Pitt-Johnstown wrestling Coach Pat Pecora will look to pick-up his historic 617^th career victory and become college wrestling's all-time winningest coach when his fourth-ranked Mountain Cats host No. 11 Mercyhurst for Alumni Night, Friday at 7 p.m. in the Sports Center.
 
A Pitt-Johnstown victory over the 11-ranked Lakers would break a 46-year-old record and make Coach Pecora the winningest coach in all levels of college wrestling, including NCAA Division I, II, and III, NAIA, and Junior College.
Pitt-Johnstown improved to 19-3 overall and 5-0 in the PSAC and gave Coach Pecora his record-tying 616^th win with a 44-0 shutout at Shippensburg last Friday.
 
He is currently tied with former Oregon State Coach Dale Thomas, who took over as the all-time wins leader in all divisions in 1974 when he surpassed Kent State Coach Joe Beglia's 284 victories.  Thomas coached from 1956-1990 and ended his career with a 616-168-13 record.  Coach Pecora enters the match at 616-151-8.
 
The Mountain Cats are led by two-time National Champion Chris Eddins (149 lbs.), 2019 National Champions Tyler Warner (133 lbs.) and Connor Craig (184 lbs.), two-time All-American Devin Austin (165 lbs.), 2019 All-Americans Brendan Howard (125 lbs.) and Brock Biddle (174 lbs.).
 
Nationally for Pitt-Johnstown, Eddins (149 lbs.), who has 98 career victories, is ranked No. 1 at 149 lbs., while Howard (125 lbs.) and Austin (165 lbs.) are fourth, Craig (184 lbs.) is fifth, and Biddle (174 lbs.) is sixth.
 
Mercyhurst, ranked 11^th at 10-3 overall and 4-1 in the PSAC under 13^th-year Head coach Mike Wehler, is coming off of a 19-17 loss at Kutztown on Saturday and a 36-9 win at East Stroudsburg on Sunday.  Eric Bartos (133 lbs.), Kevin Holman (174 lbs.), and Luke McGonigal (197 lbs.) all won by fall.

Mercyhurst is led by NCAA All-American Alexis Soriano (141 lbs.), National Qualifier and eighth-ranked Bartos at 133 lbs., National Qualifier and fifth-ranked Logan Grass at 165 lbs., eighth-ranked McGonigal at 197 lbs., and National Qualifier and third-ranked Jake Robb at 285 lbs.
 
Key Match-Ups: 2019 All-American and NCAA No. 4 Brendan Howard (UPJ) vs. Jacob Ruggeri (MU) at 125 lbs…Matt Siszka OR 2019 National Champion Tyler Warner (UPJ) vs. National Qualifier and NCAA No. 8 Eric Bartos (MU) at 133 lbs…Jacob Ealy (UPJ) vs. All-American Alexis Soriano (MU) at 141 lbs….2-time National Champion and NCAA No. 1 Chris Eddins vs. Alex Samson (MU) at 149 lbs…2-time All-American and NCAA No. 4 Devin Austin vs. National Qualifier and NCAA No. 5 Eric Bartos (MU) at 165 lbs…2019 All-American and NCAA No. 7 Brock Biddle (UPJ) vs. Kevin Holman OR Nick Konyk (MU) at 174 lbs…2019 NCAA National Champion and NCAA No. 5 Connor Craig (UPJ) vs. Trever Begin (MU) at 184 lbs…Alex Delp (UPJ) vs. NCAA No. 8 Luke McGonigal at 197 lbs…Allan Beattie (UPJ) vs. NCAA National Qualifier and NCAA No. 3 Jake Robb (MU) at 285 lbs.

The Mountain Cats close out the regular season with Senior Night against Gannon on February 15 at 7 p.m. in the Sports Center, before beginning the post season with the NCAA Division II Super Region I Tournament at Mercyhurst on February 29.