Wrestlers Tied With Newberry at Top of East Region Preseason Poll
10/20/09...Head Coach Pat Pecora's Mountain Cat wrestlers were tied for the top spot in the NCAA Division II East Region Preseason Coaches Poll with Newberry (S.C.) College when it was released on Tuesday. In addition, eight Mountain Cats were individually-ranked, including Shane Valko (133 lbs.) (Windber, Pa.) and Adam Whetstone (141 lbs.) (Claysburg, Pa.), who were both ranked at the top of their respective weight classes... (Complete Rankings)
Pitt-Johnstown and Newberry each had 72 points to tie for the top-spot in the region. West Liberty (WV) University (58 points) was third, while Gannon University (52 points) and Mercyhurst College (41 points) rounded out the top-five in the 15-team region.
Valko, the 2009 Division II National Runner-up, and Whetstone, a 2009 All-American, were both ranked at the top of their weight classes. 2008 All-American and 2009 national Qualifier Kyle Keane (165 lbs.) (Bradford, Pa.) and two-time National Qualifiers Patrick Walsh (184 lbs.) (Leesport, Pa.) and Chris Dempsey (HWT.) (Sewickley, Pa.) were all ranked second. Ryan McIntyre (149 lbs.) (Claysburg, Pa.), a 2009 National Qualifier, and Steve Makin (Portage, Pa.) were both ranked fourth, and Zach Lundgren (157 lbs.) (Dubois, Pa.) was ranked sixth.