Oneonta Preview
SUNY Oneonta
Head Coach: Duane Ritter
Years at School as head coach: 11
20013-14-Dual Record: 10-9
Career Record at school: 116-66-3
Assistant Coaches: Bill Cooper, Rocco Caponi, Nate Leonard, Josh Wake (Volunteer), Mike Hamilton (GA-Strength & Conditioning)
Returning NCAA Qualifier: Shaun Gillen (2013)
Top Returning Starters:
125: Dominic DeGraba (So.)- All-Conference ECWC 2014
133: Sean Hanson(Sr.)-2x All-Conference ECWC 2x Runner-up, 2x NCAA All-Regional (5th @133 & 5th @ 141)
149-157: Curt Rowley (Jr.)-All-Conference ECWC 2013
174: Shaun Gillen(Jr.)-2x All Conference ECWC, 2x Runner-up, All-State NYS Collegiate, 2x NCAA All-Regional, NCAA National Qualifier 2013
197: Chad Obzud(Sr.)-2x All-Conference 2x 3rd ECWC, 2x NYS Collegiate All-State, 2x NCAA All-Regional (5th & 5th @ 197)
Top incoming wrestlers:
125-Tim Taylor- 2x Maryland State Placer (4th & 6th)
125 Steven Lee-(Tr.) 5th NY State, 2nd War @ Shore, NHSCA-HS-All-American (4th)
133- Anthony Messina- All-County Section 11 (3rd)
133- Chris D’amico- All-County Section 11
141- Matt Marino-All-County Section 11, (43-3 as Sr.)
149- Larry Courtien- 2X Section 1 Placer
165- Cameron Milliken-Section II Champion, 4th NY State
174- Mitchell Fisher- Section 5 Champ, NY State Qualifier
197- Tim Flower- Section 2 Champ, NY State Qualifier, Eastern States Placer
HWT-Jake Groesbeck- All-Section II (3rd), NYS GR State Runner-up
HWT- James Bethel- 3rd NY State, 45-1, HS All-American (3rd @ Fargo), NYS FS & GR State Champion
Season outlook:
After a winning dual meet season which concluded with 8th place NCAA NE Regional Championships team finish, and 5 NCAA All-Regional wrestlers in 2014. The Red Dragons lost four senior starters to graduation, 2 of them 100+ match winners, and NCAA All-Regional Wrestlers. Despite those losses to graduation this year’s team should rebound nicely with a solid line-up. The team will be paced by three multiple time NCAA All-Regional, and multiple time All-Conference ECWC wrestlers in Hanson, Gillen, & Obzud all striving to conclude their careers with a trip to the NCAA Championships in Hershey PA. Dominic DeGraba (So.), and Curtis Rowley (Jr.) both All-Conference ECWC wrestlers, along with returning starters Evan Wallace, Anthony Marino, and Vincent Provenzano should provide additional veteran leadership to this year’s team. Several additional wrestlers are highly experienced, eager to fill the voids left by graduating teammates, and looking to make an impact this season. The incoming class boosts multiple State Qualifiers, State Placers, All- Sectional, and All-County grapplers several of whom will contend for starting positions in this year’s line-up. If all goes well the Red Dragons should blossom into a highly competitive team during the 2014-15 season.