Messiah Preview

Messiah College Falcons
Head Coach: Bryan Brunk
Years at School as head coach: 9th
Career Record: 78-84
Assistant Coaches: Derek Ricker, Ben Stum, Mike Bressler, Ron Standridge

2010-2011 Dual Meet Record: 12-8
2010-2011 National Qualifiers and All-Americans: Tim Stewart 184 NQ
Returning Qualifiers and All-Americans: Tim Stewart 184 NQ

Top returning starters:
125 Danny Lethbridge SR – 5th Empire
149 Ty Kanouff SR – 15-7 (injured end of season)
157 Chris Hardenberg SR – 5th Empire
174 Matt Cross SR – 16-1 (injured 2nd semester)
174 Rico Plummer SO – 2nd Empire
184 Tim Stewart SR – National Qualifier
197 Russ Jones JR – 5-1 (injured 2nd semester)

Top incoming wrestlers:
125 Kurt Rodriguez – Indiana state Q
133 Kaleb Loht – 6th PA states- 3X State Q
141 Mike Bryan – 3X PA state Q, 1X state place winner
141 Chris Williamson – UNC Pembroke transfer, 2X MD state place winner
149 Steve Cross – MD state runner-up
149 Devin Anderson – 2X 4th in PA D.3AAA (1 win from state Q)
165 Jake English – PA State Q
285 Evan Canady – VA- 2X State placer

Season outlook:
Hopefully, the team can stay healthy this year as season ending injuries really hindered the Falcons in 2011. The squad boasts 38 members and most weight classes will be hotly contested. The team finished 3rd in the Empire conference last year and look to climb the ladder in hopes of winning a conference championship. National Qualifier Tim Steward is back at 184 and Matt Cross returns after an injury shortened 16-1 season a year ago. He will move up to 174 this season. The most intriguing newcomer is freshman Mike Bryan, a 3x PA state qualifier and 1x placer who graduated high school in 2003. He joins fellow PA placewinner Kaleb Loht as contenders to start in the bottom third of the Messiah lineup.