Rhode Island Preview

Rhode Island College capped one of the best years in team history with a national championship for wire-to-wire #1 ranked Michael Bonora.  Bonora became the second NCAA champ from Rhode Island and just the third from the New England conference.  Travis Drappi moves up from 133 to fill Bonora’s shoes and is joined by fellow returning NEWA placewinners Kevin Sutherland and Nick Logan.  The top returner is 2008 NEWA champion Mike Martini who will try to defend his 157 lb. title and make a repeat trip to the NCAA tournament.  Six starters are back, and the holes will be filled by underclassmen stepping into new roles as well as a talented incoming group that includes 3x Vermont state champ Scott Legacy, HS New England champ Brandon Gauthier, HS New England placer Rich Wapenyi and New Jersey state qualifier Mike Trasso.  The team will venture out of New England a few times this season for the RIT tournament and Budd Whitehill duals as they prepare for the NEWA championships.

Team: Rhode Island College
Head Coach: Jay Jones (Rhode Island ’94)
Years at School as head coach: 10th season
Career Record at school: 116-85
Assistant Coaches:  Bob Smith, Dave Paquette, Brendan Casey

2007-2008 Dual Meet Record: 16-4
2007-2008 National Qualifiers and All-Americans: Michael Bonora (141/1st), Mike Martini (157/NQ)
Returning Qualifier: Martini

Top Returning Starters:  157 Mike Martini NCAA qualifier NEWA Champ, 184 Nick Logan NEWA 4th, 149 Kevin Sutherland NEWA 5th, 141 Travis Drappi NEWA 4th @133

Top incoming wrestlers:
125 Brandon Gauthier HS New England Champ
125 Jared Rhodes PA District Placer
133 Scott Legacy  3x VT champ, New England 3rd
141 Mike Trasso NJ region champ
285 Rich Wapenyi  HS New England 3rd