USMMA Preview

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Mariners
Head Coach:   Greg Ilaria
Years at School as head coach: 3rd season
Career Record at school: 27 – 13
Assistant Coaches: Beau Bruno

2009-2010 Dual Meet Record: 13- 7
2009-2010 National Qualifiers and All-Americans: Jordan Alfaro (125 8th), Dan Twito (157 NQ), Vincent Renaut (165 1st)
Returning Qualifiers and All-Americans: Alfaro, Twito, Renaut, and James Beshada (2008 & 2009 NQ)

Number of returning wrestlers who competed in 2010 national qualifier: 8

Top returning starters:
125 Jordan Alfaro – returning AA
133 Garrick Skubon – 4th in centennial conference
141/149 James Beshada – 2x NCAA qualifier
141/149 Martin Bell – Centennial conference runner up
157 Dan Twito – 3 x NCAA qualifier
165 Vincent Renaut – Returning National Champion
174 Justin Diesel  – Centennial Conference runner up
184 – Erik Schott – Centennial Conference runner up 2009
HWT – Judd Connell – 2x Centennial Conference runner up

Top incoming wrestlers:
Ryan Smith    NJ    5th in state – 2008
Jordan Higa    WA    7th Place State – 4A
Tyler Russell    ME    2 x State Champ, 4th place New England’s
Ben Stallings    VA    6th place VA
Jake Walker    KA    State Runner up
Nick Watson    FL    State Runner up
Tom Re’        NY    CHSAA 2nd
Sam Fry        MI    6th Place finish
Dillon Yi       GA    State Qualifier

Season outlook:
After a few years of sending a lot of qualifiers to the tournament but coming back empty-handed, the Merchant Marine Academy broke through in 2010 with an 8th place finish from Jordan Alfaro and the first NCAA Champion in conference history in unseeded 165 lb. Vincent Renaut.  Both are back, along with a pair of other qualifiers in Dan Twito and James Beshada.  Four years ago, the Mariners had an outstanding recruiting class that has yielded four NCAA qualifiers, two of whom became All-Americans last year.  This group is now seniors and looking to have one last great year together to move the team higher in the NCAA standings and maintain their hold on the Centennial Conference championship.