Feb. 28, 2005
With four straight runner-up finishes at the NCAA East Regional Championships, the 2004-05 Duquesne University wrestling team is looking to return to the top of the podium this season and capture its first East Regional title since 2000. For the first time in several years, eighth year head coach John Hartupee returns the majority of his team including starters at nine of 10 weight classes to make a run at the championship.
Highly touted senior heavyweight Marc Allemang returns as the team's top wrestler after making trips to the NCAA Championship in each of the past two seasons while compiling a 61-15 record over that span, including a 28-2 slate in dual matches. He will receive help from fellow seniors Chandler Carranza (184 pounds) and Jon Denk (157 pounds) as well as juniors Mark Himes (174 pounds) and Keith Pavlekovsky (133-pounds). The Red and Blue return five sophomores, including four who posted double digit win totals last year while adding six freshmen and three sophomore newcomers to round out the 19-man roster.
Heavy (174, 184, 197, HWT): Hartupee boasts a mixed crew of wrestlers in the upper weight classes this year. Two seniors and a fourth-year junior will lead the way followed by two successful sophomores and a couple of promising freshmen. Allemang leads the way at heavyweight with a good chance to become the all-time wins leader in school history. He currently stands fourth with 82 victories after posting a 30-5 record last year with a perfect 17-0 slate in dual matches. Sophomore Tim Frank will drop from heavyweight to 197 this season after posting seven tournament wins as a frosh. Carranza moves down to 184 after grabbing seven wins and placing third at the East Regionals at 197 a year ago. Himes will return from a redshirt year to fill the 174 pound slot after a sophomore season in 2003 where he had 18 victories. Sophomore Jared Ricotta had a very successful freshman campaign with an 18-10 record, 11 pins and a third place East Region finish at 165 pounds. He will likely move up in weight to challenge Himes and Carranza for mat time. Freshmen Mike Buczkowski and Zach Hawk will get their feet wet in tournament action while backing up the upper classmen in dual matches.
Middle (149, 157, 165): The middle weight classes will have just two incumbents in Denk and sophomore Brandon Baldini while three new sophomores will battle for starting positions. Denk and Baldini will likely flip-flop weight classes this year after the former placed third at 149 at last year's East Regional and the latter placed second at 157 pounds. Both wrestlers compiled 14 wins on the season. After a one-year hiatus, Rob Dempsey returns to the Dukes after a freshman season that saw him post 12 wins at 157 pounds in 2003. He will look to secure the vacancy at 165 pounds. Transfer Brad Shrum joins the Red and Blue after posting five wins at 133 pounds at Slippery Rock last year. He will move up in weight to compete for mat time at both 141 and 149 while first-year collegiate wrestler Wayne Polley will battle for time at 165 pounds.
Light (125, 133, 141): The light weight classes will display lots of youth and competition this season as Pavlekovsky leads two sophomores and four freshmen into battle. Pavlekovsky is the returning starter at 133 pounds after posting back-to-back 18-win seasons and placing second at the East Regionals in each of the past two years. Sophomore Brad Cipriani, who placed third at 125 pounds at the Regionals and had 16 victories, will move up and compete at 133 and 141. Sophomore Cody Midlam, who led all freshmen last year with 19 wins and placed third at the Regionals at 141 pounds, will likely be the starter at that weight class again. Freshmen Jonathan Bittinger and John Zappa will battle for the honors at 125 pounds while fellow freshmen Bernie Lynch and Dan Pauley will vie for time at 141 and 149.
Schedule: The 2004-05 season opens on Nov. 6 with the first of five tournaments before Duquesne hosts Millersville on Dec. 21 to round out the fall semester. After returning from break, the Dukes will face at least 20 more opponents in dual matches including highly touted foes such as Duke, Maryland, Pitt, Slippery Rock and Millersville. The season culminates as Duquesne hosts the East Regional Championships on Saturday, March 5 with individual qualifiers advancing to the NCAA Championships to be held in St. Louis from March 17-19.
