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The hopes and dreams of Coach Pecora and the hundreds of Mountain Cat wrestlers who have passed through the program since 1973 all came true in 1996 with an NCAA Division II National Championship. The team completed its second consecutive undefeated dual-meet season (14-0) and maintained the momentum through the postseason.
The Mountain Cats earned titles at the Thiel College and West Liberty State College tournaments prior to dominating another East Regional Tournament.
Pitt-Johnstown then traveled to Northern Colorado University for the NCAA Division II National Championships. Lee Schickel followed in Carlton Haselrig’s footsteps and became the second Mountain Cat in history to win an individual national championship. The rest of the Mountain Cats followed Schickel’s lead and held off four-time consecutive National Champion and top-ranked University of Central Oklahoma to claim the first team National Championship in the history of Pitt-Johnstown athletics. The Mountain Cats were the best in NCAA Division II Wrestling.
Schickel (126 lbs.) led the list of eight Mountain Cat All-Americans that also included John Strittmatter (118 lbs.) Jeff Bricker (134 lbs.), Tony Albertelli (142 lbs.), Troy Barbush (150 lbs.), Kevin O'Neil (167 lbs.), Irwin Brambley (177 lbs.) and Scott Croyle (HWT.). Mike Gavin (158 lbs.) and Mike Lazaro (190 lbs.) were both National Qualifiers.
The 1995-96 season also produced a pair of National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Academic Wrestling Team members in Albertelli and Barbush.
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