Dayton Pitzer has only wrestled six matches in college, just placed 2nd at Midlands, and is an undeniable title contender.

His results thus far:

• 10-1 over ranked Nathan Taylor
• 7-3 over returning qualifier Houghton
• 10-0 over returning qualifier Wolfgram
• 4-0 over returning finalist Schultz
• Fall over All American Hillger (Hillger was winning 2-1 at time of fall)
• 4-0 loss to All American Davison

That’s outscoring his opponents 32-10 with about an hour of riding time.

Pitt wrestling’s prized heavyweight recruit, who notched 3 PIAA titles at Mt. Pleasant and finished his HS career with 100 pins, is making the case – nay, the case has already been made – that he needs to be in the starting lineup. Here’s why.

No one has a five-year crystal ball. Redshirting him this year on the premise he’ll be even better 4-5 years from now is the traditional way of thinking, but there are so many unforeseeable risks. Injuries, burnout, the NCAA inexplicably cancelling the post-season and not giving the seniors an extra year, etc.

Pitzer is ready now. He just shutout the returning finalist in dominant fashion. He needs to wrestle now.

Maybe he doesn’t win NCAAs this year, maybe he does. Maybe he places 2-8 and is eventually a 4x All American.

If he redshirts, maybe he’s a 4x NCAA champ. Doubtful, but possible. Maybe some super stud (Nick Feldman) emerges, and he never wins. The point is you can’t trade a definite in the present for a probability in the future.

“He’s pretty special. I wouldn’t be surprised if they pull his redshirt. I don’t think they want to – I think they want to get him bigger – but he’s really good. He’s going to be a podium guy if he wrestles this year,” Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro told Eric Knopsnyder after Pitzer’s debut.

For the sake of fairness, let’s discuss a few reasons why he should redshirt.

• 5 > 4. Having him around the program five years for hype and recruiting is obviously a plus
• 4 > 3. Having him and Mac Stout close out the dual lineup four consecutive years would be awesome
• The undeniable benefit of an extra year to train and get stronger

But those are weak arguments. What about the hype of having a true freshman AA at heavyweight, propelling Pitt to a top-10 finish at NCAAs, and an ACC team title? He and Mac will still close out three straight seasons, and that gives Keith Gavin plenty of time to recruit the next big man. Does he need an extra year to train? He’s only 220lbs, but guys 50lbs heavier can’t even get to their base on bottom. I know he’ll be even more dominant next year (assuming no injuries), but he is ready to go.

Iowa pulled Spencer Lee’s redshirt when he was ready to win an NCAA championship. Penn State pulled Mark Hall’s redshirt when he was ready to win an NCAA championship. Pitt should do the same with Dayton Pitzer.

The post Patrick: Dayton Pitzer Needs to Start for Pitt Wrestling appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

PITTSBURGH, PA — Pitt needed everything to go right on Sunday, and after VT took two swing matches at 125 and 133, the dual was essentially out of hand. Pitt wrestled well in seven bouts, was clearly out-matched in two, and suffered an unexpected shortcoming in one. The dual was tied 9-9 after six matches, and could’ve swung either way multiple times throughout.

With the 24-12 loss, Pitt falls to 1-1 in ACC competition (6-4 overall), with conference duals still remaining against top ranked North Carolina State, North Carolina, and Duke, and a non-conference match versus Columbia before beginning the post-season.

“There were a couple key matches we needed to win that we didn’t get,” Pitt head coach Keith Gavin said. “Give Virginia Tech credit. They have a good team. That’s what it’s like in the ACC. We’ll have another tough test next week against UNC. We have to keep learning and improving.”

Winning for Pitt: Cole Matthews continued his hot streak at 141, Elijah Cleary earned a dramatic overtime victory at 157, Jake Wentzel dominated at 165, and Nino Bonaccorsi cruised at 197.

The biggest surprise of the dual was sixth year Gregg Harvey getting worked over with a bar and getting pinned in the first period by 12th ranked Hunter Bolen. Also losing was Gage Curry in a tight bout, Luke Kemerer falling to fellow WPIAL native Sam Hillegas (North Hills) at 149, and James Lledo (174) and Jake Slinger (285) giving up bonus points to No. 3 Mekhi Lewis and No. 14 Nathan Traxler, respectively.

Recap:

125: Gage Curry led things off with a nice takedown in the first, but ceded one as well. Sam Latona put on a tough ride in the third, and after getting a late escape, there wasn’t enough time to score for Curry, and the match ended 5-3 in favor of Latona.

3-0 VT

133: Micky Phillippi faced off against long-time high school and college rival Korbin Myers yet again. They’ve gone back and forth all their lives, and this edition was as close as ever. After some great hand fighting and some back and forth shots, there was no score after the first, and just Micky’s quick escape after the second. That’s when the drama started. After a clear false start on Myers (his second), Micky was called for an illegal cutback giving Myers one penalty point. Myers then escaped with just four seconds to go before Micky had riding time secured. After a furious attempt to score late, Micky came up just short and fell 2-1. An extra four seconds of riding, not calling the cutback, or correctly calling three cautions, and it would have been 2-2 in OT.

6-0 VT

141: Cole Matthews continued his solid wrestling against Collin Gerardi. After two periods of Cole working for offense from the front-head position, Gerardi took a shot and Cole was able to counter him to his back. The crowd immediately stood up anticipating a pin, but in eerily similar fashion to Jaydin Eierman’s identical move on Nick Lee Friday night, Cole was unable to keep control and no points were awarded. Gerardi escaped in the third, but a go-behind counter takedown gave Cole the lead. After a nice mat return, Cole immediately locked up a far cradle and almost got the fall yet again. It was an exciting match, and another good stepping stone for Matthews. “He’s a good wrestler. We need to keep him healthy,” Gavin added. The final score was 8-2.

6-3 VT

149: Luke Kemerer took on Tech’s back up Sam Hillegas; Bryce Andonian, ranked No. 7, is the regular. Hillegas got off to a fast start with a takedown, and after riding parallel for 2:39, ended the first in control. An escape for Hillegas was all the scoring in the second. Luke chose neutral to start the third, and put up a really nice takedown, but there was simply not enough time to close the gap, and Hillegas prevailed 5-2.

9-3 VT

157: In another toss-up, No. 21 Elijah Cleary battled No. 23 Connor Brady to the wire. Brady was in deep two times in regulation, but Cleary’s stout defense fended him off. “Positionally, he’s good,” praised Gavin. “He has good hips.” Brady got deep again in OT with a high crotch, but once again the veteran’s savviness paid off, and Cleary was able to counter with a cradle. Like Matthews, he didn’t have enough control for the pin, but it was an impressive display, nonetheless. With his two nearfall points, Cleary emerged victorious 5-1.

9-6 VT

165: Jake Wentzel spent most of the match pummeling for double under-hooks, and midway through the first, came very close to body locking Clayton Ulrey right to his back.

Jake Wentzel (Pitt) attempts to take Clayton Ulrey (VT) to his back. Wentzel won 5-1. Photo courtesy of Pitt Athletics.

Alas, he would settle for just the takedown. After a quick escape in the third, Wentzel kept going to work for that body lock, but was unable to generate any more offense. A stalling point on Ulrey and riding time made it a 5-1 decision for the Panther. Of note: after a VT challenge, Jake was called for the same illegal cutback as Micky, giving Ulrey his only point. Gavin mentioned he needs to get clarification from the head ACC official.

9-9

174: James Lledo was clearly outmatched by NCAA Champion Mekhi Lewis, now up a weight class. The Hokie’s offense was too much to handle, and a late takedown with back points made the final score 22-5, a technical fall.

14-9 VT

184: Pitt fans may remember Nino’s exciting ride out win over Hunter Bolen at the Field House two years ago, and perhaps were hoping for similar magic again today. Unfortunately, things did not work out so nicely this time for the Panther faithful. Bolen took down Gregg Harvey early in the first. He then used a brutal bar-arm to turn 31st ranked Harvey and secured the fall at 1:33. Bolen is ranked 12th in the deep weight class of 184.

20-9 VT

197: Nino was clearly the superior wrestler in this Sunday matinee’s penultimate bout. He dispatched No. 33 Dakota Howard 6-1 with two takedowns, an escape, and a riding time point. It was obvious to anyone watching Nino could have racked up a few more takedowns for the major if he had cut him in the third, but coach Gavin explained Nino needed some match experience riding, and decided to let him work from the top position.

Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) scores a takedown on Dakota Howard (VT). Photo courtesy of Pitt Athletics.

20-12 VT

285: Coming off a solid win over Quinn Miller of UVA, Jake Slinger had no pressure on him with the dual out of reach. Facing off against No. 12 Nathan Traxler would provide another tough test for the Upper St. Clair native, and Pitt fans were anxious to see how their heavyweight stacked up. Traxler was clearly better today, showing off two beautiful ankle picks, suffocating riding, and a four-point turn. He closed out a 12-0 major decision with over four minutes of riding.

Final score: 24-12 VT

Pitt will be back on the mat Friday, February 4th in Chapel Hill, NC for another conference showdown with the Tar Heels. Note: Pitt’s home match on Sunday, February 6th versus Columbia will be in the Peterson Events Center.

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Thank you to everyone who has helped me though this process. I am honored to announce I will be furthering my academic and athletic career at the University of Pittsburgh. Go Panthers #H2P @Pitt_WRES @PAPowerWrestle

— Grant MacKay (@OfficialGMacKay) October 6, 2021

MacKay won the PIAA AA State Championship last season as a sophomore at 152 pounds defeating Dalton Gimbor 1-0 in the finals while wrestling for Laurel. His freshman season he competed for North Allegheny where he qualified for states but did not place. His record through two seasons is 79-15 with 35 falls.

In an interview with PA Power Wrestling MacKay mentioned his friendship with Mac Stout (2022 commit) and Luca Augustine (current freshman) as factors drawing him to Oakland, as well as the plethora of other good local wrestlers staying “home” as he put it.

“Those aren’t just guys I know,” MacKay said. “Those are my good friends. You have a chance to compete with WPIAL guys and have a chance to win national titles with guys you’ve been on teams with since you were little. I think that’s really special, and I want to be part of that.”

Cornell, Navy, Rutgers, and WVU also pursued MacKay, but in the end, Pitt “just felt like home and it felt like a good time to commit,” he told PA Power Wrestling.

MacKay will likely wrestle around 160 this year, and could slot in nicely at 165 for Pitt after Jake Wentzel graduates. Or perhaps beefing up to 184 is in the cards, as that spot will be available when Gregg Harvey departs. Either way, Pitt got another good, local wrestler to stay “home”, and with the momentum from the 2022 recruiting effort already carrying over, it seems possible – if not probable – Gavin will continue to have success in this regard.

Three of the top remaining uncommitted wrestlers in that class are WPIAL natives with Mac Church of Waynesburg coming in at No. 26, Vinny Kilkeary of Latrobe at No. 17, and Rocco Welsh of Waynesburg at No. 3. It’s not difficult to guess where Gavin’s eyes will turn next.

The post Pitt Wrestling gets first 2023 Commit in Grant MacKay appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Burnett is to be a redshirt freshman for the 2021-2022 season. He was a promising prospect, with an impressive Ohio high school career, and some decent results from last season, including at the U23 World Team Trials. He was likely to wrestle-off against Luke Kemerer for the spot, who should now be the default starter. Kemerer has started most of the regular season for the past two years, but has never represented Pitt at ACCs. He is 22-20 in his career, including a ranked win over Ed Scott of North Carolina State last year.

174 is a little more complicated. McGill’s void leaves several options. Luca Augustine, a true freshman from Waynesburg is projected as the long term starter at this weight, but was planning on redshirting this season. Hunter Kernan, a Bethel Park native, is the only other roster member at this weight. Does he go, and Augustine redshirts as planned? Or perhaps is there an unforeseen weight class change in the cards? These questions will be answered in time.

Jared McGill provided PSN with this statement: “Things didn’t work out here at Pitt. I wish things would’ve worked out differently. I’m going to find a new place and a good fit for me. I’m excited for the future and for what’s to come.”

Losing two starters before the season even begins is hard to spin as good news. In fact, for this season, it is most certainly bad news, and will have a material impact on Pitt’s team aspirations at ACCs and NCAAs. A silver lining moving forward however, could be increased scholarship money available for the Class of 2023. Pitt is on a tear right now recruiting wise, with an incredible Class of 2022 wrapped up. The WPIAL is pumping out several big names in 2023, and maybe now there will be enough financial resources available to keep them local.

The post Burnett, McGill Enter Transfer Portal appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

From James: Who’s going to start at 149 and 285 next year?

Answer: 149 is pretty straight forward as far as I can tell. It will be the winner of Luke Kemerer and Mick Burnett. I’d expect both to get starting time but Burnett to eventually be the starter. At 285 it looks like Jake Slinger will be back in the lineup. Austin Cooley will be out for a significant amount of time with an injury and Colby Whitehill transferred.

From Dan: What was the decision behind Colby Whitehill transferring?

Answer: He wanted to be at a smaller school, especially one where he would be the guy at heavyweight. Pitt has Slinger, Cooley when he recovers, and Dayton Pitzer incoming.

From Carlo: Is this going to be the best recruiting class they’ve had in years?

Answer: For clarification, this question is referring to the 2022 class that includes Briar Priest, Jared Keslar, Mac Stout, and Pitzer. Yes. It will be the best since 2013 when Pitt landed Nick Zanetta, Edgar Bright, Mikey Racciato, Cody Wiercioch, and Ryan Solomon.

From Ed: What needs to happen to take the program to the next level?

Answer: Four things. 1) Increased success at NCAAs. Think 5-6 All Americans plus a champ. 2) Win the ACC team title. 3) Get a recruit with significant national exposure, like a Junior World Team member who everyone expected to go to PSU/OkSt/Iowa. 4) Money. Finish the new facilities on campus and increase the RTC budget to attract new high profile senior level athletes. I don’t know what order those will occur in, but I think all need to happen at some point to really catalyze the program. I’d bet an NCAA Champ will be the first domino to fall. Nino Bonaccorsi anyone?

From PH: How long do you think the current coaching staff sticks together? What is the biggest factor for success next season?

Answer: I won’t guess when the coaching staff will break up, but I will guess why. Jordan Leen gets a head coaching job offer. For next season, two main themes need to happen. 1) Continued development of the younger guys in the lineup. Colton Camacho, Mick Burnett, Jared McGill, and Slinger all need to be better and more consistent. 2) The veteran team leaders need to be just that. Micky Phillippi, Cole Matthews, Jake Wentzel, Gregg Harvey, and Nino will all be back and should all be considered favorites to place or at least win several matches at NCAAs. Grad transfers Gage Curry and Elijah Cleary will provide stability at 125 and 157. If I had to pick one thing to happen, it would be surprising upside development from Burnett and McGill.

From Chris: Other than the usual suspects, who is a sleeper to be a difference maker in the lineup next season?

Answer: In line with the previous question, I’m obviously looking for Burnett and McGill to make strides this off-season. If I was a betting man, I’d go with Burnett.

From John: Is the 2022 recruiting class wrapped up? Which recruits for 2023 do we lead for or are in a good spot to bring in? What’s the 184 outlook after Harvey graduates, who takes his place? What other transfer portal wrestlers, who did not commit to Pitt, did Pitt almost land?

Answer: 1) Yes. Emphatically. 2) As coach Gavin mentioned at the meet n’ greet last week, Pitt will need to start targeting lightweights moving forward, especially with Gary Steen’s departure. Mac Church from Waynesburg may be an option, but it’s difficult to tell how much kids will grow from their sophomore year in high school till college. 3) Luca Augustine will redshirt this year, then take over at 174 with McGill bumping up to 184. 4) I don’t know but I doubt anyone significant. They needed depth at the lightweights and a plug at 157, and they addressed both needs.

From Mike: Who is the next WPIAL recruit that Pitt is likely to get?

Answer: As I mentioned, Church is a possibility. His classmate at Waynesburg Rocco Welsh will also be targeted, but “every school in the country is after him,” as I was informed. I don’t have any inside scoops in this regard, but how about this situation: Pitt needs lightweights, Luke Pletcher is a resident athlete, and Latrobe’s Vinny Kilkeary is a rising junior. Makes sense.

From Joe: Is Pitt set to dominate the WPIAL in recruiting? Does the RTC add a coach?

Answer: Hard to say. They dominated the 2022 crop, that’s for sure. They need some momentum though. Getting a few of the top 2023 guys would make me much more inclined to answer your question “yes”. Regarding the RTC, I doubt it. Unless a major donor steps up, the way Mike Novogratz supports the NYAC, I don’t foresee it any time soon.

From Dad: Can Pitt consistently become a top 5 team at NCAAs?

Answer: Yes. NC State, Edinboro, Arizona State, and Virginia Tech have all done it recently. It’s no secret Penn State, Oklahoma State, and Iowa will always be at or near the top. Ohio State, Michigan, Cornell, and Missouri have been rotating in as well, and often rounding out the 6-10 spots. This isn’t financial advice, but I wouldn’t mortgage my house betting that Pitt will overtake Iowa any time soon. But if NC State and Va Tech (fellow ACC schools) and Edinboro (a PSAC school) can do it, absolutely Pitt can.

Thanks for all the questions! If there are any news updates over the Summer we will do this again. If not, let’s plan for a pre-season session in October, especially with Nino going to U23 World’s around the same time.

The post Pitt Wrestling Q&A Summer 2021 Edition appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

“I am truly blessed and excited to announce that I have committed to the University of Pittsburgh, to further my athletic and academic career. I feel Pitt has the coaches and tools to take me to the next level. I also wanted to thank my family, club coaches, and HS coaches for all their support in this journey. Hail to Pitt,” Pitzer posted on Instagram.

He won a state title as a freshman in 2019 at 182lbs, accumulating a record of 43-1 with 31 falls. He missed his sophomore year due to an injury, but appeared to have not missed a step posting similar results his junior season. The Mount Pleasant Viking went 42-2 as a junior, again with 31 falls, and defended his state title, however this time at 215. In addition to states, he also won his section, district, and regional (WPIAL) tournaments both years racking up a perfect post-season resumé.

Pitzer works for a turn. Courtesy of the Post Gazette.

In an article published by Paul Schofield on TribLive Pitzer reflected on his second state championship. “Winning this feels good. My freshman year, I was kind of the underdog and I won it. Coming back from my injury last year definitely feels good.” Adding on: “The injury was something I couldn’t control because my goal was to be a four-time champion,” Pitzer said. “The next best thing is becoming a three-time champion. Definitely that’s one of my goals, but you have to take it a day at a time. I try not to look too far ahead.”

He adds to what was already a very good class with Briar Priest (Hempfield), Jared Keslar (Connellsville), and Stout (Mt. Lebanon). He will compliment Stout in the upper-weights which could prove to be a deadly finishing combo.

That’s a lot of high quality, home grown talent. It has been said once or twice – or perhaps a few orders of magnitude more – that Pitt needs to keep the best local kids. Well, look no further than the four coming next year.

The post Dayton Pitzer Commits to Pitt Wrestling appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

The Bethel Park native has been one of Pitt’s best wrestlers since he first joined the team, but last year, along side Jake Wentzel, emerged as the face of the program.

Making the U23 World Team is not as prestigious in these parts as NCAA success, mostly as freestyle competition just doesn’t get the same media coverage, or have as big a following as high school and college folkstyle. However, within the wrestling diehard circles, and especially to recruits who may be interested in extensive freestyle careers, this accomplishment of Nino’s may be even more significant to the Pitt program than his NCAA finals appearance. In other words, this is a big deal.

Nino with his Stop Sign after winning the U23 WTT’s at 92kg.

Nino will get to train exclusively on freestyle all summer, and who better to do that with than Keith Gavin? The Panther head coach made the US national team six times, placed 2nd at the Pan American Championships, and made the Senior World Team in 2013. Qualifying for World’s will also likely afford Nino the opportunity to train at the US Olympic Training Center for at least some part of the summer alongside America’s best wrestlers.

The rest of Nino’s Serbia bound American teammates include:

• 57 Pat Glory – Princeton
• 61 Chris Cannon – Northwestern
• 65 Dom Demas – Oklahoma
• 70 Jacori Teemer – Arizona State
• 74 Peyton Robb – Nebraska
• 79 Mikey Labriola – Nebraska
• 86 Myles Wilson – Iowa
• 92 Nino Bonaccorsi – Pitt
• 97 Jay Aiello – Virginia
• 125 Tony Cassioppi – Iowa

Nino has placed highly at multiple freestyle events in the past, including this very one, but has never found himself on top of the podium before. He will also be Pitt’s first World Team member since Gavin.

The post Nino Bonaccorsi Makes United States U23 World Team appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Cooper Warshel announced his commitment to Pitt on April 22nd, but Pittsburgh Sports Now had not covered it previously. In an article published by Eric Knopsnyder in the Tribune-Democrat, Warshel commented, “when it came to colleges, I wanted to go somewhere that would put me in the best position to be successful, wrestling-wise and business-wise. They’re just getting better and better. I want to be a part of that upward trend.”

Warshel went 95-36 while wrestling at Bishop McCort in high school and placed twice at the 2A PIAA Championships: eighth as a junior and sixth as a senior. He is also workout partners at Young Guns with his fellow future Panther Brock McMillen, another positive connection that swayed Warshel towards choosing Pitt. He also noted while speaking to Knopsnyder that he has only started to make big strides in the sport recently, and believes he has a high ceiling. Warshel will wrestle 149-157 pounds in college.

Photo courtesy of Pitt Athletics.

Briar Priest, a Hempfield junior is also coming to Oakland. Priest was the second of three (so far) to declare Pitt as his school of choice for the 2022 graduating class, and to date, all three are WPIAL natives. He will be joined by Connellsville’s Jared Keslar and Mt. Lebanon’s Mac Stout.

Priest has posted an impressive high school career thus far, with 98 wins through three seasons, and a state title as a junior. That’s even more impressive when you consider he didn’t even qualify for states before last year, and avenged two earlier losses to a very tough Dylan Chappell in the finals.

“I chose Pitt because of the location, offer, and the coaching staff. The coaches seem great, and I can’t wait to get to know them better and start wrestling; the kids on the team are hard working,” explained Priest. “My goal is to become an All American and complete my major. I need to work on better technique, get stronger, and get ready to compete on that level.”

Briar Priest scrambles his way to the top of the podium with a 6-0 win over Dylan Chappell. He is your PA State Champion at 132lbs.

— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) March 13, 2021

He will most likely compete at 141 or 149.

Off the Mat News

Three members of the University of Pittsburgh wrestling program were honored as 2021 Scholar All-Americans, the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) announced. Nino Bonaccorsi, Micky Phillippi and Jake Wentzel each garnered the prestigious recognition after stellar years both on the mat and in the classroom for head coach Keith Gavin. For Phillippi and Wentzel, the award makes them two-time NWCA Scholar All-Americans after receiving the honor last year as well, while Bonaccorsi earned his first nod. Bonaccorsi is an English Literature major; Phillippi is double majoring in Communications and Legal Studies; Wentzel is studying accounting in the Katz Graduate School of Business. The trio each own a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) over 3.0, which made them eligible for selection to the NWCA Scholar All-America Team this year.

After winning the US Open several weeks ago at 61kg, Pitt alum Shelton Mack has been selected by USA Wrestling to represent the United States at the Pan American Championships to be held May 27-30th in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Shelton Mack with his “Stop Sign” trophy after winning the US Open. He poses with his Olympic gold medalist coach, Kendall Cross.

Lastly, a bit of negative news. This has been public for several months, but not covered on this site. Pitt’s most accomplished member of its 2021 recruiting class Gary Steen, decommitted, deciding instead to head for State College and wrestle for Cael Sanderson. This was surely a blow to the program, as Steen figured to be a top notch 125 pounder for the next 4-5 years. The class is still promising no doubt, but Steen was a headliner, and is cousins with Cole Matthews, which makes it sting even more.

The post Briar Priest and Cooper Warshel Commit to Pitt Wrestling appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

The No. 6 overall wrestler in Pennsylvania’s Class of 2022, and No. 9 nationally at 195 pounds, Mac Stout, announced his intentions to attend Pitt.

Stout is now the third member of Pitt’s 2022 recruiting class, joining Connellsville’s Jared Keslar and Hempfield’s Briar Priest, all three among the best of the current crop in the WPIAL, with Stout hailing from Marc Allemang-coached Mt. Lebanon.

“I chose Pitt because it was impossible for me to pass up the opportunity to wrestle for a top program, while having my hometown five miles away. This built in support system is important for me to achieve my goals. It felt home,” stated Stout. He added, “my goal is to make a name for myself and become a National Champion.”

Mac is following a talented duo of brothers and his father to Division I wrestling. His dad Bryan was a four-time All-American at Clarion, wrestling at 197 and heavyweight. His oldest brother Kellan was a state champ for the Blue Devils before attending Penn State and Pitt in college, where he was an NCAA qualifier at 197. His other brother Luke was also a PIAA gold medalist for Lebo, and will likely be Princeton’s starting 197-pounder this year, which could make for an interesting matchup if Pitt and Princeton ever wrestle or meet in a tournament.

Kellan, Bryan, Luke and Mac Stout in the Mt. Lebanon wrestling room. Courtesy of the Post-Gazette.

When asked who would win in such a scenario, Mac responded, “whoever is wrestling for Pitt.”

Through his first three high school seasons, Mac is 91-16 with 12 major decisions, 13 technical falls, and 39 falls. As a sophomore, he made the state finals at 170 pounds, upending returning champ Trey Kibe in the semifinals, with an exciting reversal in overtime. Unfortunately he did not get to compete at states his junior year, after an injury at Powerade caused him to miss the remainder of the season.

Stout will likely join his three relations by competing in the 197-pound weight class. He will slot in perfectly after the current occupant in Pitt’s lineup Nino Bonaccorsi graduates. Although he’s been dominant thus far in high school, Mac did note he needs to improve his mat wrestling before transitioning to college.

Courtesy of the Post-Gazette.

OFF THE MAT

It’s been a good summer so far for the Panthers. After a historic performance at NCAAs, with an 11th place team finish and two finalists (Jake Wentzel and Bonaccorsi), both Wentzel and 184-pound starter Gregg Harvey announced they will be taking advantage of their extra year of eligibility to come back next season, solidifying Pitt’s lineup at two crucial weight classes. Secondly, after receiving commitments from Keslar and Priest, Pitt got a late addition to its 2021 class with Bishop McCort’s Cooper Warshel, a two-time PIAA medalist, declaring his commitment.

In some off-the-mat news, Wentzel was announced as the ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year. Additionally, Micky Phillippi, Harvey, and Bonaccorsi joined him on the All-ACC Academic Team. Gavin was also named the ACC Co-Coach of the Year, sharing that honor with North Carolina State’s Pat Popolizio.

Another important development this off-season was Pittsburgh RTC resident athletes Luke Pletcher and Demetrius Thomas having good showings at some prestigious freestyle tournaments, including the Last Chance Qualifier for the Olympic trials, and the Senior Nationals (equivalent to the US Open). Pletcher placed eighth, and Thomas third at the Last Chance. Then Pletcher posted a fourth place finish at Senior Nationals; Thomas DNP. Notably, Pitt alum Shelton Mack won Senior Nationals at 61kg, which will earn him a high seed at the World Team Trials later this summer.

Lastly, Pitt got two transfers, including one at 157 pounds, a big hole in the lineup. Gage Curry (125) from American University and Elijah Cleary (157) from Ohio State will don the Pitt singlet next year. Going the other direction, Colby Whitehill transferred out of Pitt to Lock Haven, and Louis Newell will depart for Kent State.

The post Mt. Lebanon’s Mac Stout Commits to Pitt Wrestling appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Mikey was always the life of any situation he was in. An outgoing, funny, easy-to-talk-to individual, he was never shy to strike up a conversation, give an interview, or sign an autograph.

His teammate Nick Zanetta: “Mikey was the type of person that you could just look at and start laughing. He wasn’t just a funny friend though. He had the biggest heart and was the type of person who you could talk to about anything. His impact on our lives will never fade away.”

He was an incredibly talented and athletic wrestler, who often wowed the crowd with his unconventional moves. He had the quickest hips, and used them to his advantage, especially on bottom where he would frequently reverse his opponent, even while almost getting turned. Of course, most Pitt fans will remember when he did this to NCAA finalist Josh Kindig in the 2014 dual match versus Oklahoma State. That pin propelled Pitt to its biggest dual meet victory ever.

Mikey at the NCAA Championships in 2014. Photo courtesy of his Facebook account.

Mikey finished his high school career with a record of 149-4 with 66 falls and was named the PIAA Class-2A wrestling tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler as a senior. His sophomore year was his best season in college, winning the ACC title at 149 pounds.

From the Pitt Athletics press release: “Well known throughout the wrestling community for his scrambling talents and ability to pin any opponent, Racciato only furthered his status as a thrilling athlete at the University of Pittsburgh. While at Pitt, he entered the starting lineup almost immediately as a true freshman, and became beloved by Pitt wrestling fans for his mastery of the big moment.”

His coach Drew Headlee: “Mikey’s personality lit up the room. He always knew how to make everyone laugh. On the mat he was dangerous from every position, so you could never count him out.”

Mikey with his mom Michele. Photo courtesy of his Twitter account.

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Pat Santoro graduated from Pitt in 1989 after capping off his career with back to back NCAA titles, both at 142 pounds. He is the all time winningest wrestler in Pitt history with a mark of 167-13, and arguably has the most successful post-college freestyle career as well. He is currently the head coach at Lehigh University where he regularly leads the Mountain Hawks to conference titles and multiple individual All American performances.

He is one of the Panthers’ most accomplished individual athletes ever, regardless of sport. He compiled 20 total NCAA Tournament victories, still a Pitt record more than three decades later. As a junior, he went an astonishing 48-0 en route to his first NCAA championship. Santoro also won three Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) championships while at Pitt. Internationally, he was a four-time member of the U.S. National Team. Santoro was an alternate for the 1996 Olympic Team and 1999 World Team. He placed fourth at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, third at the 1992 Olympic Trials, and was runner-up at the 1992 U.S. Open Freestyle Championships.

Nominations for the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame were solicited from the general public. Candidates had to be five years removed from their final year of collegiate competition and not currently playing professional sports.

A 17-member selection committee then evaluated the candidate pool and provided a recommendation on the class to the director of athletics.

The 2020 class will receive induction at the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner on Friday, Oct. 16, at Heinz Field. On Saturday, Oct. 17, the inductees will be introduced at Heinz Field when the Panthers take on Notre Dame.

Current Pitt head coach Keith Gavin weighed in on Santoro’s time at Pitt: “I’m happy to see Pat get inducted into our HOF. Knowing of Pat’s accomplishments as a wrestler here gave me the confidence that I could win at Pitt when I was a student-athlete. I spent a few years training at Lehigh’s RTC right out of college and learned a lot from Pat during that time. He is a great coach and someone that I have a ton of respect for.”

Santoro is a highly regarded coach in D1. If you spend any amount of time in wrestling circles you will hear nothing but good things about the man. Just ask any of his athletes. They will likely describe him as a “father figure” or a “role model”. One told me once “he’s the exact type of coach you would want your son wrestling for.”

For a more detailed profile on the honoree, read his biography of Lehigh’s website.

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Thursday night, Pitt wrestling head coach Keith Gavin sat down with Stephen Patrick to discuss all this and more.

The post PSN Quarantined Live: Keith Gavin Gives Update On Program/RTC appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Kolby Flank, a senior from Wilson Area, announced his commitment via Twitter.

I am truly blessed and honored to announce that I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at the University of Pittsburgh. I am thankful for everyone in my life who has gotten me to this point #H2P #pinzburgh @Pitt_WRES pic.twitter.com/ewpP64BvNo

— Kolby Flank (@kolbyflank) April 19, 2020

Flank is a three-time PIAA qualifier. He did not place as a sophomore, and got 5th and 2nd the following two years. Flank’s career record is 137-32 with an impressive 63 falls.

Kolby wrestled 220 pounds in both his junior and senior seasons, and will be a “tweener” entering college. Can he cut down to 197 or beef up to heavyweight? We’ll find out next year.

This recruiting class has three other commits around his weight. Lucas Montgomery wrestled 195 this past season, Stephen Schott also wrestled 220, and Colby Whitehill competed at 285.

With the recent additions of Tyler Badgett and Ryan Michaels, this is a very solid class. But…

Other ACC Schools Still Outrank Pitt

North Carolina, North Carolina State, and Virginia Tech all have top notch incoming classes. In fact, they are ranked 7th, 8th, and 9th respectively by FloWrestling.

Two of Pitt’s recruits (Mick Burnett No. 50 and Colby Whitehill No. 81) are ranked in the top 100 of this graduating class.

UNC has five with No. 5, 30, 44, 53, and 89. NC State has No. 19, 43, and 46. Va Tech has No. 6, 51, 57, and 69.

This season’s ACC team title came down to one match between NC State and Pitt. For the foreseeable future all four of these schools will be neck-and-neck.

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Based on seeds at the forgone Championships, thus also including regular season results, the naming of All Americans was straight forward: the top 8 seeds garnered 1st Team selection, 9-12 2nd Team, and 13-16 3rd Team.

Micky Phillippi and Demetrius were Pitt’s 1st Team honorees, with Jake Wentzel and Nino Bonaccorsi earning 2nd Team recognition.

Micky entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed at 133 with a 25-1 record and an ACC title. Similarly Meech also won the ACC crown this year, and was the No. 7 seed at heavyweight with a 21-3 mark.

Jake Wentzel made considerable noise at ACCs, knocking off both Kennedy Monday and David McFadden to win his first individual conference title. He was the No. 11 seed at 165 with an 18-7 record. Nino placed 3rd at ACCs in a very tough bracket, and was slated to enter NCAAs with 23 wins to just five losses as the No. 10 seed at 184.

Jake Wentzel was named a 2nd Team All American. Photo courtesy of Pitt Athletics.

Mike Moyer, the Executive Director of the NWCA offered his appreciation of the wrestlers:

“During difficult times there are always people who rise to the occasion and I’m proud of the action that the NWCA Division I Leadership Group took in providing direction for honoring the 2020 Division I All-American team. It’s important that these athletes’ efforts and successes during the season are recognized. Congratulations to each of this year’s honorees and National Qualifiers.”

Pitt Wrestlers Rack Up Rewards

In addition to their All American honors, Micky and Jake were also named to the All ACC Wrestling Academic Team for the second time in their careers.

From Pitt Athletics:

Phillippi is a Rhetoric and Communication major with a 3.30 cumulative GPA and received a 3.58 GPA for the fall 2019 semester. In addition to the All-ACC Academic Team, Phillippi has also been named to the ACC Honor Roll twice in his career… Wentzel is an Accounting major with a 3.54 cumulative GPA and received a 3.38 GPA for the fall 2019 semester. Wentzel has been named to the ACC Honor Roll three times in his career and was named to the All-ACC Academic team in 2018.  

Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one’s academic career. Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in selecting the All-ACC Academic Team. Five All-ACC Academic Team members – Hidlay, North Carolina’s Clay Lautt, Pitt’s Phillippi and Wentzel, and Virginia’s Jay Aiello – are conference champions in their respective weight classes.

ACC Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Hayden Hidlay, NC State

2019-20 All-ACC Academic Wrestling Team

• Ben Anderson, Duke, R-So.; Psychology
• Vincent Baker, Duke, Fr.; Undeclared
• Mason Eaglin, Duke, R-Fr..; English
• Jonah Niesnbaum, Duke, Fr.; Undeclared
• Clay Lautt, North Carolina, R-So.; Economics & Environmental Studies
• Joseph Melendez, North Carolina, R-Fr.; Business Administration
• Daniel Bullard, NC State, R-Jr.; Business Administration
• Hayden Hidlay, NC State, R-Jr.; Business Administration
• Trent Hidlay, NC State, R-Fr.; Business Administration
• Tryie Houghton, NC State, So.; Mechanical Engineering
• A.J. Leitten, NC State, R-So.; Sport Management
• Jarrett Trombley, NC State; R-Fr.; Biological Sciences
• Micky Phillippi, Pitt; R-So.; Communication: Rhet & Comm
• Jake Wentzel, Pitt, R-Jr.; Accounting
• Jay Aiello, Virginia, R-Jr..; Economics
• Michael Battista, Virginia, Jr.; Biology
• Louie Hayes, Virginia, R-Jr.; Media Studies
• Justin McCoy, Virginia, R-Fr.; Undeclared
• Stan Smeltzer, Virginia Tech, R-So.; Aerospace Engineering

Panthers’ Choice Award Winners 

The gravy train for Pitt wrestling awards and recognition started this week with the 2020 Panthers’ Choice Awards.

First and foremost, as Alan Saunders wrote on Wednesday:

Pitt wide receiver Maurice Ffrench, heavyweight wrestler Demetrius Thomas and volleyball middle blocker Layne Van Buskirk and outside hitter Stephanie Williams will be permanently added to the school’s Victory Walk outside the Cathedral of Learning, the athletic department announced on Wednesday.

Thomas and Williams were named winners of the Blue-Gold Award as the Pitt student-athlete who “best represents the student-athlete “ideal” based on academic scholarship, athletic achievement, leadership qualities and citizenship.”

As keeping with the pattern, Micky and Jake also earned outstanding achievements. Micky was name the Male Athlete of the Year, while Jake took home the James Conner Comeback Player of the Year award.

Graphic courtesy of Pitt Athletics.

Nino Bonaccorsi got in on the action as well, receiving the Gold Standard Teammate of the Year award.

All of this recognition, combined with Luke Pletcher’s addition to the coaching staff, and Tyler Badgett and Ryan Michael’s commitment, and you could say it’s been a productive two weeks for the Panthers.

The post Micky Phillippi, Demetrius Thomas Named 1st Team NWCA All Americans appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Next, a shock wave that sent the wrestling community reeling, Old Dominion cancelling their program, just paid off in a big way for the Panthers. As discussed in PSN’s live chat, Pitt had a huge hole at 157 moving forward with the departure of Taleb Rahmani. That hole just got filled, as former ODU commit Tyler Badgett of Rancho Bernardo, California announced he will be attending Pitt.

I am excited to announce that I will be continuing my athletic and academic career at The University of Pittsburgh. Thank you for everyone supporting me throughout these crazy times. #H2P #pinzburgh @Pitt_WRES pic.twitter.com/zFgXOKpx8y

— Tyler Badgett (@TylerBadgett3) April 16, 2020

He will be one of very few Pitt wrestlers to come from the west coast in program history. Former SID Chris Byland pointed out a few including Josh Birt from Spokane, WA. Pitt’s current roster features 20 athletes from PA, and one each from MA, OH, NY, and NJ. There are obvious, well documented reasons to recruit heavily from PA, but diversifying your field certainly can’t hurt.

Badgett wrestled 152 his senior season and is ranked No. 8 in the country by FloWrestling. He is a two-time state runner-up, an impressive feat as California only has one division. He posted solid results at Fargo and Super 32 as well. He could conceivably be Pitt’s starting 157 pounder next year.

He is one of three members of this class who are ranked top 20 in their weight classes, with Mick Burnett and Colby Whitehill earning that recognition as well.

Michaels is another lightweight. He competed at 120 pounds in his 2020 senior campaign. As a third place finisher as a junior, Michaels looked to end his career as a state champ, but came up just short with a 7-4 loss to Sheldon Seymour in the finals.

“I chose Pitt because of the coaches. They have been able to turn the program around. They were all great wrestlers and I think I can win a national championship there.”

Michaels will likely be a 125 in college, and depending on how things shake out, would have the potential to start, perhaps after a redshirt.

Graphic courtesy of Pitt Athletics.

Although Pitt does have impressive depth already at this end of the lineup, depending on weight class shifting and possible transfers, a spot could open for Michaels. Next year looks to be Colton Camacho or Louis Newell at 125 and Micky Phillippi at 133. Bryce Brennan will be an incoming freshman with Gary Steen and Brock McMillen the year behind. There are a lot of moving parts, and nothing is certain – well, except that Pitt has a lot of options at the lightweights.

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