Delaware Valley Preview

Will this be the year that Delaware Valley qualifies 10 to the NCAA tournament?  Head Coach Brandon Totten has put together a solid lineup with designs on a national title.  Five NCAA qualifiers and three All-Americans return for the Aggies, and an impressive group of incoming wrestlers will fill the holes left by graduation on last year’s top 5 team.  Sophomore Chris Sheetz had an outstanding first year wrestling into the semifinals before placing sixth.  Mike Wilcox, a junior college transfer, stepped right into the lineup at 184 and stormed to the finals where he fell to the undefeated Djoumessi.  2x NCAA qualifier Kyle Bilquist finished 30-3 while taking 5th.  All three are title threats, though Sheetz and Wilcox may have returnign champs at their weights.  In addition, 133 lb. Brandon Clemmer and 149 lb. Jesse Harrington return for another shot at All-American status.  Three important transfers come in to help make th goal of 10 qualifiers a reality.  Justin Barowski was a three year starter for Wilkes, but he moves over the Del Val for his last year.  D1 transfers Robbie Hickman of Pitt and Jeff Siciliano of Hofstra were both multiple New Jersey placewinners and will slide right into vacant spots.  Incoming freshmen include Maryland state champ Zac Stavish, NJ placers Charlie Frankel and Kyle Tufts, and PA placer Zeke Pyle and qualifier Donald Smith.  This is a strong team that will likely be the class of the East.

Team: Delaware Valley College
Head Coach: Brandon Totten (Delaware Valley ’96)
Years at School as head coach: 6
Career Record at school: 88-25
Assistant Coaches: Shaun Smith, Mike Berlanda, Andrew Helms, Jamall Johnson

2007-2008 Dual Meet Record: 14-4
2007-2008 National Qualifiers and All-Americans: Chris Sheetz (125/6th), Brandon Clemmer (133/NQ), Dan Hall (141/NQ), Jesse Harrington (149/NQ), Ryan Herwig (157/3rd), Mike Wilcox (184/2nd), Joe West (197/NQ), Kyle Bilquist (285/5th)
Returning Qualifiers and All-Americans: Sheetz, Clemmer, Harrington, Wilcox, Bilquist

Top returning starters:
125 – Chris Sheetz – So – 34-8 record, All-American (6th place), Midwest Champion, Midwest OW
133 – Brandon Clemmer – Sr – 25-9 record, NCAA Qualifier, Midwest Champion
141 – Eric McCann – So – 19-10 record @133
157 – Jesse Harrington – So – 27-8 record, NCAA Qualifier @149
165 – Greg Miele – Sr – 19-12 record, 3rd Midwest
184 – Mike Wilcox – Sr – 28-3 record, All-American (2nd place), Midwest Champion
285 – Kyle Bilquist – Sr – 30-3 record, All-American (5th place), 2x NCAA Qualifier, 2008 Midwest Champion

Top incoming wrestlers:
125 – Charlie Frankel – Fr – 2x New Jersey state placewinner
149 – Robbie Hickman – Jr – Transfer from Pitt, 3x NJ placewinner
149- Donald Smith – Fr – PA state qualifier
165 – Justin Barowski – Sr – Transfer from Wilkes (three-year starter with 58-17 record)
174/184 – Zac Stavish – Fr – MD state champion, 2x placewinner
197 – Kyle Tufts – Fr – NJ placewinner
197 – Jeff Siciliano – So – Transfer from Hofstra, 2x NJ placewinner
285 – Zeke Pyle – Fr – PA placewinner