Head Coach Pat Pecora and the 11
th-ranked Pitt-Johnstown wrestlers will welcome back Alumni and friends for Winterfest Weekend when they host a PSAC match against Seton Hill, Friday night at 7:00 in the Sports Center.
The Mountain Cats, ranked 11
th in the most recent NWCA Poll, have won five consecutive dual meets and enter the match at 10-2 overall and 2-0 in the PSAC. After defeating Millersville, 29-12, in the Sports Center on Jan. 12, Pitt-Johnstown used five wins by technical fall and a pin from
Isaiah Vance at 285 lbs. to defeat American International, 55-0, at last weekend's Shippensburg Duals.
The Mountain Cats are led by three-time All-American and third-ranked
Jacob Ealy (149 lbs.), 2022 National Qualifier
Dillon Keane (165 lbs.), and 2023 National Qualifiers
Trevon Gray (125 lbs.),
Byron Daubert (133 lbs.), No. 5
Dakoda Rodgers (197 lbs.) and No. 3 Vance (285 lbs.).
Seton Hill, under first-year
Head Coach Vince DeAugustine, is 5-6 overall and 1-2 in the PSAC. The Griffins suffered a 24-18 setback to Lycoming, before defeating the hosts, 38-9, at last weekend's Washington & Jefferson Jim White Duals.
Since first Meeting during the 2007-08 season, Pitt-Johnstown has won all 14 match-ups, including a 32-9 victory last season in Greensburg on Jan. 28. Ealy and Rodgers both won with first period falls, and Keane won by technical fall, 16-0 at 2:41, to lead the Mountain Cats.
Key Match-Ups: 2023 NCAA National Qualifier
Trevon Gray (UPJ) vs. William Burgess (SHU) at 125 lbs…2023 NCAA National Qualifier
Byron Daubert (UPJ) vs. Kyle Burkholder (SHU) at 133 lbs…three-time NCAA All-American and No. 3
Jacob Ealy (UPJ) vs. Nolar Daerr (SHU) at 149 lbs…2022 NCAA National Qualifier
Dillon Keane (UPJ) vs. Collin Hearn (SHU) at 165 lbs…NCAA National Qualifier and No. 5
Dakoda Rodgers (UPJ) vs. Brendan Finnerty (SHU) at 197 lbs…2023 NCAA National Qualifier No. 3
Isaiah Vance vs. Lucas Allen (SHU) at 285 lbs.
Pitt-Johnstown travels to PSAC road matches at Kutztown, Mercyhurst, and Gannon, before returning home to celebrate Senior Night with a conference match against Shippensburg on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Sports Center.
