2015-2016 Stevens Preview
Team: Stevens Institute of Technology
Head Coach: Joe Favia
Years at School as Head Coach: 1
Career Record at Current School: 13-6
Assistant Coaches: Anthony Bonaventura, Jeff Marsh
2014-2015 Dual Meet Record: 13-6
2015 NCAA Qualifiers: Mike Polizzi (157), CJ Caserta (165), Chris Florek (285)
Top Returning Starters:
Rob Murray – @ 125 – 4th East Regional
Phil Woods – @ 184 – 5th East Regional
AJ Kowal – @ 174 – 4th East Regional , Centennial Conference Champion
Top Incoming Wrestlers:
Gianpiero DiBattista – Plymouth Meeting, PA
Stephen Friedman – Phillipsburg, NJ
Michael Heck – Little Egg Harbor, NJ
Thomas Poklikuha – West Creek, NJ
Paul Piccione – Jackson, NJ
Yoseph Borai – Toms River, NJ
Jake Derechin – Sleepy Hollow, NY
Michael Derin – Wantage, NJ
Michael Glasser -Montville, NJ
Sasha Gonzalez – San Francisco, CA
Nich Kalimtzis – Westfield, NJ
Zack Kovacs – Parsippany, NJ
Gerad Ross – Sarasota, FL
Kevin Zarzana – Austin, TX
Season Outlook:
The Stevens Wrestling program is looking to build on the momentum from the 2014-15 season. The Ducks captured their first Conference title, placed third in the East Region, qualified three for NCAAs, and named a record 5 Academic All-Americans. The Ducks brought in a big recruiting class and have multiple upperclassmen returning which is going to help them put out a competitive lineup for the 2015-16 season.
The upcoming season the Ducks will be battle tested when the post season come around. The Ducks will square off against 16 of the country’s top 20 teams in the nation. The Ducks will open the season November 1st against a Division 1 opponent, United States Naval Academy. They will then compete in 5 more events before the month ends on the world biggest stage, Madison Square Garden, against their cross river foe New York University. The Ducks will also make its way out west and compete against the University of Dubuque and in the Cornell Matman Invitational. The Ducks will round out the second semester trying to repeat as Centennial Conference Champions and sending a big contingent of wrestlers to the National Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.