Wilkes Preview
Wilkes University Colonels
Head Coach: Jon Laudenslager
Years at School as head coach: 8th
Career Record at school: 101-49-3
Assistant Coaches: Mitch Marcks, Dave Shafer, Jaime Miller, Rubin Prophete, Al Wilson, Keith Klahold-Strength and Conditioning
2009-2010 Dual Meet Record: 22-6 (school record for wins)
2009-2010 National Qualifiers and All-Americans: 174 Frank Heffernan (NQ), 197 Zach Pizarro (5th)
Number of returning wrestlers who competed in your 2010 national qualifier: 7
Top returning starters:
125 Scott Mantua 2nd Metro
133 Ryan Wilson 4th Metro
141 AJ Fisher 21-10@133
149 Anthony Dattolo 2nd Metro
157 Kris Krawchuk (23-11@141), Nathan White (20-13)
165 Ben Marich 3rd Metro
174 Dustin Stough (15-10@165), Jesse Villella (22-13)
184 Buddy Gouger 2nd Metro 09’, Kevin Gerhart 12-6
197 Jake Weinrich 4-9
285 Chris Smith (16-10 09’)
Top incoming wrestlers:
125 Myzar Mendoza MD State Champion
125 Anthony Peterson NJ SQ
125 Kris Demont TX 6th
125 Mark Uliano PA SQ 08’
133 Seth Bartlett PA Regional 4th
149 Phil Racciato PA 6th AA
149 Tyler Lauchaire PA SQ
157 Shane Everett (Transfer Penn State)
157/165 Brandon Dixon (Transfer Edinboro)
157/165 Vincent Colletta PA SQ AAA
165/174 Nick Lynch PA SQ AAA
174 Matt Transue PA 8th
184 Cliff Farrell NJ SQ
285 Jonathan Slack NJ 3rd
285 Mike Shannon NJ SQ
Season outlook:
Seven seniors graduated from last years team including All-Americans Frank Heffernan (174 in 09’) and Zach Pizarro (197). Three time conference runner-up heavyweight Andrew Feldman also graduated. The Colonels do return three conference runner-ups in 125 Scott Mantua, 149 Anthony Dattolo and 2009 runner-up Buddy Gouger. Expect the Colonels to have a very balanced line-up with some youth in the upper weights. Nearly 30 new wrestlers join the team this year, and half made at least a state tournament in their high school careers. Depth will certainly be a strength on a team with 50 on the roster, so whichever ten wrestlers make the lineup will have had to work hard to be there to compete in a very tough Metro conference.