After more than a year and a half, Head Coach Pat Pecora and the 21^st-ranked Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers will host a dual meet when East Stroudsburg visits the Sports Center on Thursday for the Mountain Cats' 2021-22 home and PSAC-opener.  The match is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
     Prior to Thursday's match, Pitt-Johnstown will recognize the 2020-21 Mountain Cat seniors...Allan Beattie (285 lbs.), Alex Delp (197 lbs.), and Jacob Smith (149 lbs.).  As a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic, last year's regular season was canceled.
 
     Coach Pecora (46^th season) and the Mountain Cats, ranked 21^st in the NWCA Preseason National Poll, opened the year with a 23-14 victory at fifth-ranked West Liberty on Nov. 4.  Caleb Morris' pin at 6:19 broke a 14-all tie with one match remaining and lifted Pitt-Johnstown to the win earned Morris PSAC Wrestler of the Week honors.  Pitt-Johnstown also competed in the Division I dominated Journeymen Classic in Manheim on Nov. 14 where 15 wrestlers combined to post a 37-9 overall record.
 
     The Mountain Cats are led by three-time All-American and sixth-ranked Brock Biddle at 174 lbs., 2021 All-American and seventh-ranked Jacob Ealy at 149 lbs., and 2020 National Qualifier and 11^th-ranked Matt Siszka at 125 lbs.
 
     East Stroudsburg, under fourth-year Head Coach Anibal Nieves, got back on the mat after COVID-19 canceled last season at the 54^th annual East Stroudsburg Open on Nov. 7, before kicking off the dual meet schedule on last Thursday with a narrow, 22-21 home loss to Scranton.  Joshua Jasonowicz (125 lbs.) and Josh Leidig (184 lbs.) both won by fall for the Warriors.
 
     Pitt-Johnstown has won all 11 meetings between the two teams since the series began in 2009.  In the last meeting on Nov. 1, 2019, the No. 1-ranked Mountain Cats used falls from defending national champions Chris Eddins (149 lbs.) and Connor Craig (184 lbs.) to down the 22^nd-ranked Warriors, 38-8, in East Stroudsburg.
 
     Key Match-Ups: 2021 NCAA National Qualifier and NCAA No. 11 Matt Siszka (UPJ) vs. Joshua Jasonowicz at 125 lbs…2020 NCAA National Qualifier, 2021 NCAA-American and No. 7-ranked Jacob Ealy vs. Eric Fallenia at 149 lbs…three-time NCAA All-American and No. 6-ranked Brock Biddle vs. Sczar Charles at 174 lbs.
 
     Pitt-Johnstown hosts seventh-ranked Ashland (OH) University on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Sports Center, before traveling to the 2021 Midwest Classic in Indianapolis on Dec. 18-19.