LAST TIME OUT
Elizabethown Dual / Bearcat Open
- F&M opened its dual schedule at home with a 32-9 win against nearby Elizabethtown
- The Diplomats' starting lineup currently consists of as many as six true freshmen, making F&M the youngest team in Division I wrestling this season
- The lineup also features two sophomores and two juniors until senior Cenzo Pelusi returns to the lineup for the spring semester where Chase Thompson is expected to redshirt after using fewer than his five allowable dates of attached competition
- Of the teams eligible for the DI National Championships, the next highest total is four freshmen - with several of those teams have multiple redshirt freshmen in the lineup
- Teams with four freshmen currently starting include Little Rock, Maryland, Northern Colorado, Purdue, Sacred Heart, The Citadel, Virginia Tech, VMI
- With that young and talented lineup, the Diplomats got bonus points in five different matches versus Elizabethtown and won seven of the 10 bouts overall, plus one exhibition
- James Conway (184 lbs.) had F&M's lone pin, with Pat Phillips (133 lbs.) and John Crawford (197 lbs.) also picking up technical falls against the Blue Jays
- Over the weekend, F&M placed four wrestlers at Binghamton's Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open, with each of those place winners coming at 125 and 133 lbs
- Pat Phillips (133 lbs.) advanced to the finals for the second straight tournament, notching two falls and a semifinal major decision en route to the finals
- Josh Hillard placed sixth at that same weight, winning three straight consolation matches after a dropping his first match of the tournament to get back to the medal round
- Gio Diaz was team's highest placer at 125 lbs., finishing in fourth place
- Diaz advanced to the semifinals with an overtime victory against Penn State and an 8-1 win over Northern Colorado
- First-year Mason Leiphart placed for the second consecutive tournament. He took sixth at 125 lbs. falling 4-3 in the semifinals to the No. 23 wrestler in the country from Northern Colorado (Stevo Poulin)
"Shorty" Hitchcock Probable Lineup
133: Drew Currier, FY (2-4) / Aidan O'Shea, FY (4-4) / Brandon Sauter, FY (1-4)
149: Avery Clarke, SO (0-0)
157: Anthony Micci, JR (1-4)
165: RJ Moore, FY (2-5) / Makoa Niebel, SO (0-4)
174: Noah Bash, SO (1-4)
197: Harrison Shapiro, JR (0-5)
285: Chase Thompson, FY (0-2)
Keystone Classic Probable Lineup
125: Jack Bruce, SR (4-4) / Gio Diaz, JR (3-4) / Mason Leiphart, FY (8-3)
133: #31 Pat Phillips, SO (8-2) / Josh Hillard, FY (6-4)
141: Bryce Kresho, FY (3-4) / Sam Kotch, FY (4-4)
157: Nick Alvarez, FY (3-5)
174: Noah Fox, JR (2-4)
184: James Conway, SO (6-4)
197: John Crawford, JR (3-4)
"shorty" Hitchcock Notes
2021 F&M Results
- Avery Clarke advanced to the fifth round of consolations at 141 lbs., falling one match shy of the placing rounds via a 3-2 decision
- Harrison Shapiro won two consolation matches by fall at 184 lbs., advancing to the fourth round of consolation action
- Seniors Chris Hisey and Nick Tewell also earned victories competing at this event
- Most recent F&M place winners (from 2019-20 season): Cenzo Pelusi (2nd; 285 lbs.), Wil Gil (3rd; 141 lbs.), Jose Diaz (6th; 125 lbs.), Emmett LiCastri (6th; 165 lbs.)
Keystone Classic Notes
2021 F&M Results
- Penn took seventh out of eight teams at the 2021 Keystone Classic
- Place winners included Wil Gil (fourth; 141 lbs.), Cenzo Pelusi (fourth; 285 lbs.), Pat Phillips (fifth; 133 lbs.), James Conway (seventh; 184 lbs.)
- Gio Diaz and Noah Fox also have returning experience from this tournament, with both winning matches in their first time competing at the Keystone Classic
Keystone Classic Preseeds (intermat Rankings)
125
- #22 Caleb Smith (Appalachian State)
- #15 Ryan Miller (Penn)
- #25 Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech)
- Antonio Mininno (Drexel)
- Cooper Flynn (Virginia Tech)
- Tyler Klinskey (Rider)
- Mason Leiphart (F&M)
- Diego Sotelo (Harvard)
133
- #10 Michael Colaiocco (Penn)
- #11 Sam Latona (Virginia Tech)
- #20 Richie Koehler (Rider)
- #24 Sean Carter (Appalachian State)
- #31 Pat Phillips (F&M)
- Julian Cheblove (Arizona State)
- Beau Bayless (Harvard)
141
- McKenzie Bell (Rider)
- Collin Gerardi (Virginia Tech)
- Cameron Ferrante (Penn)
- Heath Gonyer (Appalachian State)
149
- #5 John Millner (Appalachian State)
- #9 Doug Zapf (Penn)
- #12 Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech)
- #19 Quinn Kinner (Rider)
157
- #13 Anthony Artalona (Penn)
- Cody Bond (Appalachian State)
- Jake Silverstein (Rider)
- Tommy Askey (Appalachian State)
- Clayton Ulrey (Virginia Tech)
- Peter Pappas (George Mason)
- Loranzo Rajaonarivelo (George Mason)
- Michael Kilic (Arizona State)
165
- #19 Lucas Revano (Penn)
- #20 Evan Barczak (Drexel)
- Drew Nicholson (Virginia Tech)
- #25 William Formato (Appalachian State)
- #31 Connor Brady (Virginia Tech)
- Joshua Kim (Harvard)
174
- #19 Nick Incontrera (Penn)
- Logan Messer (George Mason)
- Josh Nummer (Arizona State)
- Michael Kistler (Penn)
184
- #9 Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech)
- #17 Anthony Montalvo (Arizona State)
- Sam Fisher (Virginia Tech)
- Brian Bonino (Drexel)
- Leonardo Tarantino (Harvard)
- John Stout (Penn)
- Maximus Hale (Penn)
- James Conway (F&M)
197
- #17 Kordell Norfleet (Arizona State)
- #12 Ethan Laird (Rider)
- #27 Cole Urbas (Penn)
- Dakota Howard (Virginia Tech)
- Nick Marcenelle (Harvard)
- John Crawford (F&M)
- TJ Stewart (Virginia Tech)
- Jon List (George Mason)
285
- #19 Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech)
- #22 Ben Goldin (Penn)
- #32 Jonah Niesenbaum (Duke)
- David Szuba (Rider)
- Mason Fiscella (Appalachian State)
F&M in National Rankings
Pat Phillips, So./133 (#31 InterMat / HM FloWrestling)
- 8-2 on the season
- Finalist at Southeast Open and Bearcat Open
- 4 wins by bonus points
- Defeated returning All-American and currently #11 Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) at Southeast Open
- 23-13 career record
- 3-1 vs. EIWA opponents this season (10-6 career)
W. Roy Phillips '34 Wrestling Coach Mike Rogers
- Entering 13th season as head coach
- Coached nine NCAA Division I qualifiers at F&M, highlighted by 2014 All-American and two-time EIWA Champion Rick Durso '16.
- Team went 8-2 in duals last season for the highest single-season win percentage this century
- Led team to 10th-highest GPA in Division I during F&M's last full season, including new school records for NWCA Academic All-Americans and EIWA Scholar-Athletes
- Was a three-time NCAA qualifier at Lock Haven, earning All-America accolades twice.
- 1996 Gorrarian Award winner for most pints in the least amount of time at NCAA Division I Championships.
- Previously served as assistant coach at Lock Haven and American in addition to leading the Pennsylvania team to multiple Junior Freestyle Championships.
Assistant Coach Steve Borja
- Entering 10th season at Franklin & Marshall
- Previously served as an assistant coach at Millersville University and Manheim Central High School
- Graduated from Virginia Tech in 2008 where he was a two-time first-team All-CC wrestler who was ranked as high as fourth in the country during the 2007 season
