Wrestling | 11/3/2017 11:47:00 AM
ROCHESTER, NY – Coming off a resurgent 2016-17 season, the RIT wrestling program is poised to enjoy even greater success in 2017-18. A strong mix of a dozen returners in addition to 15 newcomers will give second-year head coach
Jason Bovenzi excellent depth throughout the lineup.
Last season, the Tigers finished with nine dual victories, while three wrestlers advanced to the NCAA Championship. The nine dual wins were tied for the third most in one season all-time at RIT.
"We have a lot of talent," said Bovenzi. "There is a great influx of newcomers who are really pushing our returners and the returning group is really embracing that challenge. One of the most exciting aspects of this team is that there can be 10 new starters."
Despite five starters from 2016-17 on co-op for the 2017-18 season, including 2017 NCAA Championship participants
Dempsey King (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) and
Sam Weinger (Blooming Grove, NY/Washingtonville), competition is fierce at every weight class this season.
Bovenzi expects juniors
Joe Cutugno (Ventnor, NJ/Atlantic City) and
Cole Murphy (Syracuse, NY/Westhill) to lead the way on and off the mat for the Tigers as captains in 2017-18. Cutugno, who wrestles at 184 lbs., was on co-op last season, but won 10 matches in 2015-16. Murphy will vie for the starting role at 149 lbs.
"Both Joe and Cole are hard workers who are well respected by their teammates," said Bovenzi. "Both will be great leaders for us this season."
Senior
Andrew Flanagan (Holley, NY/Holley) returns for his final season at 125 lbs. Flanagan won nine matches in 2016-17 and has 21 victories in his Tiger career. He will be joined by freshman Alex Prunoske to form a strong duo. Prunoske won 106 matches was third at the Florida State Championships in 2017.
Freshman Alex Rawlings will be a solid contender at 133 lbs., while there are a lot of capable options at both 141 and 149 lbs., senior
Won Kim (Millbrae, CA/Mills) and, along with freshmen Shane Murphy, Zach Stedeford will look the lead the way. At 149 lbs.,
Cole Murphy (Syracuse, NY/Westhill) will vie with and freshmen Andrew Chase and Zarek Thomas for the starting role. Chase won 128 career matches at Londonderry High School, while Thomas was 35-8 at Albany Academy last season.
Senior
Coty Lutz (Forestport, NY/Adirondack), junior
Ezekiel Thomas (Waterford, NY/Albany Academy), sophomore
Colby Hall (Deposit, NY/Deposit) and freshman Kaidon Winters will all battle for the starting nod at 157 lbs. Hall was 12-9 as a first-year wrestler. Junior Vincent Buscemi, along with freshmen Adam Green, Morgan Seller and Jakob Warner are in competition at 165 lbs.
Returners
Logan Calkins (Alfred, NY/Alfred-Almond) and
Joe Lupisella (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder), along with Trevor Snow will look to claim the top spot at 174 lbs. Lupisella enjoyed a strong freshman season last year in which he won 11 matches. Snow comes to RIT after winning 130 matches at General Brown High School, earning Fargo Greco Roman All-American honors.
Cutugno is the leading candidate for the Tigers at 184 lbs., while freshmen Matt Cicco and Joey Monteleone will battle it out at 197 lbs. Cicco won 125 matches at Niagara-Wheatfield High School and was third in the New York State Championship last season. Monteleone was a standout at East Syracuse-Minoa High School.
At the heavyweight position, sophomore
Wyatt Morris (Eaton, NY/Morrisville-Eaton) returns after recording six wins last season. Competition will be fierce for a spot in the lineup, as freshman Owen Albanese, Tony Enkjhargal and sophomore
Chris St. Denny (Bridgeport, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) will all look to make their marks immediately.
"We really like where we are at as a team as we head into the season," said Bovenzi. "The guys are working hard. "We have a lot of guys who are used to winning. The potential is there and our student-athletes are exceptionally capable."
RIT opens the regular season on Nov. 3-4 with the Ithaca Invitational, which will take place at Johnson and Wales College in Providence R.I. The following weekend, RIT heads to the Electric City Duals hosted by the University of Scranton before the New York State Championships, hosted by Cornell University on Nov. 19.
On Dec. 2, the Tigers will host the 52nd annual RIT Wrestling Invitational which is sure to bring some of the top teams in all of Division III.
RIT wraps up the fall semester with a dual match at The College at Brockport on Dec. 7 before spending the holiday break at the Citrus Open in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. On Dec. 29-30.
In January, the Tigers go to King's College for the New York/Pennsylvania Duals on Jan. 6. The following weekend, RIT will compete against some of the top teams in Division III in the prestigious Budd Whitehill Duals from Lycoming College. RIT will conclude the month at Wilkes University for the John Reese Duals.
The Tigers will host a series of dual meets on Feb. 10 before the NCAA Mideast Regional on Feb. 24-25. The top three performers in each weight class at the regional meet will qualify for the NCAA Championships, hosted by Baldwin Wallace University and take place in Cleveland, Ohio on March 9-10.
"We really challenge ourselves and will see teams we do not normally see with our schedule this season," said Bovenzi. "The guys will get a lot of good experience. The focus will be on our development and how we adjust as the season progresses."
