University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
UPJ Seal

at NWCA/Cliff Keen National Wrestling Duals

Search
Mountain Cat Wrestlers Place Sixth at National Duals;
Coach Pecora Enters Friday's Home Match with 399 Career Wins
     01/15/06...Head Coach Pat Pecora, who now has 399career wins, and his #3-seeded Mountain Cat wrestlers placed sixth at the 2006 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Wrestling Duals at Northern Iowa University after suffering a 26-16 loss to #8-seeded Augustana (S.D.) College, Sunday afternoon in the Fifth-Place Match.  Senior National Champion Thad Benton (141 lbs.) (Claysburg, Pa.) and senior National Runner-up Ryon Mazzocco (125 lbs.) (Cresson, Pa.) both posted 5-0 records to help the Mountain Cats finish the tournament with a 3-2 record.  Overall, Pitt Johnstown is now 14-4 on the season.
     Pitt Johnstown built a 16-0 lead on falls by Mazzocco (125 lbs.) and Benton (141 lbs.) and a major decision by sophomore Brandon Reasy (133 lbs.) (New Enterprise, Pa.), but Augustana stormed back to win the next seven matches and earn the 26-16 come-from-behind victory. 
     The Mountain Cats opened Saturday's action with a 29-6 win over Central Missouri State, before suffering a  19-12 loss to Ashland.  Pitt Johnstown responded by defeating Mercyhurst, 31-7, and Shippensburg University, 28-9, to advance to Sunday's Fifth-Place Match.
     Along with Benton and Mazzocco, who were both 5-0 at the National Duals, 2005 All-American Eli Garshnick (174 lbs.) (Armagh, Pa.) finished with a 3-1 record, while Reasy (133 lbs.) and junior Joe Strittmatter (157 lbs.) (Ebensburg, Pa.) were both 3-2. Senior Jay Matteo (149 lbs.) (New Castle, Pa.), 2005 All-American Mike Corcetti (184 lbs.) (Export, Pa.) and two-time National Qualifier Zach Majocha (HWT.) (Upper Burrell, Pa.) each collected two victories.
     With Saturday's three victories, Coach Pecora now has 399 career wins in 30 seasons at Pitt Johnstown.  Coach Pecora, who ranks 18th all-time among wrestling coaches in all divisions, has led his Mountain Cats to NCAA Division II National Championships in 1996 and 1999 and  18 NCAA Regional Championships.  His Mountain Cat squads have also finished in the Top-20 in the nation 22 times.  In his tenure at Pitt Johnstown, Coach Pecora has tutored 106 NCAA All-Americans, eight individual National Champions and 69 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Academic Wrestling Team members.  Coach Pecora, a two-time NCAA Division II National Coach of the year and an 11-time Regional Coach of the Year, has been inducted into several Halls of Fame, including the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame (2003), Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, East Boro Chapter (1994), Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame (1998) and his Alma Mater West Liberty State (WV) College Hall of Fame (1998).  
     For complete tournament results, go to the Northern Iowa Athletic Site or Intermatwrestle.com.
    Pitt Johnstown returns home and Coach Pecora looks for career victory #400 when Anderson (SC) College visits the Sports Center on Friday at 7:00 p.m.
Last Reviewed: January 15, 2006
Copyright © March 2004
The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown