2015-2016 Waynesburg Preview
Team: Waynesburg University
Head Coach: Ron Headlee
Years at School as Head Coach: 7
Career Record at Current School: 79-45-1
Assistant Coaches: Jeff Havelka – Assistant Coach, Gennaro Bonaventura – Graduate Assistant, John Yates – Volunteer Assistant
2014-2015 Dual Meet Record: 17-7
2015 NCAA Qualifiers: Luke Lohr (149, 8th), Sam Guidi (165, 4th)
Top Returning Starters:
125 – Gordan Bieber, Sr.
133 – Filippo Crivelli, Jr. (2014 PAC Champion)
141 – DJ Grindel, So.
174 – Ryan Shank, Jr.
285 – Greg Kumer, Sr. (2x PAC Champion, 4th-place finisher at 2015 DIII Mideast Regional)
Top Incoming Wrestlers:
Jesse Cherry, Mt. Airy, Md. (141-149, single-season records for takedowns and wins)
Matt Claxton Columbia, Md.(149, three-time Md. state qualifier, two-time regional finalist)
Nick Kusich Avella, Pa. (149-157, section champ, four-time regional qualifier, four-time WPIAL placer)
Mike Millero Greenville, Pa. (174, section, district and regional champion; two-time PIAA AA state qualifier)
Josh Sneeringer, New Oxford, Pa. (174, regional, district and section placer)
Darion Trimmer, Pittsburgh, Pa. (133 lb., PIAA AA state qualifier, two-time section champion, fourth-place at regionals)
Season Outlook:
With half of last year’s starters lost to graduation, the 2015-16 Waynesburg University wrestling team will definitely have a fresh look to it. The biggest losses to the lineup are 2015 All-Americans Luke Lohr (149) and Sam Guidi (165). Also gone are Chris Milligan (157), Patrick Jennings (184) and Gennaro Bonaventura (197). With a handful of talented middle and upper weights gone from the roster, the lightweights, as well as two-time PAC champion heavyweight Greg Kumer, will be counted upon to lead the way to victory.
Senior Gordan Bieber (125), junior Filippo Crivelli (133) and sophomore DJ Grindel (141) all return this winter. Crivelli is a former PAC champion, while Bieber has been featured in the D3Wrestle.com national rankings.
Several underclassman middleweights will be looked upon to fill the openings in the startling lineup. Sophomores Derek Hull and Landon Lohr, who both saw starting time last year, are expected to battle out for the starting jobs at 157 and 165 pounds. Another name to watch this year is second-year junior Ryan Shank, who moves up from 165-174, where he competed last season, to 184 pounds. Shank, along with several other team members, is coming off a very busy summer filled with competition.
Several members of this year’s freshman class are expected to both push older team members for starting time and gain experience in the room and at tournaments. The Jackets could also gain possible starting candidates at multiple weights following the conclusion of the college football season and the fall semester.