#10 Wrestlers to Host #16 West Liberty, Friday on Thanksgiving Food Drive Night Head Coach Pat Pecora (34th season) and the No. 10-ranked Pitt-Johnstown Mountain Cat wrestlers will open the 2009-10 dual meet season on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Sports Center against No. 16 West Liberty (WV) University. Any fan who brings a non-perishable food item will receive a voucher good for two free admissions to a future Pitt-Johnstown wrestling match or basketball game in the Sports Center. All items will be donated to the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen in time for Thanksgiving.
In addition, prior to the match, the Mountain Cats will recognize last year’s All-Americans, National Qualifiers and NWCA All-Academic Team selections.
Pitt-Johnstown boasts three All-Americans and two other National Qualifiers in its line-up. Shane Valko (133 lbs.) (Windber, Pa.) was the 2009 National Runner-up, while Adam Whetstone (141 lbs.) (Claysburg, Pa.) placed fifth last year and Kyle Keane (165 lbs.) (Bradford, Pa.) placed fourth in 2008. Patrick Walsh (184 lbs.) (Leesport, Pa.) and Chris Dempsey (HWT.) (Sewickley, Pa.) are both two-time National Qualifiers, and Ryan McIntyre (149 lbs.) (Claysburg, Pa.) wrestled at the National Tournament last year. Five Mountain Cats are nationally-ranked. Valko and Whetstone are both ranked No. 1 in their weight classes. Keane is No. 4 at 165 lbs., and Walsh and Dempsey are both ranked No. 6.
West Liberty, ranked No. 16 in NCAA Division II under Head Coach Brian Davis, will also wrestle its first dual meet of the season. Three Hilltoppers are nationally-ranked. Mitch Smith is No. 3 at 149 lbs. Mitch Knapp is ranked seventh at 197 lbs., and Nick Wycoff is eighth at 133 lbs.
Key Match-Ups: 2009 National Runner-up and NCAA #1-ranked Shane Valko (UPJ) vs. 2009 NCAA Qualifier and #8-ranked Nick Wycoff (WLU) at 133 lbs.…2009 All-American and #1-ranked Adam Whetstone (UPJ) vs. 2009 National Qualifier Kayne Melko (WLU) at 141 lbs…2009 National Qualifier Ryan McIntyre (UPJ) vs. 2009 All-American and #3-ranked Mitch Smith (WLU) at 149 lbs…2008 All-American, 2009 National Qualifier and #4-ranked Kyle Keane (UPJ) vs. Jarrod Shaw (WLU) at 165 lbs…East Region #4 Steve Makin (UPJ) vs. Matt Littleton (WLU) at 174 lbs…two-time National Qualifier and #6-ranked Patrick Walsh (UPJ) vs. Brandon Neifeld (WLU) at 184 lbs…A.J. Brentzel (UPJ) vs. 2009 National Qualifier Mitch Knapp (WLU) at 197 lbs…two-time National Qualifier and #6-ranked Chris Dempsey (UPJ) vs. Matt Carpenter at heavyweight.
Last season, Pitt-Johnstown traveled to West Liberty on Nov. 21 and defeated the Hilltoppers 18-16.
The Mountain Cats travel to East Stroudsburg University on Dec. 2 and to the Penn State Open on December 6. Pitt-Johnstown’s next home match will take place on Wednesday, January 6, at 7:30 p.m. when East Region rival Kutztown University visits the Sports Center.
