Head Coach Pat Pecora and the Pitt-Johnstown wrestling program have added 15 new wrestlers, including six former Pennsylvania State place-winners and five state qualifiers, for the 2018-19 season.  This year's class is led by three-time PIAA AA place-winner Dalton Group (170 lbs., Susquenita HS) and two-time AA state place-winner Bishop McCoy (HWT., Southside HS).
 
      "I feel good about this year's recruiting class," Pecora said.  "Just take a look at the group we signed.  Of the 15, six are Pennsylvania State Place-Winners and five others are state qualifiers.  Among them are Dalton Group and Bishop McCoy who both reached the finals of the State Tournament, while Charlie Beatty and Andrew Todaro each made it to the semifinals before losing to the eventual state champions."
  
      Group was a four-year starter who compiled a 153-22 career record at Susquenita High School on his way to placing three times at the PIAA AA State Tournament.  Group, the 17^th-ranked wrestler in Pennsylvania, was 36-14 as a freshman, then placed seventh at the state tournament with a 40-3 overall record in 2016.  As a junior in 2016-17, Group posted a 37-2 record and was the Pennsylvania State Runner-up at 170 lbs., before ending his high school career with a 40-3 record and a third-place state finish in 2017-18.
 
      McCoy, the Southside High School graduate, was a two-time PIAA AA State place-winner with fifth-place and runner-up finishes.  After a 21-14 season as a freshman, McCoy was 27-11 and earned his first spot in the state tournament in 2016.  As a junior, McCoy was 35-6 and placed fifth in the state at Heavyweight.  In 2017-18, McCoy defeated Bishops McCort's Josiah Jones to win the Southwest Regional title on his way to a 42-2 record and a PIAA AA State Runner-up finish.  McCoy ended his career with a 125-33 overall record.
 
      Along with Group and McCoy, Pitt-Johnstown also added four other state place-winners in Andrew Todaro (152 lbs., Mount Union HS), Charlie Beatty (138 lbs., Marion Center HS), Shaun Gates (160 lbs., Burrell HS), and Jacob Burgette (160 lbs., Scranton HS).
      Todaro was 38-6 as a senior in 2018 and placed third at the AA state tournament at 152 lbs. after falling to the eventual state champion in the semifinals  Todaro, a four-year starter at Mount Union High School, had a 113-41 career record.
      Beatty, who finished his career at 92-26, placed fourth at the 2018 PIAA AA Tournament after suffering a loss in the semifinals to the eventual state champion.
      Gates was 41-14 as a senior and placed eighth for Burrell High School at the 2018 AA state tournament, while Burgette placed fifth at the Pennsylvania AAA State Tournament.  Burgette finished his season at 41-9 and his career at 124-33.
 
      Pitt-Johnstown also added five Pennsylvania State Qualifiers in this year's recruiting class, including two-time AA state qualifier and 2018 Southwest Regional Champion Al Miscovich (132 lbs., Mount Pleasant Area HS, 135-52 Record), two-time AA state qualifier Landon West (125 lbs., Bermudian Springs HS, 95-53 Record). 2018 AAA state
 
qualifier C.J. Morton (133 lbs., Twin Valley HS, 95-26 Record), and AA state qualifier Michael Capozzoli (149 lbs., Newport HS, 31-12 SR Year Record), and 2016 AA State Qualifier Tyler Tinsman (133 lbs., Marion Center HS).
 
      Pennsylvania AAA Regional Qualifiers Harry Green (184 lbs., Upper Moreland HS), Brock Leinback (174 lbs., Neshameny HS), and Nate Smith (141 lbs., Franklin Regional HS, 50-26 Record), and WPIAL AAA fifth-place finisher DeShawn Butler (HWT., Penn Hills HS) will also be joining the Mountain Cats this fall.
     
Below is an Alphabetical List of the 2018-19 Pitt-Johnstown Wrestling Recruits
 

NAME	HOMETOWN/ HIGH SCHOOL	PROJ. WT.	HS REC.	H.S. AWARDS
Charlie Beatty	Marion Center, Pa. / Marion Center	141 lbs.	92-26	2018 PA AA State Place (4th)
Jacob Burgette	Scranton, Pa. / Scranton	165 lbs.	124-33	2018 PA AAA State Place (5th)
DeShaun Butler	Verona, Pa. / Penn Hills	285 lbs.		2018 WPIAL AA Place (5th)
Michael Capazolli	Newport, Pa. / Newport	149 lbs.		2018 PA AA State Qualifier
Shaun Gates	Lower Burrell, Pa. / Burrell	165 lbs.	83-45	2018 PA AA State Place (8th)
Harry Green	Willow Grove, Pa. / Upper Moreland	184 lbs.		2018 PA AAA Regional Qualifier
Dalton Group	Marysville, Pa. / Susquenita	174 lbs.	153-22	3x PA AA State Place (7th, 2nd, 3rd)
Brock Leinback	Langhorne, Pa. / Neshamany	174 lbs.		2018 PA AAA Regional Qualifier
Bishop McCoy	Hookstown, Pa. / Southside	285 lbs.	125-33	2x PA AA State Place (5th, 2nd)
Al Miscovich	Greensburg, Pa. / Mount Pleasant Area	133 lbs.	135-52	2x PA AA State Qualifier
C.J. Morton	Morgantown, Pa. / Twin Valley	133 lbs.	95-26	2018 PA AAA State Qualifier
Nate Smith	Murrysville, Pa. / Franklin Regional	141 lbs.	50-26	2018 AAA Regional Qualifier
Tyler Tinsman	Strongstown, Pa. / Marion Center	133 lbs.		2016 PA AA State Qualifier
Andrew Todaro	Mount Union, Pa. / Mount Union	157 lbs.	113-41	2018 PA AA State Place (3rd)
Landon West	York Springs, Pa. / Bermudian Springs	125 lbs.	95-53	2x PA AA State Qualifier

                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                         
                The Mountain Cats are coming off of a 12-3 overall dual meet season, and a perfect 7-0 mark on their way to winning their third consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Dual Meet Championship.
            Pitt-Johnstown placed second at the NCAA Super Region I Tournament under Coach Pecora and sent seven wrestlers to the 2018 NCAA Division II National Tournament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Pitt-Johnstown placed sixth with four All-Americans, including 2018 NCAA Division II National Champions Chris Eddins (141 lbs.) and Cody Law (157 lbs.).  Along with Eddins and Law, Devin Austin (165 lbs.) and D.J. Sims (285 lbs.) both placed seventh.
            Pitt-Johnstown also got the job done in the classroom, as Law and Sims both earned spots on the 2017-18  NWCA All-Academic Wrestling Team.
 
Pitt-Johnstown will kick-off the 2018-19 season with non-conference dual meets at West Liberty (WV) University on November 7 and at Wheeling Jesuit (WV) University on November, before kicking off the PSAC schedule at home in the Sports Center against Millersville University on Friday, November 16.