LYCOMING WRESTLING SET TO DEFEND MIDDLE ATLANTIC TITLE

WILLIAMSPORT, PA – With the graduation of four starters, including three national qualifiers, from last year’s 23-4-1 squad the Lycoming College wrestling team will take on a decidedly youthful look for the 2001-2002 season. Veteran head coach Roger Crebs will have his work cut out for him as he looks to guide the Warriors to their fifth MAC title in the past six years.

“We certainly have to reload this year. The seniors we lost to graduation left some big shoes to fill,” said Crebs. “But we have guys ready and eager to step up. If we can stay healthy and improve from week to week, we’ll be ready to defend our title when the time comes.”

In order to accomplish their goals and retain the MAC crown, Lycoming will have to get leadership from within the squad starting with co-captains Andy Hull (So./Mill Hall, PA; Bald Eagle Nittany), Nate Niman (Sr./Newport, PA; Newport), Dan Winter (Jr./Langhorne, PA; Neshaminy), and Jeremy Adams (So./Clearfield, PA; Clearfield).

Hull joined the Warriors mid-season a year ago as a transfer from Shippensburg University. He immediately stepped into a staring role and went on to claim an individual conference championship at 174 pounds qualifying for the Division III National Tournament. Niman begins his fourth season in Lycoming’s wrestling program. He is a two-time MAC place winner at 125 pounds and was an alternate for the national tournament as a sophomore. Winter is in his third year with the team with a career record of 22-18. He will likely move into the starting position at 157 pounds this season. Adams is only a sophomore, but a 20-16 record as a freshman and a second-place finish at the conference tournament earned him a leadership role this season.

“Leadership will be a key this season. We need our young guys to grow up in a hurry and contribute on a consistent basis,” commented Crebs. “Our captains have to set the tone early this year and really lead by example. We also have some new guys that are a few years older than traditional freshmen and their experience and maturity could really be an asset to the team.”

At 125 pounds, Niman is the incumbent posting a record of 30-7 during the regular season and finishing third at the MAC tournament. He will be pushed by Nick Subido (So./Coudersport, PA; Coudersport), Thomas Hunsberger (Fr./Moon Township, PA; Moon), and Jared Weller (Fr./Philipsburg, PA; Philipsburg-Osceola) . Subido returns for his sophomore season after seeing limited action in tournaments last season. Hunsberger and Weller are both freshman coming from quality high school programs.

Matt Hoffman (So./Sunbury, PA; Shamokin) returns for his sophomore season at 133 pounds. Hoffman started for the Warriors as a freshman and went 32-14 overall. He also placed fourth at the conference tournament. Michael Waldron (So./Williamsport, PA; Williamsport) is a sophomore transfer from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a former Pennsylvania high school state champion. He will compete with Hoffman for the starting job at 133. Sophomore Eric Snyder (So./Milton, PA; Milton) was also expected to challenge for time on the mats, but has been hampered by pre-season injuries.

With the graduation of three-year starter Mike Sommer, the 141-pound weight class is wide open. Andrew Squires (Fr./Clearfield, PA; Clearfield) may be the frontrunner for the starting role. However, veterans Jeremy Betz (Jr./Muncy, PA; Wyoming Seminary) and Keith Focht (Jr./Belmont Hills, PA; Harriton) are hungry to join the starting line-up in their junior seasons. Freshman Jon Carlson (Emporium, PA; Cameron County) and Greg Tierney (Fr./Blairstown, PA; North Warren Regional) will also challenge for time on the mats.

At 149 pounds, Adams returns after his impressive rookie season. He will be pushed by Tony Melendez (Jr./Scotch Plains, NJ; Scotch Plains), Corey Mowrey (Fr./Montgomery, PA; Montgomery), and Sean Reese (Fr./Milton, PA; Milton). Melendez is in his third year on the team. Mowrey was a two-time state medal-winner in high school, and Reese compiled a record of 89-41 during his high school career.

Lycoming must overcome the loss of a national champion at 157 pounds in Royce Eyer who went 46-4 last season for the Warriors. Winter, who went 16-12 a year ago, is the frontrunner for the open slot. Sophomore Todd Puderbach (Unityville, PA; Hughesville) and freshmen Kyle Greene (Clearfield, PA; Clearfield) and Clinton Swartz (Milton, PA; Milton) will challenge Winter. Puderbach went 9-7 wrestling in tournaments last season. Greene comes from a strong wrestling program at Clearfield High School and was a state qualifier his senior year. Swartz was a four-time letter-winner at Warrior Run High School.

The 165-pound weight class is another wide-open position for Lycoming following the loss of national qualifier John Cogan. Timothy Cherry (Jr./Furlong, PA; Central Bucks West) and Matthew Bruce (So./Guys Mills, PA; Maplewood) will be the veterans battling for the job. Cherry is a junior who is coming back from an injury that forced him to be red-shirted in 1999. Bruce, a sophomore, went 5-3 in tournament action his rookie season. Freshmen Grant Brindle (Pine Grove, PA; Pine Grove) and Daniel Yobp (New Kensington, PA; Plum) will also compete for the starting position.

At 174-pounds, Hull returns as a defending MAC champion and a qualifier for the national championships. With a full year of conditioning and practicing at Lycoming, he should be one of the cornerstones of the Warriors’ lineup. Nate Jones (Jr./Houtzdale, PA; Moshannon Valley) will back –up Hull and add depth to the weight.

Jeff Tierney (Jr./Blairstown, NJ; North Warren Regional) returns at 184 pounds following a 24-12 campaign his sophomore season and a third-place finish at the MAC championships. Freshman Vaughn Downes (Warrington, PA; Germantown Academy) will compete for time on the mats after making the transition from football to wrestling.

Lycoming has the unique opportunity at 197 pounds of replacing one national qualifier with another. Andy Lausier graduated last year after a stellar career that included three appearances at the national tournament. Jon Neve (Jr./Norristown, PA; Germantown Academy) will likely take over the weight class after qualifying for nationals as a heavyweight last season. A fullback on the football team Neve joined the Warriors mid-season a year ago and stunned the conference by winning the heavyweight championship despite weighing significantly less than most of his opponents. Sophomores John Battaglia (Beaver Falls, PA; Blackhawk) and Wesley Keen, Jr. (Avis, PA; Jersey Shore) will also compete to replace Lausier, as will freshmen Albert Fluman (Gettysburg, PA; Gettysburg) and Justin Hoffacker (New Oxford, PA; Bermudian Springs).

At heavyweight, Neve remains a possibility to return and defend his conference crown. However, the opportunity is there for Joe Haile (Jr./Corning, NY; Painted Post), Adam Bickford (So./Emporium, PA; Cameron County), Rojer Frazier (Fr./Virginia Beach, VA; Kempsville), or Andrew Hubois (Fr./Oaklyn, NY; Collingswood) to claim the starting role. Haile returns for his third season on the team. Bickford, a member of the football team, will join the team for the first time at Lycoming. Frazier, who also plays football for the Warriors, is extremely athletic. Hubois begins his collegiate career after capping his high school accomplishments with a 30-2 mark his senior season.

“Our goals for this season are to win the MAC championship and improve our performance at the national championships,” said Crebs. “There may be some questions about our team and its level of experience but I believe that we will improve throughout the year and be right where we need to be at the end of the year.”