Northeast Region Preview

Northeast Region Championship | Event Website
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Saturday & Sunday, March 2-3, 11:00AM & 10:00AM

18 Teams – Full List

d3wrestle.com Rankings | NWCA Team Rankings

Ranked Teams: #3 Cortland, #10 Springfield, #11 Wesleyan, #13 Ithaca, #27 Johnson & Wales

d3wrestle.com Top Ten Individuals (Returning AA in Bold)
125 – #1 Giorgio (USCGA), #3 Gomez (Ithaca)
133 – #4 Gomez (Ithaca)
141 – #2 Grippi (Springfield), #4 Antista (Williams), #8 Bistis (Cortland)
149 – #4 Dierna (Cortland), #5 Tobochnik (Wesleyan)
157 – #6 Brenon (Ithaca), #7 Sterling (Cortland)
165 – #5 Longo (Springfield), #9 Crowell (Roger Williams)
174 – #2 Doliscar (Ithaca), #4 Puca (Cortland)
184 – #7 Beckwith (Cortland)
197 – #1 Myhrberg (Cortland)
285 – none

The Northeast Region is mostly what the old NEWA used to be, but there are some important changes with the additions of national contenders Cortland and Ithaca along with another pair of former Empire schools in Oneonta and Oswego. Cortland leads the way with one of their best teams in recent memory. They finished 4th at the National Duals and set a school record with 18 dual meet wins this year. They have six top ten wrestlers. Coming in strong at the bottom of the top ten are a pair of New England teams in #10 Springfield and #11 Wesleyan. Springfield won the New England duals, edging Wesleyan 19-18. Wesleyan moved up the rankings with a 6th place finish at the National Duals and has a solid team with a few guys just outside the rankings, including 2012 All-American Jefferson Ajayi at 184. Ithaca comes in at #13 and has four wrestlers in the top 6, while Johnson & Wales is #27.

141 is the only weight class with multiple returning All-Americans as Grippi of Springfield was 7th at 133 while Bistis of Cortland was 8th at 141. Grippi is undefeated in very limited action, while Bistis lost a recent match to Glatz of York but has otherwise been solid. 125 has the reigning d3wrestle.com Freshman of the Year in Giorgio, though he has spent 90% of the year at 133, should he appear at 125 in the postseason, he will be the favorite after his 4th place finish in 2012. 174 will be interesting with #2 Doliscar and #4 Puca in the weight, though Doliscar did just pin Puca in the 2nd period of their match last Wednesday.

Other returning All-Americans include Brenon of Ithaca at 157, Ajayi of Wesleyan at 184, and Myhrberg of Cortland at 197. Myhrberg has had a strong hold on the #1 ranking at 197 for most of the year. He is undefeated against DIII, though it took an overtime fall over Elmhurst’s Benefiel to keep that perfect record intact. He should not be challenged this weekend.

Others hanging around just outside the top ten include Dierna of Cortland at 133, Scotto of Wesleyan at 141, Lopez of Williams at 149, Desilets of JWU and Colom of Roger Williams at 157, Prell of JWU and Conroy of Cortland at 165, Lenhardt of JWU and DuVall of Oneontat at 184, Ernst of Roger Williams at 197, and James of Cortland at 285.