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University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Athletics

PITT-JOHNSTOWN MOUNTAIN CATS

Wrestling

Wrestlers #8 in NWCA Preseason National Rankings; Two Mountain Cats Individually Ranked

10/28/2008

Head Coach Pat Pecora's (33rd season) Pitt Johnstown Mountain Cat wrestling team has earned the #8 ranking in the National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA) NCAA Division II Preseason Poll when it was released on Tuesday. Two Mountain Cats are individually-ranked, including 2008 All-Americans Kyle Keane (Bradford, Pa.), who is ranked #2 at 165 lbs., and Shane Valko (Windber, Pa.), the #6-ranked wrestler at 133 lbs... (Complete Rankings)
Keane returns for his junior season after garnering All-American honors with a fourth place finish at last season's NCAA Division II National Tournament. Keane wrapped up his sophomore season with a 38-6 overall record and a 19-2 dual meet record on his way to winning the East Regional Tournament championship. Valko, who will drop from 141 lbs. to 133 lbs. for his junior season, is also coming off of a fourth place finish at last year's National tournament. Valko posted a 28-14 overall record and a 13-9 dual meet record a year ago. Valko placed fourth at the East Regional Tournament to advance to nationals.
The University of Nebraska-Omaha earned the top-ranking in the preseason poll with 158 points. Minnesota State-Mankato was second (149 points), followed by defending National Champions University of Nebraska-Kearney (144 points), Adams State (CO) College (136 points) and Western State (CO) College (126 points).
University of Central Oklahoma (121 pts.) was #6. Newberry (S.C.) College (106 points), the defending East Regional Tournament Champions, was #7 and PITT JOHNSTOWN, which placed fourth at the 2008 National Tournament, was #8 with 93 points. Chadron State (NE) College (91 points) and Upper Iowa University (86 points) rounded out the top-10.
Pitt Johnstown will open the 2008-09 season at the Washington & Jefferson Collegiate Open on November 8. The Mountain Cats will make their home debut on December 3 against #16 University of Findlay (OH) at 7:00 p.m. In the Sports Center.
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