Jerry Echevarria vs. Kutztown
Bryce Dolak

Men's Wrestling Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Dual Preview: Gannon Hosts No. 11 Pitt-Johnstown in Key PSAC Dual

No. 11/21 PITT-JOHNSTOWN MOUNTAIN CATS (12-2, 4-0 PSAC) at NR/No. 18 GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (8-1, 5-0 PSAC)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, February 10, 2024 | 1:00 p.m.
ARENA/LOCATION: Recreation and Wellness Center l Erie, Pa.
LIVE VIDEO l LIVE STATS

 
ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon men's wrestling team is in the stretch run with two duals remaining. Those two duals will determine whether Gannon claims its second PSAC championship in the last three years or not. It begins on Saturday, February 10 when Pitt-Johnstown visits the Recreation and Wellness Center. The action on the mats will get underway at 1:00 p.m.

Both teams are nationally-ranked with Pitt-Johnstown ranked 11th according to the NWCA and 21st in The Open Mat Top 25. Gannon does not appear in the NWCA rankings but is 18th according to The Open Mat.

Wins have been hard to come by for the Golden Knights against UPJ. The Mountain Cats have dominated the series of late with 15 wins in the last 16 meetings since 2005. Last year UPJ came away with a 28-6 decision at the Highmark Events Center in a dual that was closer than the final score indicated. UPJ won eight of the ten bouts but two were decided by a point and a third by two points.

While Gannon head coach Tom Boyd is in his first season at the helm after serving as an assistant to long-time head coach Don Henry, Pitt-Johnstown is under the direction of legendary Pat Pecora. Pecora is in his 48th season and in 2020 became the all-time winningest coach in college wrestling at levels of the NCAA plus NAIA and JUCO. He has won over 650 career matches.

Gannon and Pitt-Johnstown come in with impressive records and lineups. The Golden Knights have won seven straight duals to improve to 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the PSAC. UPJ is also riding a seven-match winning streak prior to its Friday match at Mercyhurst. The Mountain Cats are 12-2 and 4-0 in conference action.

Boyd can call on five wrestlers ranked either by the NWCA or The Open Mat, while Pecora's lineup has four, although three of the four are ranked in the top ten.

Ranked wrestlers will meet in two of the matches. At 125 lbs., Gannon's Jose Diaz (Valparaiso, Ind./Wheeler) (17-4) is ranked 10th by the NWCA and 13th by The Open Mat.  He faces Trevon Gray (18-7), who is ranked 15th by The Open Mat.

Jimmy Ryan (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) (16-4) takes the mat at 149 lbs. for Gannon. He is ranked 19th by The Open Mat. Ryan opposes three-time All-American Jacob Ealy (21-2), who is ranked third and sixth by the NWCA and The Open Mat, respectively.

In addition to Diaz and Ryan, Gannon's ranked grapplers include Jerry Echevarria (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) at 133 lbs. (No. 8 NWCA, No. 7 TOM), Nick Coreno (Willoughby, Ohio/Lake Catholic) at 165 lbs. (No. 11 NWCA, No. 8 TOM), and Cole Casilio (Wilcox, Pa./Johnsonburg Area) at 184 lbs. (No. 14 TOM).

Following Saturday's dual with Pitt-Johnstown the Golden Knights wrap up the regular season with the annual showdown against Mercyhurst. That match will take place at Mercyhurst on Friday, February 16. The Gannon B Team will wrestle in the JCU Open hosted by John Carroll on Sunday, February 11. 
 
Gannon Lineup
125 lbs. – No.10/13 Jose Diaz (Valparaiso, Ind./Wheeler) (17-4)
133 lbs. – No. 8/7 Jerry Echevarria (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) (20-5)
141 lbs. -- Caleb Chaves (Odenton, Md./Arundel) (14-8)
149 lbs. – NR/No. 19 Jimmy Ryan (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) (16-4)
157 lbs. -- Ethan Richner (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area High) (14-5)
165 lbs. – No. 11/8 Nick Coreno (Willoughby, Ohio/Lake Catholic) (20-5)
174 lbs. -- Cole Hivnor (Painesville, Ohio/Lake Catholic) (16-5)
184 lbs. – NR/No. 14 Cole Casilio (Wilcox, Pa./Johnsonburg Area) (17-8) / Andrija Ivanovic (Tuttlingen, Germany/Otto Hahn Gymnasium) (12-6)
197 lbs. -- Anthony Glessner (Middletown, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) (11-11)
Hwt. -- Matt Long (Corry, Pa./Union City) (18-10) / Eli Reese (Sarver, Pa./Knoch) (14-3)
 
Pitt-Johnstown Lineup
125 lbs. – NR/No. 15 Trevon Gray (18-7)
133 lbs. – Byron Daubert (12-7)
141 lbs. – Mason Myers (14-7)
149 lbs. – No. 3/6 Jacob Ealy (21-2)
157 lbs. – Cooper Warshel (14-5)
165 lbs. – Dillon Keane (16-6)
174 lbs. – Tony Salopek (10-9)
184 lbs. – Noah Gnibus (14-4)
197 lbs. – No. 5/5 Dakoda Rodgers (22-2)
Hwt. – No. 3/2 Isaiah Vance (22-1)
 
Gannon Wrestlers at JCU Open
Attached (13)
125 lbs. - Hunter Robison (Edinboro, Pa./Saegertown)
133 lbs. - Luke Mentzer (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg Area), Dylan Mayer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice)
141 lbs. - Joel Huck (Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf), Parker Loera (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park), Constantine Gehring (Owego, N.Y./Binghamton)
149 lbs. - Carson Filer (Mercer, Pa./Mercer Area), Ryan Massengale (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads), Jacob Onorato (Erie, Pa./McDowell)
157 lbs. - Hayden Butterfield (Erie, Pa./McDowell)
165 lbs. - Caleb Butterfield (Erie, Pa./McDowell), Isaiah Mohmed (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso)
Hwt. - Eli Reese (Sarver, Pa./Knoch)
 
Unattached (2)
149 lbs. - Jeremiah Sawicky (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale)
197 lbs. - Shane Davidson (Almond, N.Y./Wellsville)
 
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Players Mentioned

Hayden Butterfield

Hayden Butterfield

157
Senior
Cole Casilio

Cole Casilio

174
Redshirt Sophomore
Caleb Chaves

Caleb Chaves

141/149
Redshirt Sophomore
Nick Coreno

Nick Coreno

165
Senior
Jose Diaz

Jose Diaz

125
Graduate Student
Carson Filer

Carson Filer

149/157
Redshirt Sophomore
Constantine Gehring

Constantine Gehring

141
Senior
141
Anthony Glessner

Anthony Glessner

184
Redshirt Freshman
Cole Hivnor

Cole Hivnor

184
Redshirt Sophomore
Joel Huck

Joel Huck

141/149
Redshirt Junior
157

Players Mentioned

Hayden Butterfield

Hayden Butterfield

Senior
157
Cole Casilio

Cole Casilio

Redshirt Sophomore
174
Caleb Chaves

Caleb Chaves

Redshirt Sophomore
141/149
Nick Coreno

Nick Coreno

Senior
165
Jose Diaz

Jose Diaz

Graduate Student
125
Carson Filer

Carson Filer

Redshirt Sophomore
149/157
Constantine Gehring

Constantine Gehring

Senior
141
141
Anthony Glessner

Anthony Glessner

Redshirt Freshman
184
Cole Hivnor

Cole Hivnor

Redshirt Sophomore
184
Joel Huck

Joel Huck

Redshirt Junior
157
141/149