Wrestling Brothers Accomplish Rare Feat
12/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Dec. 2, 2010
While redshirt senior Ryan Tomei was building a 3-0 weekend record and working his way to EWL Wrestler of the Week accolades last weekend, there was a group of Pitt wrestlers making their mark in a different way.
Pitt features six wrestlers who have a sibling on the team - four of which are active this season. And over the weekend, all four active wrestlers earned checks in the win column to help lead the No. 17-ranked Panthers to victories over Penn and Virginia.
While junior Matt Wilps and freshman Tyler Wilps are redshirting this season and did not compete for Pitt over the weekend, the Panthers saw wins from Donnie and P.J. Tasser, along with Zac and Max Thomusseit. It was Zac Thomusseit's 5-1 decision at the 197 slot against Virginia that completed the feat of having each brother take home at least one win. The Tassers and Thomusseits combined for a 7-4 record on the weekend.
"We have trained together our entire lives," junior Zac Thomusseit said of his brother, Max. "Being able to compete together at a division I school like Pitt is an honor."
Thomusseit added that wrestling with a sibling brings about a different mindset. But at the same time, it's something he and the others have been used to since they started wrestling years ago. P.J. Tasser agreed, adding that the lifelong competition between he and his older brother, Donnie, has helped him improve and compete at a higher level than ever.
"If I'm wrestling Donnie, he brings out the best in me and we both seem to pretty much go at it," he said. "He's bringing out the best in me, and hopefully vice-versa."
Since the Wilps brothers are redshirting and won't have a chance to see one another compete in dual-meets for Pitt this season, there's still plenty of competition going on in the Pitt wrestling room during practice, and several years of competing together ahead of them. The duo also gets a chance to see one another during open meets, where they can wrestler unattached to a team.
"It's been a helpful relationship," said Matt Wilps, who was an NCAA qualifier and EWL champion last season as a sophomore. "In high school we would both come home after practice and get extra workouts and lifts in and push each other to get better. We are extremely competitive and I feel we will always try to one-up each other."
Pitt is back in action Sunday at the Penn State open. Its next dual meet will take place Sunday, Dec.12 against Kent State at home.
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