Wrestling Opens Season at Michigan State
11/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 4, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
PITTSBURGH - The University of Pittsburgh wrestling team will open the 2008-09 season in East Lansing, Mich., competing in the annual Michigan State Open. The Panthers will join a field of over 300 wrestlers from across the country on Sunday, Nov. 9.
Season Opener
The Panthers open the 2008-09 season on the road at the Michigan State Open, Sunday, Nov. 9. Pitt will look to continue the momentum from its 16th-place finish at last year's NCAA Championships into this season.
Pitt's first dual match will follow less than a week later as the Panthers host Lehigh in a non-conference dual at the Petersen Events Center, Saturday, Nov. 15.
Happy 30th
Rande Stottlemyer enters his 30th season as Pitt's head wrestling coach. The former three-time All-American is the all-time winningest coach in program history (247 wins).
While at the helm of the Panthers, Stottlemyer has coached two national champions and 18 All-Americans. In six of the past 11 seasons, he has led Pitt to top 25 finishes at the NCAA Championships, including last year's 16th-place finish.
From Singlet to Suit
A year after winning the 174-pound National Championship, Keith Gavin joins the Panthers' coaching staff as an assistant. The two-time All-America closed out his collegiate career in strong fashion, finishing the season as the only undefeated wrestler in Division I at 33-0.
Lean On Me
The Panthers return three national qualifiers from a year ago. Two-time qualifier Zach Sheaffer enters the season ranked as high as seventh nationally in the heavyweight division and will look to bring home his third EWL title.
Junior Jimmy Conroy begins defense of his 2008 EWL title in the 133-pound weight class and tries secure his second consecutive trip to Nationals.
The Panthers' third returning qualifier is sophomore Ethan Headlee. Headlee finished third in last year's EWL Championships in the 165-pound weight class and earned a wild card berth to Nationals.
Gimmie Five
Five Panther wrestlers placed at the 17th Annual Eastern Michigan Open held Nov. 1.
Senior Virginia transfer Eric Alright posted a perfect 5-0 record on the day en route to the 141-pound title. Sophomore Eric Rosencranz went 3-1 and advanced to the finals of the 133-pound bracket, finishing second. After a second-round defeat to the nation's fifth ranked wrestler Scott Steele (Navy), junior heavyweight Ryan Tomei won four straight matches to finish in third place, going 5-1 on the day.
Freshmen Matt Wilps and Zac Thomusseit both tallied 4-2 marks on the day, with Wilps taking fourth place in the 197-pound weight class and Thomusseit finishing fifth in the 184-pound bracket.
Hey Rook
Three Panther freshmen recorded a win in their first collegiate match at the EMU Open. Donnie Tasser pinned Jordan Nettuno (Purdue) in the third period of his first-round match in the 149-pound weight class while Alex Munoz and Matt Wilps both earned decisions in opening round action.
There's No Easy Way Out
The Panthers will meet four teams that placed in the top-25 at last year's NCAA Championships, including Central Michigan (seventh), Northwestern (13th), Illinois (14th) and Edinboro (21st).
Pitt opens the season in East Lansing, Mich., at the Michigan State Open, Sunday, Nov. 9. In their two dual matches during the month of November, the Panthers host Lehigh (Nov. 15) and Bloomsburg (Nov. 19). Pitt finishes the month on the road at the Keystone Classic hosted by the Penn Sunday, Nov. 23.
The Panthers then heads west to Las Vegas for the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 5-6) before returning home to host Northwestern (Dec. 19) in their only dual match of the month. Pitt finishes the year in Evanston, Ill., at the Midlands Championships (Dec. 29-30).
Pitt rotates between home and away matches during January. The Panthers host Illinois (Jan. 10) before hitting the road for an Eastern Wrestling League matchup with Lock Haven (Jan. 15). Three days later, Pitt hosts Mid-American Conference power Central Michigan (Jan. 18). Pitt will head east to Philadelphia for the second time during the 2008-09 season for a dual against Penn (Jan. 25) before hosting conference rival Cleveland State (Jan. 28). On the last day of the month, the Panthers will head to Kent State to battle the Golden Flashes (Jan. 31).
February features just three dual matches, but all will be against EWL rivals. Pitt hosts border rival West Virginia (Feb. 7) in the final home match of the season at Fitzgerald Field House. The Panthers finish the regular-season on the road at Clarion (Feb. 13) and Edinboro (Feb. 20).
Postseason action gets underway March 7 with the EWL Championships hosted by Lock Haven. Following the EWL Championships, the NCAA Championships return to St. Louis, Mo., for the second consecutive year.