Over the next couple days, Pitt wrestling coach Keith Gavin will be previewing the team one weight class at a time. The first installment came out today, and here's what Gavin had to say about the 125, 133 and 141 weight classes.
125
Probable starter(s): LJ Bentley (Jr.) / Brendan Price (Sr.) / Jake Cherry (Fr.)
Coming off injury, junior LJ Bentley will ease his way back into the lineup. Bentley has been the Panthers’ go-to 125-pounder since the St. Edwards (Ohio) graduate stepped foot on campus. The Twinsburg, Ohio, native is 34-25 all-time and qualified for the NCAA Championships as a freshman in 2016. Also on hand for 125 pounds is senior Brendan Price, a native of Canonsburg, Pa., and freshman Jake Cherry from Central Dauphin, Pa.
Gavin on 125: “LJ Bentley is our expected starter. He is coming off an injury, so we are bringing him back slowly and making sure that he is ready. In the meantime, we have Brendan Price who should be in the first few duals. We also have Jake Cherry trying to make his way down, so it will be one of those three guys.”
133
Probable starter: Dom Forys (Sr.)
Ranked No. 7 in the country entering his final year as a Panther is senior Dom Forys. Forys, a three-time NCAA qualifier, looks to reach the podium in Cleveland for the first time in his career. The Pittsburgh native had a standout junior campaign, going 21-3 overall and capturing the 133-pound ACC title. He won 13-straight matches from Jan. 14 through March 16. His win streak was snapped at NCAA’s by 14th-seeded Mitch McKee of Minnesota. Forys also found success in duals a year ago, going 11-1 while finishing a perfect 5-0 against ACC opponents.
Gavin on 133: “Dom Forys will be our starter at 133. He’s working hard and doing well. We are trying to take it day by day with Dom. He’s a senior, so he’s been through the ringer. With seniors, you want to make sure they’re healthy, and he’s doing a good job with that, taking care of his body. We have big expectations for him, but we are going to make sure we focus on daily improvement with him.”
141
Probable starter: Nick Zanetta (RS-Sr.)
Redshirt senior Nick Zanetta also enters his final season as Pitt’s 141-pounder. Zanetta started 10 duals at 141 a year ago, sharing time with junior Robert Lee. The Pittsburgh native has recorded 50 wins during his career and shined in tournaments during the 2016-17 season, going 14-8.
Gavin on 141: “Our expected starter is Nick Zanetta. Similar to Dom [Forys], Nick is a senior, so he’s been through this quite a bit. He’s mature, he knows what to expect and we are trying to get him over the hump. We think he has some of the best skills on our team, but we have to get him in the right mindset to compete at a high level consistently.”
125
Probable starter(s): LJ Bentley (Jr.) / Brendan Price (Sr.) / Jake Cherry (Fr.)
Coming off injury, junior LJ Bentley will ease his way back into the lineup. Bentley has been the Panthers’ go-to 125-pounder since the St. Edwards (Ohio) graduate stepped foot on campus. The Twinsburg, Ohio, native is 34-25 all-time and qualified for the NCAA Championships as a freshman in 2016. Also on hand for 125 pounds is senior Brendan Price, a native of Canonsburg, Pa., and freshman Jake Cherry from Central Dauphin, Pa.
Gavin on 125: “LJ Bentley is our expected starter. He is coming off an injury, so we are bringing him back slowly and making sure that he is ready. In the meantime, we have Brendan Price who should be in the first few duals. We also have Jake Cherry trying to make his way down, so it will be one of those three guys.”
133
Probable starter: Dom Forys (Sr.)
Ranked No. 7 in the country entering his final year as a Panther is senior Dom Forys. Forys, a three-time NCAA qualifier, looks to reach the podium in Cleveland for the first time in his career. The Pittsburgh native had a standout junior campaign, going 21-3 overall and capturing the 133-pound ACC title. He won 13-straight matches from Jan. 14 through March 16. His win streak was snapped at NCAA’s by 14th-seeded Mitch McKee of Minnesota. Forys also found success in duals a year ago, going 11-1 while finishing a perfect 5-0 against ACC opponents.
Gavin on 133: “Dom Forys will be our starter at 133. He’s working hard and doing well. We are trying to take it day by day with Dom. He’s a senior, so he’s been through the ringer. With seniors, you want to make sure they’re healthy, and he’s doing a good job with that, taking care of his body. We have big expectations for him, but we are going to make sure we focus on daily improvement with him.”
141
Probable starter: Nick Zanetta (RS-Sr.)
Redshirt senior Nick Zanetta also enters his final season as Pitt’s 141-pounder. Zanetta started 10 duals at 141 a year ago, sharing time with junior Robert Lee. The Pittsburgh native has recorded 50 wins during his career and shined in tournaments during the 2016-17 season, going 14-8.
Gavin on 141: “Our expected starter is Nick Zanetta. Similar to Dom [Forys], Nick is a senior, so he’s been through this quite a bit. He’s mature, he knows what to expect and we are trying to get him over the hump. We think he has some of the best skills on our team, but we have to get him in the right mindset to compete at a high level consistently.”
