The 2024-25 season will usher in a change that hasn't been seen for nearly half of a century at Pitt-Johnstown.

On the mat, the Mountain Cats, ranked 10^th in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division II Preseason National Poll and 11^th in the Open Mat Preseason Rankings, return seven starters, including NCAA Division II All-Americans Trevon Gray (125 lbs.) (Newport News, VA), Dakoda Rodgers (197 lbs.) (Acme, Pa.), and Isaiah Vance (285 lbs.) (New Stanton, Pa.), and a pair of National Qualifiers in Mason Myers (141 lbs.) (York, Pa.) and Cooper Warshel (157 lbs.) (Johnstown, Pa.).

However, after 48 seasons of consistency, Pitt-Johnstown must replace legendary Head Coach Pat Pecora, who lost his courageous battle with cancer on Sept. 8, 2024.

The Mountain Cats will be in good hands.  Tyler Reinhart, the 2016 NCAA National Champion at 165 lbs. and Coach Pecora's assistant coach for the last six season, will take over the reigns of the program.

Along with the All-Americans and National Qualifiers, Pitt-Johnstown returns starters Tony Salopek (Munhall, Pa.) (174 lbs.) and Noah Gnibus (184 lbs.) (Mount Pleasant, Pa.), while Chad Ozias (Connellsville, Pa.) who was the starter at 133 lbs. until an injury ended his season in the early going, should regain that duty this season.

The Mountain Cats must replace 2024 National Champion Jacob Ealy at 149 lbs. and National Qualifier Dillon Keane (165 lbs.).
          Two-time NCAA National Qualifier and 2024 All-American Trevon Gray, ranked fifth in the NWCA Poll and seventh in the Open Mat Poll, returns for his red-shirt junior season and his third year as the starting at 125 lbs.  Gray, a two-time Super Region I Champion, two-time First-Team All-PSAC selection, and a seventh-place finisher at the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championships, was 28-10 overall and 13-4 in dual meets a year ago.  The eighth-place finisher at the Midwest Classic and 2023-24 NWCA Scholar All-American ranked second on the team with nine technical falls and tied for second with five major decision victories.  A freshman in this weigh class is 2024 Pennsylvania AAA State Place-winner Tyson Cook (Scranton, Pa.).
      With the graduation of 2022-23 NCAA National Qualifier Byron Daubert, red-shirt sophomore and two-time PIAA AAA State-Place-winner Chad Ozias (Connellsville, Pa.) is the front-runner for the starting job at 133 lbs.  Ozias won the starting spot to start last season and was 1-2 before an injury ended his first season.  Ozias could be pushed by red-shirt sophomore and former PIAA AAA Section place-winner Braxton Rice (Spring Grove, Pa.) and a handful of red-shirt freshmen in 2023 PIAA AAA eighth-place finisher Gabriel Ruggieri (Connellsville, Pa.), two-time Michigan State place-winner Trennen Smith (Lakeview, MI), Pennsylvania Regional place-winner Connor Demcher (Pottsville, Pa.), and two-time Ohio State Qualifier Rahul Raghuram (Dublin, OH).
          Red-shirt senior and 2024 NCAA Division II National Qualifier Mason Myers is back in the starting lineup at 141 lbs.  Myers, ranked eighth in the NWCA Poll and 10^th in the Open Mat Poll entering the season, went 18-11 overall and 12-4 in dual meets and was the Super Region I runner-up at last year's tournament to earn his spot in the national tournament.
          The Mountain Cats must replace four-time All-American and 2024 NCAA National Champion Jacob Ealy in the starting lineup at 149 lbs.  Although it's a huge hole to fill, Pitt-Johnstown might have the perfect replacement in junior transfer Matt Sarbo (Altoona, Pa.).  Sarbo comes to Pitt-Johnstown after winning National Junior College National Championships at Iowa Central Community College in both 2023 and 2024.  Sarbo went 49-3 in his two seasons at Iowa Central and was named the 2023-24 Junior College National Wrestler of the Year and the top Pound-for-Pound Wrestler in junior college.  Red-shirt freshmen Carter Weaver (Williamsport, Pa.), a two-time Pennsylvania AAA State Qualifier, and Evan Wilcox (Germantown, OH), a 2023 Ohio State eighth-place finisher, are also expected to compete with Sarbo for the starting job in this weight class.  Red-Shirt freshman Chad Jesko (Dunbar, Pa.) will make also make Pitt-Johnstown debuts in 2023-24.  A freshman in this weight class is two-time Pennsylvania State Place-Winner Elias Long (York, Pa.).
          Cooper Warshel (Johnstown, Pa.), ranked ninth and 11^th, respectively in the NWCA and Open Matt Polls, won the starting job in 2023-24 after transferring from the University of Pittsburgh.  Warshel, the PSAC Freshman of the Year and PSAC Wrestler of the Week, won his first Super Region I Championship and qualified for the Division II National Tournament.  Warshel, Second-Team All-PSAC selection and a NWCA Scholar All-American, was 21-7 overall and 13-4 in dual meets.  Senior Kyler Crawford (Milton, Pa.), also a NWCA Scholar All-American, looks to finish his career strong after proving to be a solid wrestler in spot duty throughout his Mountain Cat career.  A freshman in this weight class is 2024 PIAA AAA sixth-place finisher Isaiah Pisano (Aliquippa, Pa.).
        Pitt-Johnstown will need to replace NCAA National Qualifier Dillon Keane at 165 lbs.  Red-shirt freshman and Pennsylvania AAA State Place-Winner Gavyn Beck (Murrysville, Pa.) is expected to compete with University of Pittsburgh transfer and red-shirt junior Brock McMillen (Coalport, Pa.) for that role.  McMillen, a four-time PIAA AA State finalist and a three-time PIAA State Champion, posted at 11-4 record at Pitt a year ago.  Freshmen in this weight class include 2024 PIAA AA sixth-place finisher Trent Hoover (Cresson, Pa.), two-time Pennsylvania AAA State qualifier Josh Barlow (Kennett Square, Pa.), and PIAA AA State Qualifier Ricky Halford (Ringtown, Pa.).
          Red-shirt junior Tony Salopek returns to the Mountain Cat lineup after going 12-12 overall and 11-6 in dual meets in 2023-24.  However, Salopek will be pushed by a handful of talented wrestlers, including Bloomsburg University transfer Macon Myers (York, Pa.), red-shirt junior Jake Sabol (Johnstown, Pa.), and red-shirt freshman Jimmy Spindler (Pittston Township, Pa.).  Myers, also a red-shirt freshman and the brother of Pitt-Johnstown's Mason Myers, was a former Pennsylvania State AAA State Place-Winner, while, Sabol a NWCA Scholar All-American selection, went 5-3 in 2023-24.  Spindler will make his collegiate debut after qualifying for the PIAA AA State Tournament on two occasions. In addition, red-shirt sophomore Bryant Green (Towanda, Pa.) has experience and could be a factor in this weight class.  A red-shirt freshman in this weight class is Anthony Zona (Irwin, Pa.), who transferred to Pitt-Johnstown prior to the 2023-24 season from Pitt-Greensburg.
          Noah Gnibus returns to the lineup after winning the starting job in 2023-24 as a red-shirt freshman.  Gnibus, who went 18-7 overall and 12-4 in dual meets, will look to take the next step in his collegiate wrestling career and earn a spot in the National Tournament after placing fourth at the Super Region I Tournament a season ago.  Red-shirt junior Ty Broadway (Glen Burnie, MD), along with red-shirt freshman and 2023 Pennsylvania AAA State Tournament qualifier Teague Conover (Abbottstown, Pa.) will make his debut and push for Gnibus for time on the mat.
      Senior All-American Dakoda Rodgers, ranked sixth in both preseason polls, is back in the starting line for one more season.  Rodgers, a 2023 NCAA Division II National Qualifier, won his first Super Region I Tournament Championship and became an All-American with a seventh-place finish in 2024.  The First-Team All-PSAC selection and a third-place finisher at the Midwest Classic finished second on the team with a 32-4 overall record and 16-1 dual meet record.  Rodgers also led the team with 20 wins by decision.  Red-shirt sophomore Justin Briscoe (Woodlawn, MD), and red-shirt freshman Owen Ott (Irwin, Pa.), a 2023 PIAA AAA State Place-winner, will be solid backups and help the Mountain Cats throughout the year.  Junior Brad Morrison (Landisburg, Pa.), a transfer from Lock Haven University is expected to take a red-shirt.
          Junior All-American and No. 3-ranked in both polls Isaiah Vance, a 2024 Super Region I Tournament Champion and a First-Team All-PSAC choice, comes back for his third year as a starter for Pitt-Johnstown.  After qualifying for the NCAA National Tournament in 2023, Vance, the Midwest Classic Champion and two-time PSAC Wrestler of the Week, became an All-American with a fifth-place finish in 2024.  He boasted a 32-3 overall record and a perfect 17-0, while his 17 wins by fall led the Mountain Cats.  Two-time Pennsylvania AA State Qualifier Michael Mazurek (Sharon, Pa.) will make his college debut after red-shirting in 2023-24.
 
        Pitt-Johnstown kicks off the 2024-25 season in the Sports Center against 18-ranked West Liberty (WV) University on Nov. 7 before traveling to the Journeymen Classic in Bethlehem on Nov. 10.  The Mountain Cats will then open PSAC action at East Stroudsburg on Nov. 14.