Wrestling | 1/16/2019 2:49:00 PM
ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT wrestling team has ascended to No. 25 in the most recent National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III National poll. It is RIT's first national ranking since 1999.
The Tigers are off to a tremendous start to the season with an 8-1 record in dual matches, while winning the team title at the 2018 Citrus Open in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. On Dec. 29-30 and placing third at both the season-opening Ithaca Invitational on Nov. 2-3 and RIT Invitational on Dec. 1.
RIT is just three dual wins shy of tying the program record for victories in a season of 11, set in 1958-59. The Tigers set a single-match program record by scoring 54 points against King's College on Jan. 4 and have recorded a pair of shutouts. On Dec. 6, RIT knocked off The College at Brockport for the first time in 20 years.
RIT will compete at the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Championships, hosted by The College at Brockport at 10 a.m. Saturday. RIT is looking for its first ECWC Championship.
Twelve different RIT wrestlers have won at least 10 matches this season, while seven have at least 15 victories.
Sophomore
Kaidon Winters (Athens, PA/Athens Area) is currently ranked fourth nationally at 157 lbs. Winters, who competed at the 2018 NCAA Championship, tied a single-season program record for wins (42) and broke Matt Hammill's school record with 22 pins in 2017-18. He is off to an incredible start in 2018-19 with a 22-0 record to go along with 12 pins. He won individual titles at the Ithaca Invitational, RIT Invitational and Citrus Open. Winters was the ECWC Wrestler of the Week on Nov. 11 and RIT Male Athlete of the Week on Dec. 3.
Junior
Dempsey King (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) is ranked eighth nationally at 165 lbs. The RIT Male Athlete of the Week on Jan. 2 and ECWC Co-Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 7, King won the individual title at the Citrus Open, defeating a Division II standout along the way. King, who represented RIT at the 2017 NCAA Championships, is 17-4 in 2018-19 with four pins.
Seniors
Connor Calkins (Almond, NY/Alfred-Almond) (285 lbs.) and
Joe Cutugno (Ventnor, NJ/Atlantic City) (184 lbs.), who both competed at the 2018 NCAA Championship, are both off to excellent starts in 2018-19. Calkins is 19-5 overall and 8-1 in dual matches with seven wins by technical fall and five more by pin. Cutugno is 16-5 overall and 5-1 in dual matches, with six wins coming by pin.
Sophomore
Zach Stedeford (Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) won an individual title at the Ithaca Invitational at 149 lbs. He is 19-5 overall and 8-1 in dual matches with nine wins by pin or technical fall. Freshman
Chris Horton (Athens, PA/Athens Area) has emerged as a standout grappler at 133 lbs. He won an individual title at the Citrus Open, is a perfect 9-0 in dual matches and is 20-5 overall. Horton was named the ECWC Rookie of the Week on Dec. 9.
Junior
John Donohue (Smithtown, NY/Hauppauge) has 19 wins overall and is 7-2 in dual matches with seven pins and a pair victories by technical fall at 174 lbs. Senior
Joe Lupisella (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder) won an individual title at 174 lbs. at the Ithaca Invitational to open the season and was RIT's Male Athlete of the Week on Nov. 5.
Chris Dean (Long Branch, NJ/Long Branch) (125 lbs.),
Sam Weinger (Blooming Grove, NY/Washingtonville) (197 lbs.),
Shane Murphy (Mt. Olive, NJ/Mt. Olive) (141 lbs.),
Isaiah Ocasio (Vineland, NJ/Vineland) (141 lbs.) and
Morgan Seller (Lyons Falls, NY/South Lewis) (165 lbs.) have all won at least 10 matches in 2018-19.
Alex Prunoske (Safety Harbor, FL/Clearwater Catholic) (125 lbs.),
Colby Hall (Deposit, NY/Deposit) (149 lbs.),
Joe Brillo (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles) (141 lbs.) and
Owen Albanese (Canastota, NY/Canastota) (285 lbs.) have also contributed in tournament action this season.
