Spotlight on David White

David White transferred into Binghamton this semester from Army.  He is a true sophomore who started both as a freshman and last semester for the Black Knights.  He went 20-19 last season and won seven matches with bonus points.  He finished 6th at the EIWA Championships, 2nd at the Millersville Shorty Hitchcock Tournament, and 4th at the New York State Collegiate Tournament.

Last semester at Army, David started and turned in a 19-13 record wrestling primarily at 125 pounds.  He took 3rd at the Millersville Shorty Hitchcock Tournament, 5th at the Oklahoma Gold Classic, and finished in the top twelve at the Southern Scuffle.

Since coming to BU, White has wrestled in two tournaments:  the Edinboro Open and the National Collegiate Open.  At the Edinboro Open, he dropped a match in the semifinals by getting defensively pinned when he was winning and injury defaulted to sixth.  This past weekend at the National Collegiate Open, White dropped a hard fought bout in the finals to Dixon of Cornell 2-3 and placed 2nd.  He now stands at 23-16 on the season.  David has quality wins this year over nationally ranked wrestlers, Robinson (ODU), Boylan (Bloomsburg), and Pickrel (South Dakota State).

Here is a video of David's finals match this past Sunday at the National Collegiate Open:  

In high school, David was a PIAA AA State Champion his senior year at 112 pounds.


We are very glad to have David join the Bearcat Wrestling squad and are excited about his future at Binghamton!

Two Minute Tuesday with Patrick Hunter: Episode 22

Week in Review

We had a very good week of training last week.  We lifted on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  The lifts were intense and and the guys responded to them well.  We were on the mat on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Our practices were short and intense.  We worked technique on top each day for a short time.  We did short hard drills this week and going live we did a combination of situations and short goes.  Saturday and Sunday were both recovery days as the guys need to have their legs under them and feel fresh this coming Saturday.  This week, we will continue to get better on top technically, as we do some fine-tuning.  Our practices will be short and hard.  This morning, we did a little top work, followed by a short hard drill then short live goes.  Tomorrow, we will go over some finer points on top and drill hard for about a half hour.  Wednesday is an off day.  Thursday, we will be back with a short top session followed by short live goes.  Friday, we will have a short hard drill and a little live wrestling.  Saturday, we will host the CAA Championships, of which I will preview later this week.  It will be an exciting tournament and we will host it in the Events Center, which is a change from the originally scheduled West Gym.

What do *YOU* want to know?

Usually on Fridays, we preview the dual/tournament for the upcoming weekend.  Since the Bearcats aren't competing this weekend, we'd like to use today's post to find out what our fans and friends would like to know about the Bearcat Wrestling Program.  

Please leave your question or comment below this post in the Comments and we'll start working on getting answers back to you! 

Throwback Thursday Episode 18: Adam Cirlincione

NCAA Conference Qualifiers, Coaches Panel, and RPI

Here is a copy of the press release associated with the qualifier allocations:

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA has announced the qualifier allocations for the 2012 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships as listed in the chart below.

Each qualifying tournament was awarded spots per weight class based on current year data. Each wrestler was measured on the following: Division I winning percentage; rating percentage index (RPI); and coaches ranking. 

For each wrestler that reached the threshold in at least two of the three categories, his qualifying tournament was awarded a qualifying spot in that weight class. Each qualifying tournament, with automatic qualifying status, was awarded a minimum of one wrestler per weight class, which will go to the tournament champion, even if they did not have any wrestlers reach at least two of the three thresholds. NCAA tournament spots for each qualifying event will be awarded at the tournament based solely on place-finish.

After all of the qualifying events have concluded, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee will meet in-person to select the remaining 40 at-large qualifiers, which will be announced on March 7. All weight classes will consist of 33 wrestlers. The at-large selections will be made based on the following criteria: head-to-head competition; qualifying event placement; quality wins; results against common opponents; winning percentage; RPI; coaches ranking and the number of matches contested at that weight class.

Final Coaches Panel Ranking: 

Donnie Vinson #4

Justin Lister #9

Matt Kaylor #24

Nate Schiedel #19

Cody Reed #30

Nick Gwiazdowski #17

Final RPI: 

Donnie Vinson #4

Justin Lister #3

Matt Kaylor #27

Nate Schiedel #18

Cody Reed #27

Nick Gwiazdowski #8

Ranking Roundup 02.22.12

Today's Ranking Roundup will be the last edition of the season.  I will do a post later this week regarding the Coaches Panel & RPI rankings, since they determine the number of qualifiers at each weight per conference.

NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll 02.21.12
BINGHAMTON #19

NWMA Mid Major 02.23.12
BINGHAMTON #6

The Open Mat 02.20.12
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #12
Nick Gwiazdowski #11

Intermat 02.21.12
BINGHAMTON #28
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #10
Nick Gwiazdowski #17

D1 College Wrestling 02.20.12
BINGHAMTON #24
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #9
Matt Kaylor #24
Nate Schiedel #21
Nick Gwiazdowski #8

WIN Magazine 02.21.12
BINGHAMTON #30 (Tournament)
Donnie Vinson #5
Justin Lister #13
Nick Gwiazdowski #16

Wrestling Report 02.21.12
BINGHAMTON #21 (Tournament)
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #7
Matt Kaylor #30
Nate Schiedel #19
Nick Gwiazdowski #12

Amateur Wrestling News 02.20.12
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #7
Nate Schiedel #19
Nick Gwiazdowski #17

CAA 02.21.12
BINGHAMTON #2
Donnie Vinson #1
Justin Lister #1
Matt Kaylor #4
Caleb Wallace #4
Nate Schiedel #2
Cody Reed #3
Nick Gwiazdowski #1

Takedown Wrestling Media Dual Impact Index 02.20.12
BINGHAMTON #20 (Duals)
BINGHAMTON #31 (Tournament)
BINGHAMTON #26 (Dual Component)
Derek Steeley #53
Patrick Hunter #54
Joe Bonaldi #50
Donnie Vinson #11 / #99
Justin Lister #7 / #65
Matt Kaylor #31
Caleb Wallace #58
Nate Schiedel #19
Cody Reed #39
Nick Gwiazdowski #14

Two Minute Tuesday with Patrick Hunter: Episode 21

Week in Review

We had a great week last week as we finished our regular season on a high note.  We beat Old Dominion 29-9 on Friday night.  It was also our senior night and we honored Matt Kaylor, Justin Lister, and Mike McKeever.  I will post more about the seniors and all the great things they have done at BU in the coming weeks.  Here is a recap of the match…

125 – Derek Steeley wrestled one of his best matches this season.  He beat #29 Robinson after giving up the first period takedown.  Derek has been wrestling a little better of late and performing well in the wrestling room but he showed his ability Friday.  It was a back and forth match that was wrestled mostly on the mat.  Derek won 7-5.

133 – Partick Hunter was coming off a very good win over a ranked opponent in the Hofstra dual and we were hoping to carry that momentum into this match but he did not wrestle well.  He looked flat and did not wrestle the match in the positions that he is good in.  He let his opponent wrestle where he was best and it cost him the bout 9-4.

141 – Joe Bonaldi wrestled hard but not nearly his best.  He took several half shots but did not move #26 LaValle enough to get in deep on his shots.  He got caught out of position a few times as LaValle stayed in better position.  He allowed LaValle to wrestle from his best positions (underhook) and not where Joe was best, much like Hunter did in the previous match.  Joe dropped the bout 11-4.

149 – Donnie Vinson again put a lot of points on the board and dominated his opponent.  He scored four takedowns and several sets of back points en route to a 15-5 major decision.  He shut down a bit in the third period as his opponent just tried to hold him out.  Donnie is working this week to get better when a guy is just trying to hold him out.

157 – Justin Lister picked up his 100 win in front of a boisterous home crowd.  He made quick work of his opponent as he threw him to his back in the first twenty seconds.  His opponent fought off his back hard but Lister turned him again and pinned him in just over a minute.  It was a fitting way to wrestle his last home match and pick up his 100th win and his 36^th pin.

165 – Matt Kaylor recorded win number 110 in exciting fashion.  He picked apart his opponent, #21 Warner.  He scored two takedowns, back points, and riding time to secure a 8-2 win over a higher ranked opponent.  Matt is coming on strong at the right time and is looking to close his career on a high note.  We were all excited for him to dominate a nationally ranked opponent on senior night.

174 – Caleb Wallace picked up a nice win.  He scored the first takedown in the first ten seconds in the match and never looked back.  He did a nice job controlling the pace and tempo of the match.  He rode well on top and took his shots when they were there.  The final score was 6-3 but he controlled the entire match and looks to start peaking at the right time.

184 – Nate Schiedel kept the momentum going and put the match away.  He scored a takedown about a minute into the match.  Not long after, he threw a half nelson in and ran his opponent over.  It’s great to get a pin but Nate made it look easy Friday; it’s not like he had an easy match either as Curling has some good wins this year.

197 – Cody Reed did not do enough to win.  He needed to wrestle at a higher pace and force more action in the match.  He allowed his opponent to stand around as neither of them took any real shots till the last twenty-five seconds.  In the last twenty-five seconds, Cody took a bad shot and got scored on.  He immediately got out but it was too little too late.  He will learn from the loss and improve because of it.

 285 – Nick Gwiazdowski got scored on off of his shot as he let his hand up in the first period, but kept his composure and focus.  At the end of the first period he was down 1-2 but broke his opponent.  He ran up the score and put a takedown clinic on his opponent, scoring six takedowns in the final three and a half minutes, including four in the last forty-five seconds.

Next up for the Bearcats are the CAA Championships here at BU in two weeks.  I hope that we can pack the gym and have a great crowd.

Old Dominion Preview

We have one more dual meet left this year.  We take on #23 Old Dominion tonight in the West Gym.  It should be an action packed dual meet with eleven ranked wrestlers between the two teams.  ODU is led by Steve Martin, who is a colorful character whom fans either love or hate.  Martin’s young team has developed as the season has progressed and has been ranked the last five weeks.  They are wrestling their best right now.  The Monarchs are 13-8 on the season and are coming off a dominant 34-3 win over North Carolina State University.  This season, they have beaten nationally ranked Iowa State, Rutgers, and Central Michigan.

Come out and bid BU Seniors Mike McKeever, Matt Kaylor, and Justin Lister farewell in their last home dual meet as Bearcats.  Lister and Kaylor will both wrestle nationally ranked opponents.  McKeever will also wrestle in an exhibition match prior to the dual meet.  I am not sure who he is wrestling so I will not preview him below but their coaches told me they have a match for him.  All three young men have made a huge impact here at BU.  Watch for some career recaps on these three guys in the coming weeks.

Here is a look at the ODU line-up for tonight…

125 – Jerome Robinson is a redshirt freshman for the Monarchs.  He enters tonights match with a 14-7 record and is ranked #29 nationally.  In his last dual meet, he upset #21 ranked Fought of NC State.  He also won the Edinboro Open last weekend.  He did not wrestle first semester as he was injured but is back to full strength.  Last season he redshirted and went 14-9 on the season.  He is quick on his feet and has good shots.  He is a decent rider on top but is definitely best on his feet.

133 – Scott Festejo is a sophomore with a 19-14 record and seven pins.  He is a two-year starter at ODU.  He won nine matches last year as a true freshman wrestling at 141 and 149 pounds.  He was named to the CAA All-Freshman Team last season.  This year, he took 4^th at the Mat Town Invitational.  He likes to shoot, especially a single to the left leg.  He does a tripod to either a stand-up or rolls on bottom.  He rides a left leg on top and a cross wrist.

141 – Justin LaValle is a redshirt sophomore with a 22-12 record.  He has started both years for the Monarchs.  He is ranked #26 nationally and has placed 4^th at the Hokie Open and 1^st at the Cleveland State Open this year.  He redshirted last year and won the Freestyle Junior Pan Ams and went 14-6 last season.  He finished 4^th in the CAA in 2010.  He is a very accomplished freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestler who likes to underhook to shots and body locks.  He is also comfortable in a front head lock and rides a left leg on top.

149 – Brennan Brumley is a redshirt junior and three-year starter. He currently has a 13-14 record but do not let that record fool you as he finished 3^rd in the CAA last season on the strength of a 25-15 record.  He takes half shots to close the gap and shoots a sweep to the right leg.  On top, he rides a left leg and also a spiral and overstep.

157 – John Nicholson is having a breakout year for ODU in his second season as the starter.  He is a redshirt sophomore who is ranked #23.  He has a 23-5 record and took 2^nd this season at the Hokie Open.  He redshirted last year but went 23-8 in 2010 and started for the Monarchs.  He has a good gas tank and shoots a double.  On top, he picks an ankle.

165 – Tristan Warner is having a very good year as a sophomore.  He is 25-11 and ranked 21^st in the country.  He finished 2^nd at the Cleveland State Open this year.  Last season, he won eighteen matches, was named to the CAA All-Freshman Team, and finished 4^th in the CAA at 174 pounds.  He is a funky wrestler.  He relies on scrambling on his feet.  His best position is top, where he rides a left leg.  He rolls around on bottom trying to create scrambles.

174 – Te Edwards is a senior in his first year at ODU after transferring from Arizona State.  Last season at ASU, he qualified for the national championships and won two matches at the NCAA’s.  This year, he is 19-3 and won the early season Hokie Open.  Currently, he is ranked #13 in the country.  He likes to keep matches on his feet as he is slick with duck-unders, slide-bys, and a sweep single to the right leg.

184 – Billy Curling is a redshirt sophomore with a 19-15 record.  He stays in good position and shoots a single leg to both sides.  On top, he does something a little unusual as he typically lines-up on the left side and picks that same ankle from top to a chop (typically you pick a far knee an ankle instead of a near knee and ankle).

197 – Joe Budi is a senior and four-year starter.  He enters the dual with a 19-10 record and a tournament title at the Hokie Open.  He has finished 3^rd in the CAA each of the last two years.  Last year he finished the season with a 20-13 record.  He likes to wrestle from a collar tie and not give his opponent space.  He hand fights hard and shoots off the collar tie.  He rides a right leg on top.

285 – Matt Tourdot is a redshirt freshman that went 15-9 last season.  He is currently 20-12 and finished 6^th at the Hokie Open earlier this season.  He shoots a high single to the right leg.  On top, he rides the right wrist.

-----------------------------------------

Can't make it to tonight's dual? Watch live on BUBearcats.TV for $6.95. The link is here.

Throwback Thursday Episode 17: Jose Moreira

Ranking Roundup 02.15.12

Check out this week's Ranking Roundup below.  Links are provided to complete sets of rankings. I felt like the Roundup was becoming a little mundane, so I've added some commentary to spice things up.

For yesterday having been Valentine's Day, the Bearcats certainly aren't feeling the love this week from some of the ranking services.  I know, I know, rankings don't  matter, what happens in St. Louis matters, but I just don't feel like the Bearcats are getting the respect they deserve at this point in the season. Also, since this is one of the only posts that the Coaching Staff doesn't contribute to, I am giving my two cents.  

NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll 02.14.12
BINGHAMTON #19

NWMA Mid Major Poll 02.12.12
BINGHAMTON #6
*swapped places with Hofstra (#7) after defeating them on Sunday.

Wrestling Report Duals Percentage Index 02.14.12
BINGHAMTON #22

The Open Mat 02.14.12
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #13
Nick Gwiazdowski #12
*fell out of the team rankings here despite the wins over Hofstra & Bloomsburg last week.

Intermat 02.14.12
BINGHAMTON #27
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #10
Nate Schiedel #20
Nick Gwiazdowski #18

D1 College Wrestling 02.14.12
BINGHAMTON #24
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #9
Matt Kaylor #24
Nate Schiedel #20
Nick Gwiazdowski #9
*finally getting in the team rankings at D1CW for the first time this season.

WIN Magazine 02.13.12
BINGHAMTON #31 (Tournament)
Donnie Vinson  #6
Justin Lister #13
Nick Gwiazdowski #18
*I certainly feel like the Bearcats deserve to be in the Team dual rankings here as well, given that all of their losses have come to extremely tough competition.

Wrestling Report 02.13.12
BINGHAMTON #21
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #8
Matt Kaylor #29
Nate Schiedel #18
Cody Reed #30
Nick Gwiazdowski #13

NCAA RPI 02.09.12
Donnie Vinson #6
Justin Lister #3
Matt Kaylor #30
Nate Schiedel #15
Cody Reed #21
Nick Gwiazdowski #7

NCAA Coaches Panel 02.09.12
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #9
Matt Kaylor #25
Nate Schiedel #20
Cody Reed #31
Nick Gwiazdowski #18

CAA 02.14.12
BINGHAMTON #2
Donnie Vinson #1
Justin Lister #1
Matt Kaylor #4
Caleb Wallace #4
Nate Schiedel #2
Cody Reed #3
Nick Gwiazdowski #1
*For the last several weeks, we've been tied for #1 with Rider (hard to justify, since BU defeated them handily, 20-12, at CAA Duals, but I digress).  After defeating Hofstra on Sunday, the Bearcats find themselves in an astonishing second place, behind the Pride (formerly ranked behind both BU and Rider), whom the Bearcats trumped 24-12.  It doesn't make sense to me, but hey, what do I know?

Takedown Wrestling Media Dual Impact Index 02.13.12
BINGHAMTON #20 (Duals)
BINGHAMTON #30 (Tournament)
BINGHAMTON #27 (Dual Component)
Derek Steeley #55
Patrick Hunter #55
Joe Bonaldi #50
Donnie Vinson #11
Justin Lister #7 / #64 PFP
Matt Kaylor #32
Caleb Wallace #57
Nate Schiedel #21
Cody Reed #39
Nick Gwiazdowski #15

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Binghamton’s Vinson CAA Wrestler of Week 

ODU’s Robinson CAA Rookie of Week 

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ—Donnie Vinson of Binghamton University is the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Week and Jerome Robinson of Old Dominion University is the CAA Rookie of the Week, for all competition February 7-13. 

Vinson, a junior 149 from Marathon, NY (Whitney Point), defeated a pair of nationally ranked wrestlers last week, both by major decision.  He won 14-1 over the 29th ranked wrestler from Bloomsburg and defeated the 19th  ranked wrestler from Hofstra 9-1. 

With the victories Vinson improves to 29-4 on the season, including a 17-1 dual meet record. Vinson is ranked fourth in the nation by both the Amateur Wrestling News and InterMat. 

Robinson, a freshman 125 from Toledo, Ohio (Ignatius), went 5-0 last week, including a victory over the 23rd ranked wrestler from North Carolina State and a victory by fall against  Binghamton. He won his weight class at the Edinboro Open, going 4-0 and is ranked fourth in his weight class in the CAA.

Two Minute Tuesday with Patrick Hunter: Episode 20

This past weekend, several wrestlers competed at the Edinboro Open.  Tyler Deuel took 4th at 197, while Brian St James and David White placed 5th and 6th, respectively at 125.

Week in Review

Overall it was a good week for the Bearcats as we picked up two wins against good teams.  On Thursday, we beat Bloomsburg, dropping their record to 15-7 on the year with an 18-15 win.  The match was closer than I expected it to be but we did not wrestle very well overall.  We had a solid crowd of about 700 for the match.  We wrestled better yesterday at Hofstra.  I estimate half of the crowd of about 300 at the Hofstra match supported BU.  We won over #22 Hofstra with a solid 24-12 score.  The Pride fell to 10-3 on the year.

125 – Derek Steeley lost to two good opponents by identical an identical 5-10 score.  In both matches, he started well and scored the opening takedown but gave up back points in both matches.  In fact, against #12 Bonanno, Steeley was up 4-1 going into the second period on the strength of two takedowns.  Derek needs to continue his intensity into the second and third periods as both were winnable matches for him.

133 – Patrick Hunter started very slow this week.  He lost to Wilcox and dug a hole early.  As the match went on, he wrestled better and found his rhythm, scoring a couple of takedowns.  However, it was too little too late and he dropped the decision.  Against #26 Franco, Hunter again started slow but used three third period takedowns and another takedown in overtime to take the match.  It was a big win for Hunter and he needs to get his heart rate higher before he steps on the mat this week.

141 – Joe Bonaldi split matches this week.  Against Shingara of Bloomsburg, he did a nice job controlling the pace and the hand fighting.  He was in on several shots and scored defensively.  The final score was 5-3 for Joe.  In his match with #25 Vaith, Joe was definitely the aggressor and I think Joe out-wrestled Vaith.  Vaith was a little smarter in positions and scored on the edge.  Joe did not commit to his shots; he took too many half shots and not enough real shots.

149 – Donnie Vinson picked up two wins this week over ranked opponents.  On Thursday, he hammered #29 Busler of Bloomsburg 14-1.  He scored with several leg attacks and also scored on top.  He quickly got off bottom in the match and got right back on the attack.  He majored #24 Accordino of Hofstra 9-1 yesterday.  He opened strong against Accordino.  Accordino tried to get him in his cement mixer and Donnie wrestled a bit more conservative as that was all his opponent was trying for.  Donnie is a true competitor and was upset with himself this week that he did not get a technical fall and/or a pin in both matches.  I think that is a great sign about his current mindset.

157 – Lister did not have his best week as he was battling sickness but competed in both duals.  He lost to #7 Hickman on Thursday.  He wrestled the first two periods very well controlling the match before hitting the wall.  He actually threw-up on the mat during the match and had a terrible third period.  Yesterday, he wrestled much better scoring a major decision over Banks.  He scored several takedowns in the match and Banks clammed-up on bottom just trying not to get turned.

165 – Matt Kaylor had a good week and is wrestling well.  He dominated both of his opponents this week.  He scored several takedowns against Smith of Bloomsburg.  He was looking for a major late in the third period but walked into a shot and got taken down but still won 11-6.  Then, he was hoping to gain a little revenge on Hofstra’s returning All-American Gillespie in the dual but instead Hofstra bumped him up to 174 and sent Varela (2011 National Qualifier) to the mat.  Kaylor completely dominated the match, beating him 17-5.

174 – Caleb Wallace had his work cut out for him this week as he wrestled two top twenty ranked opponents.  On Thursday, he wrestled #20 Dessino.  He was in a tight 1-2 match with riding time going into the third period.  He picked bottom and nearly got out but as he turned to cut out, Dessino pulled him to his back to get a set of back points and the match ended 1-5.  Then, #15 Gillespie scored a 9-2 decision over Caleb.  Caleb wrestled well the first two periods and was in scoring position a couple of times as he had some good shots.

184 – Nate Schiedel had a technical fall win on Thursday against Shirley.  He scored on his feet and both top and bottom.  He dominated in all positions.  Yesterday, he outwrestled his opponent but lost 1-0.  He controlled the pace on his feet as #9 Clymer backed up the first three minutes.  The second period, Nate got rode out.  Third period, Nate took the riding time off but and cut Clymer but was unable to secure the winning takedown.  He will learn for the match and beat Clymer at CAA’s.

197 – Cody Reed split his matches this week.  On Thursday, he dropped a 7-4 decision to #24 Perry of Bloomsburg.  He was the more aggressive wrestler but Perry scored on counter shots as Cody came out of position and allowed an opening for the reshot.  Yesterday, he put the Hofstra match out of reach for the Pride.  He got a takedown in the first period and rode his opponent.  He then chose bottom in the second period and scored a reversal to back points and a fall.  It was his first pin of the season.

285 – Nick Gwiazdowski picked up two more wins this week.  The only points that were scored on him were escape points.  He nearly got the major over Walsh 12-5 as he cut him late in the third period looking to get one more takedown.  Then, he beat retuning CAA Champion, Snyder of Hofstra by a 4-1 score.  He scored a takedown, an escape, and a riding time point in the bout.  He controlled the pace of both matches and all of the action.

Here is a link to the Bloomsburg highlights form the BU Sports Information Department 

Here is a link to the BU Sports Information Department on the Hofstra match

Photos are now available on the Photos page.

Hofstra Preview

We wrestle Hofstra on Sunday at 1PM at Hosfra.  It should be an exciting dual meet as they are 10-1 on the season and 4-0 in CAA Duals.  The Pride are ranked #22 in the country.  They have a good team with wrestlers nationally ranked.  Let’s take a look at their line-up.

125 – Steve Bonanno is currently ranked 12^th in the country.  He has a 22-6 record this year and is a redshirt junior in his third year as a starter.  He finished 2^nd at the Binghamton Open, 3^rd at the Las Vegas Invitational, and 6^th at the Southern Scuffle this season.  He is a two-time NCAA Qualifier as well as a two-time CAA Finalist.  He finished last season 24-13 and has been nationally ranked both of the last two years.  He is very solid in all areas and has good leg attacks.

133 – Jamie Franco is nationally ranked #26.  The redshirt sophomore carries a 16-9 record.  He is a two-year starter who redshirted last season.  Franco is currently ranked 2^nd in the CAA.  He placed 6^th at the Binghamton Open and finished in the top twelve at the Southern Scuffle this year.  He stays in good position and is very difficult to score on.  Franco also rides well on top.

141 – Luke Vaith is a redshirt sophomore who is ranked 25^th in the country.  He has a 16-8 record on the season and is a two-year starter.  He finished in the top twelve at the Las Vegas Invitational in December.  He redshirted last season with a 15-8 record.  In 2010, Vaith was a CAA Finalist.  He is currently ranked 4^th in the CAA.  Vaith has a good high crotch to a single and a single both to the left leg.

149 – Justin Accordino is also nationally ranked at #24.  He is a redshirt senior with a 19-8 record.  He finished in the top eight at the Binghamton Open, the Las Vegas Invitational, and the Southern Scuffle this season.  He had the last two seasons cut short due to injury.  In 2009, he was a national qualifier.  He is currently ranked 3^rd in the CAA.  Accordino has a devastating cement mixer and is tough on top.

157 – Tyler Banks is a redshirt junior with a 10-9 record.  Last season, he finished 3^rd in the CAA, going 21-16 on the year.  Banks rides legs on top.

165 – Returning All-American PJ Gillespie starts for the Pride.  He is a redshirt senior with a 22-5 record.  He is a four-year starter and three-time national qualifier.  Gillespie won the Binghamton Open, took 2^nd at the Las Vegas Invitational, and 4^th at the Southern Scuffle.  He has made the CAA Finals all three years and went 28-10 last year.  He is currently ranked 15^th in the country and 3^rd in the CAA.  Gillespie is solid on top and very good on his feet.  His matches are typically low scoring as it is very difficult to score on him.

174 – Jermaine John is the only freshman in Hofstra’s line-up.  He has a 7-13 record on the season.  He is explosive and has a good double leg shot.

184 – The current CAA Wrestler of the Week, Ben Clymer, is a senior and a four-year starter.  He has had a very good career at Hofstra and is currently ranked 9^th in the country.  He is ranked 1^st in the CAA and has a 23-5 record on the year.  He finished 2^nd at the Binghamton Open, 4^th at the Southern Scuffle, and in the top twelve at the Las Vegas Invitational.  Last season he was a national qualifier after winning the CAA Conference.  Last year, he finished with a 22-10 record.  Top is his best position as he rides a left leg on top and is a good turner.

197 – Tim Murphy is a redshirt sophomore who is 10-16 on the season.  He finished 2^nd at the Central New Jersey Open and 4^th at the Mat Town Open this season.  Murphy wrestles hard and keeps a good pace.

285 – Reigning CAA Champion, Paul Snyder, is a redshirt junior.  Earlier this season, he finished 3^rd at the Binghamton Open and in the top twelve at the Southern Scuffle.  He qualified for nationals last season and went 25-16 on the year.  This season, he is 15-9 and ranked 3^rd in the CAA.  He likes to use slide-byes and bump-byes to score his takedowns.

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A link to the BU press release from last night's dual with Bloomsburg is here.

Photos from last night have been added to the photos page.

Bloomsburg Preview

We wrestle Bloomsburg tonight.  Bloomsburg is a school that I like to compete against as it is my alma matter and is coached by my former coach and mentor John Stutzman.  Watch for Bloomsburg to wrestle and hand fight hard.  Stutzman preaches a physical style of wrestling with a lot of pulling and moving forward.  Up and down the line-up they will try to control the handfighting with snaps, underhooks, two-on-ones, and front headlocks.  They enter the dual with an impressive 15-6 dual meet record and five wrestlers nationally ranked.  Here is a look at their line-up...

125 – Sean Boylan is 16-14 on the season as a sophomore and currently on a four match winning streak.  He is a two-year starter who placed 2^nd at the PSAC and 3^rd at the Mat Town Invitational this year.  He was the PSAC Freshman of the year last season after taking 2^nd at the PSAC and 3^rd at the EWL with a 20-13 record.  Boylan is a tough rider on top and explosive off of bottom.  On his feet, he likes to shoot a single.

133 – Nick Wilcox is a sophomore from nearby Greene High School and in his second season as a starter.  He has a 22-13 record on the season and is on a three match win streak.  He has placed 2^nd at the PSAC, 5^th at the Mat Town Invitational, and 4^th at the Body Bar this season.  Last year, Wilcox won the PSAC Championships and picked up 19 wins.  He likes to underhook and front headlock, as well as shoots a single to the right leg.  On top, he rides well and will throw in a leg.

141 – Derek Shingara is a sophomore and two-year starter.  He started the season up at 149 pounds but is now back down at 141 and has a 19-12 record and seven pins.  He took 3^rd at the PSAC Championships and finished in the top eight at the Mat Town Invitational.  Last season, Shingara won the PSAC and took 4^th at the EWL Championships with 20 wins on the season.  He likes to shoot a firemans cary and is hard to move out of position.

149 – Bryce Busler is a junior with a 22-8 record.  He is currently ranked 31^st in the country by the NCAA Coaches Poll.  He has seen time in Bloom’s starting line-up all three years he has been there.  He finished 3^rd at the PSAC Championships and 4^th at the Mat Town Invite this year.  Busler took 3^rd at the University Nationals last year.  He likes to shoot off an underhook and wrestle from a front head lock.

157 – Frank Hickman is the Huskies’ best wrestler.  He is currently ranked 8^th in the country by the NCAA Coaches Poll.  He is a returning national qualifier who finished in the top sixteen at the national tournament last season with 27 wins.  He is a redshirt junior with a 25-4 record and six pins.  He won the PSAC Championships and was named as the outstanding wrestler of the tournament.  He also won the Mat Town Invitational this season.  He also finished 2^nd at the Body Bar losing a tight match to two-time national champion, Dake of Cornell.  Hickman likes to snap and post to his shots.  He will try to hang on his opponents head until he sees and opening to shoot.  He is hard to move out of position and wrestles hard.  He has a good tilt on top.

165 – Kevin Hartnett is the starter for the Huskies.  He is a redshirt sophomore who carries a 19-11 record into the match.  He finished in the top eight at the Body Bar and 4^th at PSAC’s this year.  Hartnett had 27 wins last season.  He shoots a sweep single to the right leg.  He rides a left leg on top and cross wrist tilts as well.

174 – Mike Dessino is one of the Huskies' best wrestlers.  He is currently ranked 28^th in the country by the NCAA Coaches Poll.  He is a junior with a 25-8 record and is on a five match winning streak.  He took the tournament title at the PSAC Championships to go along with a 3^rd place finish at the Body Bar and a 5^th place finish at the Mat Town Invitational.  Dessino has 14 pins on the season, including pinning his last three opponents.  He is a returning national qualifier who won both the EWL and PSAC Championships last year with 25 wins on the season.  Dessino is very strong and handfights well.  He is always looking for the fall as he is very good as securing the fall once his opponent is on his back.

184 – Sam Shirey is a redshirt sophomore with an 18-16 record.  He finished 5^th at the PSAC Championships and in the top eight at the Mat Town Invitational.  Shirey has a good inside trip.

197 – Rich Perry is also a redshirt sophomore with a 27-9 record.  He is currently ranked 29^th in the country by the NCAA Coaches Poll.  He finished 3^rd at the PSAC Championships this season.  He has also placed 5^th at both the Body Bar and the Mat Town Invitational this year. He has a nice double leg and is tough to score on.

285 – Zac Walsh is a fifth-year senior and four-year starter.  He is currently ranked 31^st in the country by the NCAA Coaches Poll.  He enters the dual with a 20-12 record.  He finished 5^th at the PSAC’s, 5^th at the Mat Town Invitational, and 4^th at the Body Bar Tournament this season.  Last season, he finished as the EWL Runner-Up with 19 wins.  He rides a leg on top and shoots.

If  you're unable to make it to the West Gym tonight, you can watch the match live on PAWR at this link.

Ranking Roundup 02.08.12

NWCA/USA Today 02.07.12
BINGHAMTON #19

NWMA Mid-Major Ranking 02.08.12
BINGHAMTON #7

Wrestling Report Duals Percentage Index 02.07.12
BINGHAMTON #25

The Open Mat 02.06.12
BINGHAMTON #25
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #9
Nick Gwiazdowski #12

Intermat 02.07.12
BINGHAMTON #26
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #12
Nate Schiedel #20
Nick Gwiazdowski #18

D1 College Wrestling 02.06.12
Donnie Vinson #5
Justin Lister #8
Matt Kaylor #25
Nate Schiedel #20
Nick Gwiazdowski #10

WIN Magazine 02.06.12
BINGHAMTON #24 (tie Virginia Tech)
Donnie Vinson #7
Justin Lister #6
Nick Gwiazdowski #18

Amateur Wrestling News 02.07.12
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #8
Nate Schiedel #17
Nick Gwiazdowski #17

Wrestling Report 02.06.12
BINGHAMTON #23
Donnie Vinson #5
Justin Lister #8
Matt Kaylor #28
Nate Schiedel #18
Cody Reed #32
Nick Gwiazdowski #14

CAA 02.07.12
BINGHAMTON #1 (tie Rider)
Donnie Vinson #1
Justin Lister #1
Matt Kaylor #4
Caleb Wallace #4
Nate Schiedel #2
Cody Reed #3
Nick Gwiazdowski #1

Takedown Wrestling Media Dual Impact Index
BINGHAMTON #22 (Duals)
BINGHAMTON #30 (Tournament)
BINGHAMTON #26 (Dual Component)
Derek Steeley #57
Patrick Hunter #52
Joe Bonaldi #50
Donnie Vinson #11
Justin Lister #6 / #64
Matt Kaylor #33
Caleb Wallace #57
Nate Schiedel #18
Cody Reed #38
Nick Gwiazdowski #15

Two Minute Tuesday with Patrick Hunter: Episode 19

Week in Review

We had a tough match on Friday against American.  We lost several close matches and dropped the dual meet 15-18.  Steeley lost 3-5.  He needs to wrestle in matches like he does in the wrestling room.  Hunter wrestled well and won with a takedown & back points.  He scored on four nice takedowns and moved very well on his feet.  He had the major but Borshoff was able to escape with just a few seconds left on the clock.  Bonaldi was in the match with a top twelve opponent, Mariacher.  Mariacher controlled the match early, but Joe came alive in the third period and scored a takedown.  He cut his opponent to try for another takedown but got caught off guard and scored on at the end of the match.  Vinson completely dominated his opponent, moved forward, and controlled the match.  His opponent backed up and tried to hold him out.  Vinson still found ways to score points and dominate.  Lister scored an early takedown on #3 Sanjaa but Sanjaa scored two takedowns in the match to win 5-3.  Lister showed the ability to score almost at will but wrestled a bit inconsistent at different times in the match.  Kaylor dominated his opponent.  I think he scored more takedowns in the match than I did my entire first year of college wrestling!  He looked great on his feet and got right out on bottom.   Kaylor wrestled very well on top, accumulating a ton of riding time.  Wallace scored a couple of takedowns in the first period and started very well but took a minor injury in the second period.  After taking an injury timeout, he was not the same and lost the bout.  Schiedel continued to wrestle well.  He picked up his fifth consecutive win with a technical fall.  He controlled the entire match but really picked up his pace in the third period.  I thought he had the fall, but his opponent fought hard off his back and put an impressive twenty-four points on the board.  Reed scored a takedown and escape but was unable to score the winning takedown after his opponent scored two takedowns in scrambles.  His opponent was able to hold him out in the final thirty seconds for the win.  Gwiazdowski was in on several shots against #1 Flores but Flores was able to score defensively.  Gwiazdowski was the aggressor and set a high pace but Flores picked up the win.  Overall, I feel like we wrestled more aggressively but not as smart as we should have in some positions.  We have my alma matter, Bloomsburg, at home on Thursday at 7PM.

American Dual Preview

We take on American University tonight at 7PM.  American is ranked 11^th in the country by Intermat.  They are coming off a 5^th place finish at the NCAA Championships last season.  They are led by returning All-Americans in Sanjaa (157 pounds) and Flores (heavyweight).  They have six wrestlers who are currently nationally ranked.  They are a seasoned team as they have four seniors, five juniors, and one freshman in their line-up.

125 – Thomas Williams is a four year starter for AU and a redshirt senior.  He is a veteran who has competed in almost 120 collegiate matches.  He placed at the 2010 EIWA Championships up at 133 pounds.  This season, he placed in the top four at both the Keystone Classic and the Oklahoma Gold Classic.  He has a 14-10 record and is currently ranked #31 in the country.  He shoots a single leg and rides legs on top.

133 – Corey Borshoff is the Eagle’s starter.  Corey is a redshirt junior.  He comes from a great wrestling family. Coach Jasen Borshoff is his oldest brother, AU All-American and current head assistant Kyle Borshoff is an older brother, and his father is Tim Borshoff, a NCAA National Runner-Up for Binghamton.  He has only competed in seven matches this season as he was injured earlier in the season.  He likes to create scrambles.

141 – Matt Mariacher is a four-year starter and a redshirt senior.  He is ranked #12 in the country.  He has 86 career wins and is 5^th all-time on AU’s dual meet win list with 37 career dual meet wins (two wins behind Coach Jasen Borshoff).  He has a 16-6 record so far this year and placed 2^nd at the Oklahoma Gold Classic and 1^st at the Keystone Classic.  Last season, he was top twelve at the NCAA Championships.  He is a two-time national qualifier and has placed 1^st and 6^th at the EIWA Championships.  He is slick on his feet with a high crotch and a single leg takedown.  Watch for him to crab ride and tilt on top.

149 – Kevin Tao is a junior and a two year starter.  He is ranked #32 in the country.  He also wrestled and started for one season at Columbia University.  So far this season, he placed 4^th at the Keystone Classic and 5^th at the Oklahoma Gold Classic.  He likes to roll around and create scrambles.

157 – Ganbayar Sanjaa is a senior and two year starter after transferring from Colby Community College.  He was a national champion and national runner-up at the junior college level before transferring to American and placing 4^th in the nation last season.  He also placed 4^th in the EIWA Championships last year and had a 26-8 record.  He was an Academic All-American last year.  This year, he is 14-1 and is ranked #3 in the country.  He placed 2^nd at the prestigious Midlands Championships this season.  He likes to throw and front head lock his opponents.

165 – Mark Cirello is a redshirt freshman for the Eagles.  He enters tonight’s dual with a 5-13 record.  He redshirted last season.  In 2010, he finished 4^th at the NCWA Nationals.

174 – Phillip Barreiro is a redshirt junior and a three-year starter.  He has a 7-14 record.  His twin brother is the 184 pound starter.  He wrestles hard.

184 – Thomas Barreiro is a redshirt junior and is also a three-year starter.  He enters the dual tonight with an 11-15 record.  He finished 3^rd at the Oklahoma Gold Classic and 6^th at the Keystone Classic this season.  Like his brother, he also wrestles hard.

197 – Dan Mitchell is a three-year starter and a junior for AU.  He has a 13-6 record on the season and is ranked #17 in the country.  He placed 3^rd at the Penn State Open and 4^th at the Midlands Championships this season.  In the last two years, he placed 3^rd and 4^th at the EIWA Championships.  He is a two-time national qualifier.  He is very strong and has good hips.  He likes to shoot and body lock his opponent.  On top, he rides legs and a power half.

285 – Ryan Flores is the #1 ranked wrestler in the country.  He has a perfect 8-0 record on the season, with seven pins, six of which have come in the first period.  He was a national runner-up last season after winning the EIWA Tournament.  He is a two-time national qualifier and an Academic All-American.  He took 3^rd at Midlands last year.  Prior to his time at American, he wrestled at Columbia University, where he won the EIWA Championships in 2009 and placed 2^nd in the EIWA Championships in 2008, qualifying for the national tournament both years.  He has a 79-18 career record and has qualified for nationals all three years.  He can shoot and scramble.  He is also tough on the mat as well as he rides legs on top and looks for reversals on bottom.

Check out the BU Press Release for tonight's dual.

Throwback Thursday Episode 16: Brian Colao

Ranking Roundup 02.01.12

NWCA/USA Today 01.31.2012
BINGHAMTON #18

NCAA Mid-Major 02.01.2012
BINGHAMTON #6

Wrestling Report Duals Percentage Index 01.31.2012
BINGHAMTON #23

WIN Magazine 01.30.2012
BINGHAMTON #25 (Tournament - tie w/ Penn)
BINGHAMTON #19 (Duals)
Donnie Vinson #8
Justin Lister #6
Nick Gwiazdowski #19

Intermat 01.31.2012
BINGHAMTON #27
Donnie Vinson #4
Justin Lister #10
Nate Schiedel #20
Nick Gwiazdowski #19

CAA 01.31.2012
BINGHAMTON #1 (tie w/ Rider)
Donnie Vinson #1
Justin Lister #1
Matt Kaylor #4
Caleb Wallace #4
Nate Schiedel  #2
Cody Reed #3
Nick Gwiazdowski #1

Wrestling Report D1 Rankings 01.30.2012
BINGHAMTON #23
Donnie Vinson #6
Justin Lister #8
Matt Kaylor  #28
Nate Schiedel #19
Cody Reed #31
Nick Gwiazdowski #14

D1 College Wrestling 01.30.2012
Donnie Vinson #6
Justin Lister #9
Matt Kaylor #24
Nate Schiedel #20
Nick Gwiazdowski #10

The Open Mat 01.30.2012
BINGHAMTON #22
Donnie Vinson #6
Justin Lister #10
Nick Gwiazdowski #12

Wrestling Report Atlantic Regional 02.01.2012
Patrick Hunter #25
Donnie Vinson #3
Justin Lister #5
Matt Kaylor  #13
Caleb Wallace #25
Nate Schiedel #8
Cody Reed #14
Nick Gwiazdowski #8

Takedown Wrestling Media Dual Impact Index 01.30.2012
BINGHAMTON #20 (Duals)
BINGHAMTON #28 (Tournament - tie with Stanford)
Derek Steeley #51
Patrick Hunter #54
Joe Bonaldi #49
Donnie Vinson #10
Justin Lister #6 / #46 pound-for-pound
Matt Kaylor #33
Caleb Wallace #57
Nate Schiedel #18
Cody Reed #38
Nick Gwiazdowski #15