Head Coach Pat Pecora and the second-ranked Pitt-Johnstown wrestling program will close out the 2022-23 regular season and recognize seven seniors prior to Friday's PSAC Championship match against the 18^th-ranked Mercyhurst Lakers.  Match time is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Sports Center.
 
Prior to Friday night's match, Coach Pecora and the Pitt-Johnstown wrestling program will recognize this year's seniors…Charlie Beatty (174 lbs.), Brock Biddle (174 lbs.), Jacob Burgette (174 lbs.), Dajauhn Hertzog (133 lbs.), Brock Leinbach (197 lbs.), Caleb Morris (141 lbs.), and Nate Smith (157 lbs.).
 
     Pitt-Johnstown, ranked second in the most recent Open Mat Dual Meet Rankings, is 14-0 overall and 6-0 in the PSAC.  The Mountain Cats, who earned a share of their seventh-consecutive PSAC Dual Meet title, would clinch the outright championship with a win in Friday's regular season finale against Mercyhurst.  Pitt-Johnstown is coming off of a 37-9 home win over Kutztown last Friday and a 46-0 conference win at Shippensburg on Tuesday.  Pitt-Johnstown used three wins by technical fall, including Biddle's tech fall just 1:39 into the first period.
 
     The Mountain Cats are led by three-time All-American and 12^th-ranked Brock Biddle at 184 lbs., two-time All-American and No. 1-ranked Jacob Ealy at 149 lbs., and 2022 All-American and seventh-ranked Nate Smith at 157 lbs.  2022 NCAA National Qualifiers Caleb Morris (141 lbs.) is ranked 12^th and Dillon Keane (165 lbs.), is ranked 15^th.  In addition, Trevon Gray is ranked 15^th at 125 lbs., Alex Weber is 14^th at 174 lbs., Dakoda Rodgers is 10^th at 197 lbs., and Isaiah Vance (285 lbs.) is fifth at 285 lbs.
 
     Head Coach Mike Wehler's (16^th season) 18^th-ranked Mercyhurst Lakers enter the match at 9-6 overall and 5-1 in the PSAC.  Mercyhurst has won five straight matches, including a 25-15 victory against Seton Hill last Friday and a 29-19 win over against No. 20 Millersville on Saturday.
 
     Mercyhurst is led by All-American and second-ranked Eric Bartos at 133 lbs., All-American and fifth-ranked Dillon Walker at 174 lbs., All-American and fourth-ranked Luke McGonical at 197 lbs., and 20^th-ranked Jake Neffenegger at 141 lbs.
 
     Since 2004, Pitt-Johnstown holds a 14-4-1 advantage over the Lakers, including five straight wins.  In last year's meeting in Erie on Feb. 12, Ealy won by technical fall at 149 lbs. and Oggie Atwood won by fall at 285 lbs. to lead the Mountain Cats to a 23-12 win.
 
     Key Match-Ups: …No. 15 Trevon Gray (UPJ) vs. Billy Smith (MU) at 125 lbs…Byron Daubert or Dajaughn Hertzog (UPJ) vs. All-American and No. 2 Eric Bartos at 133 lbs…2022 NCAA National Qualifier and No. 12 Caleb Morris (UPJ) vs No. 20 Jake Niffenegger (MU) at 141 lbs…two-time NCAA All-American and No. 1 Jacob Ealy (UPJ) vs. Mike Zacur (MU) at 149 lbs…2022 All-American and No. 7 Nate Smith (UPJ) vs. Max Stedeford (MU) at 157 lbs…2022 NCAA National Qualifier and No. 15 Dillon Keane (UPJ) vs. Mike Clark (MU) at 165 lbs…No. 14 Alex Weber or Jacob Burgette (UPJ) vs. All-American and No. 5 Dillon Walker (MU) at 174 lbs…three-time All-American and No. 12 Brock Biddle vs. Chase Stein (MU) at 184 lbs…No. 10 Dakoda Rodgers (UPJ) vs. All-American and No. 4 Luke McMonigal (MU) at 197 lbs…No. 5 Isaiah Vance or Oggie Atwood (UPJ) vs. Mike DeLuca (MU) at 285 lbs.
 
     The Mountain Cats travel to the 2023 Super Region I Tournament at East Stroudsburg on Feb. 25 and to the 2023 NCAA Division II National Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on March 10-11.