Head Coach
Pat Pecora and the 11
th-ranked Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers will celebrate Senior Night with a PSAC match against Shippensburg University on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Sports Center. Prior to the match, Pitt-Johnstown will recognize this year's seniors…All-American
John Blankenship (174 lbs.) and 2016 National Champion
Nick Roberts (133 lbs.).
Head Coach Pat Pecora (41st season) and the Mountain Cats, ranked 11
th in NCAA Division II and third in Super Region I, improved to 12-2 following Friday's come-from-behind, 21-18 PSAC victory at Millersville. Pitt Johnstown trailed 18-6, but won the final four bouts, including
D.J. Sims' 18-0 technical fall over Zachary Yackenchick in the final match of the night.
The Mountain Cats are led by 2016 National Champion
Tyler Reinhart (165 lbs.), 2015 All-American and 2016 National Qualifier
Blankenship (174 lbs.), two-time National Qualifier
Sims (285 lbs.), and 2014 National Qualifier
Cole Landowski (149 lbs.).
Nationally for Pitt-Johnstown,
Cody Law (157 lbs.) is ranked No. 1 at 157 lbs.,
Reinhart is second at 165 lbs., and
Blankenship is 12
th at 174 lbs.
Shippensburg, ranked 10
th in Super Region I under eighth-year
Head Coach Seth Bloomquist,is 12-12 overall and 1-4 in the PSAC. The Raiders posted a 2-1 record at Saturday's tri-match in Shippensburg. After suffering a 34-7 loss to No. 6 Wheeling Jesuit (WV), Shippensburg bounced back with a 20-19 win over West Liberty (WV) and a 26-19 victory over Long Island-Post.
The Raiders are led by 2016 National Qualifiers
Adam Martz (157 lbs.) and
Evan Ramos (197 lbs.), and 2015 National Qualifiers
Karl Lightner (141 lbs.) and
Mike springer (149 lbs.).
Nationally,
Ramos is ranked 10
th at 197 lbs.
Last season, the Mountain Cats traveled to Shippensburg on February 9 and got falls from
Evan Link (125 lbs.),
Reinhart (165 lbs.), and
Travis McKillop (184 lbs.) in a 37-9 victory.
Key Match-Ups: Sam Holandez (UPJ) vs. Region No. 6
Dustin Steffenino at 125 lbs…Region No. 7
Tanner Cahill OR Joe Davis (UPJ) vs. Cole Rush at 133 lbs…2014 NCAA National Qualifier
Cole Landowski OR Corey Falleroni (UPJ) vs. 2015 NCAA National Qualifier
Mike Springer at 149 lbs…NCAA No. 1
Cody Law (UPJ) vs. Cody Blankenship (SU) at 157 lbs…NCAA No 2 and 2016 NCAA National Champion
Tyler Reinhart OR Steve Edwards (UPJ) vs.
Ryan Narber (SU) at 165 lbs…Region No.
5 Levi Niebauer (UPJ) vs. Hunter Fenk at 184 lbs…2-time NCAA National Qualifier
D.J. Sims (UPJ) vs. Derek Berberick at 285 lbs.
The Mountain Cats close out the 2016-17 regular season at No. 5 Mercyhurst on Saturday, before traveling back to Erie for the 2017 Super Region I Tournament on February 24-25. Pitt-Johnstown will then travel to the 2017 NCAA Division II National Championships in Birmingham, Ala. On March 10 and 11.
