2015-2016 Wheaton Preview

Team: Wheaton College
Head Coach: Jim Gruenwald
Years at School as Head Coach: 7
Assistant Coaches: Eric Terrazas, Scott Torppey, Dan Olsen, Mark Savenok, Cedric Gibson

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2014-2015 Dual Meet Record: 2-7

2015 NCAA Qualifiers: Carlos Fuentez (125), Mark Savenok (149), Stephen Aiello (165), Dan Olsen (184, 3rd)

Returning NCAA Qualifiers (any year): Fuentez, Aiello (7th in 2014)

Top Returning Starters:
125 Carlos Fuentez (2015 NQ)
157 Jered Fekete (CCIW Champ, 5th in Midwest Region)
165 Stephen Aiello (NQ 2015, 2014 AA)
174 Frank Aiello (CCIW Champ, 5th in Midwest Region)
197 Mikey Swider (CCIW Champ, 4th in Midwest Region)

Top Incoming Wrestlers:
285 Max Gierke (4th WI State @ 220)
157 Jonavan Huggins (2 x IL SQ)
133/141 Eric Wales (2 x MI SQ)

Season Outlook:
Wheaton will look to Jared Fekete and Logan Walkup to fill the gap of graduating two All-Americans, Mark Savenok and Dan Olsen, who both return to help coach the Thunder. The Thunder do return AA Stephen Aiello and 3 other CCIW Champs in the mid weights to form a solid core for the lineup. Wheaton is coming off of two of the best seasons in recent school history finishing 11-1 in the 2013-14 season, and winning a CCIW title for the first time in 34 years in 2015. The title was won on the strength of 6 individual champs. Four of the conference champs went on to qualify for the National tournament with another two narrowly missing a trip to Hershey. The Thunder hope to continue the recent progress with an even stronger 2015-16 showing.