Ithaca Preview
Ithaca College Bombers
Head Coach: Marty Nichols
Years at School as head coach: 16th
Career Record: 166-62
Assistant Coaches: Dave Auble, Chris Davis, Jon Gregory, Marc Israel
2010-2011 Dual Meet Record: 14-2 (1st Empire, 4th NCAA)
2010-2011 National Qualifiers and All-Americans: Max Cohen (125), Seth Ecker (141, 1st), Jeremy Stierly (141, 2nd), Blaine Woszczak (149, 4th), Derek Brenon (157), Nick Sanko (165), David Priest (174, 4th), Matthew Mahon (285)
Returning Qualifiers and All-Americans: Cohen, Ecker, Stierly, Brenon, Sanko, and Mahon
Top returning starters:
125 Max Cohen – 2nd Empire, NCAA Qualifier
133 Seth Ecker – NCAA Champion, 2x AA
141 Jeremy Stierly – 2x NCAA runner-up
157 Derek Brenon – 1st Empire, NCAA qualifier
165 Nick Sanko – 1st Empire, NCAA qualifier
184 Keith Dickey – 3rd Empire
285 Matthew Mahon – 2nd Empire, NCAA Qualifier
Top incoming wrestlers:
174 Jules Doliscar – 2x NJCAA All-American
125 Ricardo Gomez – 2x NJCAA runner-up
125 Anthony Cabrera – PA placewinner
133 Marvin Amazan HS AA
141 Alex Gomez HS AA
149 Kevin Collins NJ State Place Winner
157 Brett Sanko PA State Qualifer
174 Grant Dickey PA State Qualifer
Season outlook:
After a great season that saw the Bombers take eight to the NCAA tournament and come home with four All-Americans and a 4th place team finish, Ithaca is returning six qualifiers and two All-Americans as they attempt to crack the top five again in 2012. Seth Ecker and Jeremy Stierly each made the finals last year with Ecker bringing home the title and Stierly finishing as a runner-up for the second year in a row. They will form the backbone of what will again be a strong team, though both could move up a weight class or at least start the year up before dropping down later. Derek Brenon had a very good season that resulted in him earning the top seed at the NCAA championships, but it is not clear if he was completely healthy at the end of the year, and he failed to place. He will be looking to rectify that situation this season. Cohen, Sanko, and Mahon all came in unseeded and fell a few matches short of placing, but the experience at the tournament will aid them in the upcoming year. The incoming group is highlighted by a pair of junior college All-Americans, and the Bombers will likely be counting on Jules Doliscar to step in after the graduation of All-American David Priest at 174. The team lost a few stalwarts in Woszczak and Priest, but if they can fill those holes adequately, they should be able to challenge the top teams in March.