I wasn’t planning on doing a lineup review of Pitt but El Jefe kept on begging me to post it, so here it goes:
125 – Bentley (Sr) <St. Edward, OH> or Fenton (Fr) <Elyria, OH>
LJ Bentley went 9-6 last season and didn’t qualify for the tournament. He did qualify in 2016, going 1-2. Incoming freshman Brendon Fenton is a two-time Ohio (D1) champion that had originally committed to Eastern Michigan before they dropped their program. Booo!!! (to EMU, not Fenton)
133 – Phillippi (Fr) <Derry Area, PA>
Edit: So to Fr
Micky Phillippi went 17-3 unattached last season and defeated several NCAA qualifiers. He’s taking over for 4-time qualifier, Dom Forys (1-2 in 2018, 2-2 in 2017, R12 in 2016, 0-2 in 2015).
141 – Bulsak (Fr) <South Park, PA> or Matthews (Fr) <Reynolds, PA>
Dallas Bulsak went 11-7 in his redshirt year. Incoming freshman Cole Matthews is a two-time PIAA (AA) champion (@138 in 2018). The new starter will be taking over for 4-year starter Nick Zanetta , who qualified for the tournament for the first time last season, going 2-2 (22-12 overall).
149 – Lee (Sr) <Kaukauna, WI> or Kemerer (Fr) <Hempfield Area, PA>
Three-year starter Robert Lee went 8-12 last season and didn’t qualify for the tournament. Incoming freshman Luke Kemerer finished 3rd @152 in the 2018 PIAA (AAA) tournament.
157 – Rahmani (Jr) <Marysville, OH>
Taleb Rahmani went 18-14 overall last season and 1-2 in the tournament. He had an unlucky placement in the brackets. After pinning #16 seed D’Angelo in the 1st round, he lost to #1 seed Hidlay and then #2 seed Lavallee in the wrestlebacks. Rhamani also qualified in 2017, going 2-2.
165 – Wentzel (So) <South Park, PA>
Jake Wentzel went 13-13 overall last season and didn’t qualify for the tournament. He had a couple of wins against NCAA qualifiers.
174 – O’Brien (So) <Wilson, PA>
Tommy O’Brien went 5-15 as a true freshman and ended the season as the starter. Austin Bell also got some starts @174 last year (6-14 overall) and has since transferred to Lock Haven.
184 – Bonaccorsi (Fr) <Bethel Park, PA>
Nino Bonaccorsi went 21-5 during his redshirt season (he had some quality wins). Greg Harvey went 14-14 as the starter last season and didn’t qualify for the tournament.
197 – Stout (Jr) <Mt. Lebanon, PA> or Harvey (So) <Boyertown, PA>
Kellen Stout went 6-16 as the starter last season. Greg Harvey, last season’s starter @184, is now listed at 197 on the Pitt roster.
Heavy – Thomas (Jr) <McLuer, MO>
Demetrius Thomas transferred from Williams Baptist where he was the NAIA champion in 2017 and runner-up in 2018. He will be taking over for 4-time qualifier Ryan Solomon (1-2 in 2018, R12 in 2017, 0-2 in 2016, 2-2 in 2015).
Pitt returns only one of its four qualifiers from last season (although, they may get some new qualifiers this year like Phillippi). Pitt finished 31st with 10.5 points last season.
Pitt hotel room @Midlands:
125 – Bentley (Sr) <St. Edward, OH> or Fenton (Fr) <Elyria, OH>
LJ Bentley went 9-6 last season and didn’t qualify for the tournament. He did qualify in 2016, going 1-2. Incoming freshman Brendon Fenton is a two-time Ohio (D1) champion that had originally committed to Eastern Michigan before they dropped their program. Booo!!! (to EMU, not Fenton)
133 – Phillippi (Fr) <Derry Area, PA>
Edit: So to Fr
Micky Phillippi went 17-3 unattached last season and defeated several NCAA qualifiers. He’s taking over for 4-time qualifier, Dom Forys (1-2 in 2018, 2-2 in 2017, R12 in 2016, 0-2 in 2015).
141 – Bulsak (Fr) <South Park, PA> or Matthews (Fr) <Reynolds, PA>
Dallas Bulsak went 11-7 in his redshirt year. Incoming freshman Cole Matthews is a two-time PIAA (AA) champion (@138 in 2018). The new starter will be taking over for 4-year starter Nick Zanetta , who qualified for the tournament for the first time last season, going 2-2 (22-12 overall).
149 – Lee (Sr) <Kaukauna, WI> or Kemerer (Fr) <Hempfield Area, PA>
Three-year starter Robert Lee went 8-12 last season and didn’t qualify for the tournament. Incoming freshman Luke Kemerer finished 3rd @152 in the 2018 PIAA (AAA) tournament.
157 – Rahmani (Jr) <Marysville, OH>
Taleb Rahmani went 18-14 overall last season and 1-2 in the tournament. He had an unlucky placement in the brackets. After pinning #16 seed D’Angelo in the 1st round, he lost to #1 seed Hidlay and then #2 seed Lavallee in the wrestlebacks. Rhamani also qualified in 2017, going 2-2.
165 – Wentzel (So) <South Park, PA>
Jake Wentzel went 13-13 overall last season and didn’t qualify for the tournament. He had a couple of wins against NCAA qualifiers.
174 – O’Brien (So) <Wilson, PA>
Tommy O’Brien went 5-15 as a true freshman and ended the season as the starter. Austin Bell also got some starts @174 last year (6-14 overall) and has since transferred to Lock Haven.
184 – Bonaccorsi (Fr) <Bethel Park, PA>
Nino Bonaccorsi went 21-5 during his redshirt season (he had some quality wins). Greg Harvey went 14-14 as the starter last season and didn’t qualify for the tournament.
197 – Stout (Jr) <Mt. Lebanon, PA> or Harvey (So) <Boyertown, PA>
Kellen Stout went 6-16 as the starter last season. Greg Harvey, last season’s starter @184, is now listed at 197 on the Pitt roster.
Heavy – Thomas (Jr) <McLuer, MO>
Demetrius Thomas transferred from Williams Baptist where he was the NAIA champion in 2017 and runner-up in 2018. He will be taking over for 4-time qualifier Ryan Solomon (1-2 in 2018, R12 in 2017, 0-2 in 2016, 2-2 in 2015).
Pitt returns only one of its four qualifiers from last season (although, they may get some new qualifiers this year like Phillippi). Pitt finished 31st with 10.5 points last season.
Pitt hotel room @Midlands:
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