2012-2013 Gettysburg Preview

Gettysburg College Bullets (East Region)
Head Coach: Andy Vogel
Years at School as head coach: 5
Career Record at school: 19-80
Assistant Coaches: Gino Frank

Facebook: Gettysburg College Wrestling
Twitter: @GburgWrestling

2011-2012 Dual Meet Record: 7-15
2011-2012 National Qualifiers and All-Americans: Zach Thomson (165), Kevin Poplaski (285)
Returning Qualifiers: Thomson and Poplaski

Top returning starters:
133 Matt Spano – 34-12, 4th Centennial
174 Zach Thomson – 41-3, 2nd Centennial, NCAA Qualifier
174 Jared Leon – 22-13, 2nd Centennial
285 Kevin Poplaski – 31-15, 1st Centennial, NCAA Qualifier

Top incoming wrestlers:
Eddie Carroll – 2nd New England 2011
Cody Keane – 3rd New England
Tyler Cunningham – 1st CT State Open
Jon Faul – 3rd VA
Lukas Iorio – 8th NJ
Nick Diunizio – FL state qualifier
Manny Markantone, Will Cauffman – National Prep qualifiers

Season outlook:
Gettysburg returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009, and both of those qualifiers return looking to make it to the second day of the tournament to become All-Americans. With only one full time starter graduating, and a good group of freshman joining the team, the Bullets should have filled some lineup holes that will make winning dual meets easier. Sophomore Zach Thomson set the singe season wins record at Gettysburg in his first season, and he hopes to improve upon that performance as a sophomore moving up to 174. Senior Kevin Poplaski will try to earn his second trip to the NCAA tournament as well. Juniors Matt Spano (34 wins in ’12) and Jared Leon are both 2x conference placewinners, and both have realistic shots at making it to Cedar Rapids out of the East. With 26 wrestlers on the roster, the Bullets have some depth that will help them survive injuries and continue their year by year improvement.