went 3-0 on the day, including an 18-15 defeat of No. 17-ranked Illinois. The Panthers also earned victories over Davidson (49-0) and Rider (30-9), to improve to 5-1 on the dual season.

Tyler Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) led the Panthers at 141 with three bonus-point matches on the day including a tech fall and two falls. Nauman continues his undefeated streak, stretching it to 11-0 on the year.

In addition to Nauman, Anthony Zanetta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks), Matt Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley), and Ryan Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) went undefeated on the day. Tomei earned two wins off of forfeits, however.

Pitt began the day against the Fighting Illini in a hard-fought match. The decision came down to the final matchup including No. 20-ranked Tomei and Patrick Walker in the heavyweight division. Tomei left little doubt who would take the win as he won by major decision, 11-0 for the 18-15 match edge.

Possibly the greatest and most important win of the day, however, came from Nauman at 141, who earned a tech fall over 17th-ranked Ryan Prater of Illinois. That match would eventually give Pitt the win with the 10 weight classes split at 5-5.

Also picking up wins against Illinois were Zanetta at 125 (5-2 decision over John Deneen), Mark Powell (Washington, Pa./Trinity/Purdue) (157) claimed a 2-1 decision over Clinton Arlis and Wilps took a 6-0 decision from Martin Smith at 197.

In Pitt's second match of the day, the Panthers dominated, giving up no points to the Davidson Wildcats. Nauman again had an outstanding performance, with a fall (1:28) over Ben Thompson. Zanetta earned a 12-4 major decision over Ben Altman and Zach Grove (York, Pa./Central York) followed that up with a 7-2 decision over William Ray at 133.

Also picking up a major decision was Powell at 157, defeating Joe McGinley, 15-3. At 174, David Sullivan (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./East Stroudsburg) claimed a tech fall over Jorge Estrada and both Zac Thomusseit (St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham) at 184 (4:10 over Ike Crews) and Wilps at 197 (1:46 over Mark Jeevratnam) earned falls against their Davidson opponent. Both Karl DeCiantis (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and Tomei earned a win by forfeit.

Against Rider, Pitt picked up where it left off against the Wildcats. Zanetta picked up a 7-0 decision over Ilyass Elmasouri and Grove earned an 8-2 decision over Jimmy Kirchner. Nauman grabbed his second fall of the day (2:17) over Aaron Nestor to continue his undefeated streak in dual and open tournament competition.

Sullivan claimed a 13-7 decision over Rider's Jim Resnick at 174 and Thomusseit earned a 12-4 major decision over Michael Miller to extend Pitt's lead. Wilps rounded out the action for Pitt for the day with a fall (3:35) over Tyler Smith and Tomei enjoyed a forfeit victory to take the 30-9 team win.

Pitt will travel to the Penn State Open on Dec. 6 and will host its first match of the season with duals against Rutgers and Penn State on Dec. 12 at 5 and 7 p.m. respectively.

Pitt Wrestling Signs Four During Early Period

PITTSBURGH - Pitt wrestling head coach Rande Stottlemyer Wednesday announced his early signing class for 2010. The class includes Jordan Moss (Sharon, Pa.), Max Thomusseit (Saint Paris Graham, Ohio), Tyler Wilps (Chartiers Valley, Pa.) and Zane Yocco (Brandywine Heights, Pa.).

Moss is currently ranked as the No. 8 wrestler in the country at 140 by W.I.N. Magazine, but is expected to wrestler at 157 at Pitt. At the Pennsylvania state championships, Moss has finished fourth in 2007, won the title in 2008 and finished third in 2009.

Thomusseit, ranked as the No. 28 overall recruit in the country by Intermat and No. 5 at 189, is expected to wrestle at either 184 or 197 for the Panthers. Thomusseit's Ohio state tournament history includes a seventh place finish in 2007, third in 2008 and a championship title in 2009. Thomusseit is the brother of current Pitt wrestler and 184-pounder, Zac Thomusseit.

Wilps is expected to suit up at either 165 or 174 when arriving at Pitt. The Chartiers Valley native finished seventh in 2009 at the Pennsylvania state championships. Wilps is the brother of current Pitt sophomore and 197-pounder Matt Wilps.

Yocco, Pitt's final signee, finished seventh two times in the Pennsylvania state championships. While at Pitt, Yocco is expected to wrestle at 133.
Pitt Wrestling Falls To No. 17 Lehigh, 24-9

PITTSBURGH - The Pitt wrestling team (2-1) dropped its first dual match of the year with a 24-9 loss to No. 17 Lehigh on the road. 

The Panthers' Tyler Nauman got the scoring started for Pitt after Lehigh jumped out to a 7-0 lead with a big 5-3 decision over 18th-ranked Seth Ciasulli at 141. Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) remains undefeated on the season with an 8-0 record, including 3-0 in dual matches.

Pitt closed the gap to 9-6 following the 149-pound match when  Eric Albright (York, Pa./New Lion Area/Virginia) earned a 3-2 decision over Brian Tanen of Lehigh to make it two straight decisions for the Panthers. The Mountain Hawks pulled away though, stringing together four straight decisions to take a commanding 21-6 lead. Sophomore Matt Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) claimed a 3-1 sudden victory win over Joe Kennedy at 197, bringing the score to 21-9 in favor of the home team.

In the heavyweight division, junior Ryan Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) dropped his first match of the season to sixth-ranked Zach Rey, 3-2, in the final match of the day.  

Pitt returns to action Nov. 22 for the Sprawl and Brawl Duals in Binghamton, N.Y.

Weight

Match-up

Result

Score/Time

125

John McDonald (Lehigh)

dec.

Chris Kochinsky (Pitt)

12-5

133

Matt Fisk (Lehigh)

Fall

Zach Grove (Pitt)

5:41

141

Tyler Nauman (Pitt)

dec.

Seth Ciasulli (Lehigh)

5-3

149

Eric Albright (Pitt)

dec.

Brian Tanen (Lehigh)

3-2

157

Sean Bilodeau (Lehigh)

dec.

Mark Powell (Pitt)

6-3

165

Mike Galante (Lehigh)

dec.

Karl DiCiantis (Pitt)

8-5

174

Robert Hamlin (Lehigh)

dec.

David Sullivan (Pitt)

3-1

184

David Craig (Lehigh)

dec.

Zac Thomusseit (Pitt)

6-3

197

Matt Wilps (Pitt)

dec.

Joe Kennedy (Lehigh)

3-1, s.v.

285

Zach Rey (Lehigh)

dec.

Ryan Tomei (Pitt)

3-2
Pitt Starts Off Season With Two Wins

PITTSBURGH - The Pitt wrestling team picked up two wins in their first dual matches of the season with a 28-14 win over host school Drexel, and a 35-6 win over Sacred Heart.

Junior Ryan Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) led the team with two wins on two falls on the day in the heavyweight class. Tomei defeated Paul Schweighardt of Sacred Heart by a fall (3:56) and followed that up with a fall (4:22) against Kyle Frey of Drexel. Tomei is now 7-0 on the year with three pins and five total bonus-point wins.

At 149, redshirt senior Eric Albright (York, Pa./Red Lion Area/Virginia) also picked up two wins on the day with a 21-6 major decision over Zach Moran of Sacred Heart, and a 7-4 win over Brent McCurdy of Drexel.

Redshirt senior David Sullivan (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./East Stroudsburg) claimed a 7-0 decision over Michael Hartman of Sacred Heart and defeated Dave Woodall of Drexel, 8-4 at 174.

Zac Thomusseit, a sophomore at 184, captured a 2-0 record on the day. Thomusseit (St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham) picked up a win against Sacred Heart by forfeit, then went on to defeat Justin Wieller of Drexel, 14-2.

At 197, Matt Wilps (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) continued an impressive start to the season, as he defeated Brandon Lapp of Sacred Heart by a fall (3:46) and knocked off Jack Callender of Drexel, 7-3.

Others earning a win on the day for the Panthers were Chris Kochinsky (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) at 125, with a 9-5 decision over Josh Yurasits of Drexel. In the 133 weight class, sophomore Zach Grove (York, Pa./Central York) defeated Justin Belanger of Sacred Heart, 11-7. At 141, redshirt sophomore Tyler Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) defeated Cory Dunn of Sacred Heart, 9-2 and at 157, redshirt senior Mark Powell (Washington, Pa./Trinity/Purdue) took a 4-3 decision from Anthony Priore of Sacred Heart.

The Panthers return to action Sunday with a 2 p.m. meeting at No. 17 Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks are led by Pitt's former four-time All-American Pat Santoro, who was coached by Panther head coach Rande Stottlemyer.

Pittsburgh 28, Drexel 14

125: Chris Kochinsky (P) dec. Josh Yurasits (D), 9-5
133: Steve Mytych (D) FALL Zach Grove (P), 2:15
141: Tyler Nauman (P) FALL Shane Fenningham (D) , 4:19
149: Eric Albright (P), dec. Brent McCurdy (D), 7-4
157: Joe Booth (D) maj. Kyle Patton (P), 15-0
165: Alex Rinaldi (D) dec. Karl Deciantis (P), 6-2
174: Dave Sullivan (P) dec. Dave Woodall (D), 8-4
184: Zac Thomusseit (P) maj. Justin Wieller (D), 14-2
197: Matt Wilps (P) dec. Jack Callender (D), 7-3
285: Ryan Tomei (P) FALL Kyle Frey (D), 4:22


Pittsburgh 35, Sacred Heart 6

125: Pat Feeley (SH) dec. Chris Kochinsky (P), 4-3
133: Zach Grove (P) dec. Justin Belanger (SH), 11-7
141: Tyler Nauman (P) dec. Cory Dunn (SH), 9-2
149: Eric Albright (P) maj. Zach Moran (SH), 21-6
157: Mark Powell (P) dec. Anthony Priore (SH), 4-3
165: Jonathan Rizzitello (SH) dec. Karl Deciantis (P), 9-5
174: Dave Sullivan (P) dec. Michael Hartman (SH), 7-0
184: Zac Thomusseit (P) unopposed/Foreit
197: Matthew Wilps (P) FALL Brandon Lapp (SH), 3:46
285: Ryan Tomei (P) FALL Paul Schweighardt (SH), 3:56
Pitt's Nauman Named EWL's Freshman Wrestler of the Year

PITTSBURGH - Redshirt freshman Tyler Nauman has been named the Eastern Wrestling League's Freshman Wrestler of the Year announced the conference office today, March 24th.

A Middletown, Pa. native, Nauman posted a season record of 29-9 during his first season in the Pitt starting lineup. Of his 29 wins this season, 11 were by fall, the seventh most for a single season in Pitt history. In his career, the 141-pounder has totaled 18 falls, ranking him 14th on the all-time list.

Nauman took second place at both the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and the Keystone Classic this season before winning the 141-pound championship at the year-ending EWL Tournament. He posted a dual record of 11-1, with his only loss coming to No. 11 ranked Drew Lashaway of Kent State, 6-4. In his first NCAA Tournament, Nauman defeated Justin Accordino (Hofstra) in the opening round before falling to eventual two-time national champion, J Jaggers (Ohio State) and Frank Molinero (Penn State).

Nauman joins Coach of the Year Tim Flynn and Wrestler of the Year Jarrod King, as post-season EWL honorees. Coach Tim Flynn led the Edinboro Fighting Scots to a second-place finish at the Oklahoma Gold Classic, a PSAC Tournament Championship, second-place finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions, runner-up finish at the Southern Scuffle, a dual-meet record of 14-4-1, and a first-place finish at the EWL Tournament.

In addition, under Coach Flynn's guidance, Edinboro University grabbed sixth place at the 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Tournament, held in St. Louis.

King, the EWL Wrestler of the Year, hails from Connellsville, Pennsylvania, and is a senior at Edinboro University. Competing at 165 pounds, King had an excellent 2009 season, winning the Oklahoma Gold Classic, the PSAC Tournament, the Reno Tournament of Champions, the EWL Tournament, and the 2009 NCAA Tournament. King completed his senior year with a record of 32-5.
Pitt's Sheaffer Earns All-America in His Final Collegiate Match

ST. LOUIS - Redshirt senior Zach Sheaffer's wrestling career for the University of Pittsburgh came to an end today at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo., today, March 21. With his 2-1 decision in the first tiebreaker over Zachery Rey (Lehigh), Sheaffer became a first-time All-American and just the fourth heavyweight in Pitt history to do so.

An opening-round loss to No. 2 seed Mark Ellis (Missouri) sent the senior to the consolation bracket where he strung together four wins, one of which came by fall, to earn All-America status. He advanced to the All-American round with a 2-1 decision in the first tiebreaker against Jarod Trice (Central Michigan) and a fall over Dominick Russo (Rutgers).

Competing against Rey for the second time this season and the right to be called an All-American, Sheaffer suffered a first-period concussion but remained poised, battling through regulation and sudden victory to set up his win in the first tiebreaker. Following the win, Sheaffer put in for a medical forfeit against Dan Erekson (Iowa) and John Wise (Illinois) to end his tournament.

Sheaffer finishes his career at Pitt tied for 13th on both the all-time wins and falls list with 107 victories and 20 pins.

Three other Panthers were eliminated from the tournament. Junior Jimmy Conroy, redshirt freshman Tyler Nauman and sophomore Ethan Headlee all dropped matches in the consolation bracket. Headlee was a 4-2 winner over Jason Lapham before falling to Trevor Stewart (Central Michigan) 4-3 to finish the tournament 2-2.

Conroy and Nauman both dropped their second matches of the consolation brackets. Nauman fell 5-4 to Frank Molinaro (Penn State) while Conroy lost 14-8 to 12th-seeded Steve Bell (Maryland).

The Panthers conclude the 2008-09 season with at least one All-American for the third straight year.