WVU will be at The Field House on Dec. 15 for a 7 p.m. dual meet. West Virginia beat Pitt four times in the last five seasons, including a pitiful performance last year that (along with the Becknell match) represented a low in team performance. I expect this year to be very different.
As we all know, Tim Flynn was hired in April 2018. He spent the past 21 years at Edinboro where he compiled a 223-95-5 career record to become the school's all-time winningest coach. As impressive as that sounds, from my observations of Gavin and Co. and the direction recruiting and team performance are trending, Heather Lyke seems to have pulled a Forrest Gump in the Pitt Head wrestling coach search. Perhaps I am being unfair to our AD and there really was a method to the madness, but in any event, Kieth Gavin is demonstrating the experience, temperament, planning, and patients to build a a national power at Pitt for years to come.
Flynn on the other hand has 25 newcomers joining the 10 letterwinners from last year's squad. Matthew Schmitt qualified for NCAA's in 2018 and is the only Mountaineer to return to the lineup nationally ranked.
JJ Fenstermacher at 125 was originally a Pitt recruit but transferred to WVU last year. He wrestled at Bethlehem Liberty High before transferring to Northampton High and finished with a 160-17 record and a pair of PIAA third-place finishes. He was also a two-time FloNational and NHSCA All-American.
WVU recently lost dual meets to both UNI and Cornel
No. 14 Northern Iowa 27, West Virginia 19
125: No. 20 Jacob Schwarm (UNI) wins by fall KJ Fenstermacher (WVU), F 2:48
133: Caleb Rea (WVU) wins by fall Jacob Schipper (UNI), F 6:43
141: No. 8 Josh Alber (UNI) dec. Luke Martin (WVU), 6-3
149: Christian Monserrat (WVU) major dec. Derek Holschlag (UNI), 10-2
157: Zachary Moore (WVU) wins by fall Patrick Schoenfelder (UNI), F 2:23
165: No. 7 Bryce Steiert (UNI) dec. Nick Kiussis (WVU), 9-6
174: No. 9 Taylor Lujan (UNI) wins by fall Josh Ramirez (WVU), F 2:51
184: No. 9 Drew Foster (UNI) tech. fall Jackson Moomau (WVU), 19-0 [TF – 2:57]
197: Noah Adams (WVU) dec. Izaak Shedenhelm (UNI), 12-5
285: Carter Isley (UNI) major dec. David Smith (WVU), 10-1
No. 9 Cornell 20, West Virginia 15
197: Noah Adams (WVU) rFr dec. No. 18 Ben Honis (Cornell), 13-7
285: David Smith (WVU) rSo dec. Brendan Furman (Cornell), 10-6
125: KJ Fenstermacher (WVU) rFr F dec. Dominic LaJoie (Cornell), 7-3
133: Vito Arujau (Cornell) major dec. Caleb Rea (WVU), 17-3
141: No. 12 Chas Tucker (Cornell) dec. Luke Martin (WVU) F , 6-2
149: Christian Monserrat (WVU) rSr dec. Hunter Richard (Cornell), 8-7
157: Fredy Stroker (Cornell) major dec. Hunter Jones (WVU) rSo , 11-1
165: Nick Kiussis (WVU) So dec. Milik Dawkins (Cornell), 7-1
174: No. 16 Brandon Womack (Cornell) dec. Josh Ramirez (WVU) F , 6-4
184: No. 8 Max Dean (Cornell) wins by fall over Jackson Moomau (WVU) F , F 2:46
As we all know, Tim Flynn was hired in April 2018. He spent the past 21 years at Edinboro where he compiled a 223-95-5 career record to become the school's all-time winningest coach. As impressive as that sounds, from my observations of Gavin and Co. and the direction recruiting and team performance are trending, Heather Lyke seems to have pulled a Forrest Gump in the Pitt Head wrestling coach search. Perhaps I am being unfair to our AD and there really was a method to the madness, but in any event, Kieth Gavin is demonstrating the experience, temperament, planning, and patients to build a a national power at Pitt for years to come.
Flynn on the other hand has 25 newcomers joining the 10 letterwinners from last year's squad. Matthew Schmitt qualified for NCAA's in 2018 and is the only Mountaineer to return to the lineup nationally ranked.
JJ Fenstermacher at 125 was originally a Pitt recruit but transferred to WVU last year. He wrestled at Bethlehem Liberty High before transferring to Northampton High and finished with a 160-17 record and a pair of PIAA third-place finishes. He was also a two-time FloNational and NHSCA All-American.
WVU recently lost dual meets to both UNI and Cornel
No. 14 Northern Iowa 27, West Virginia 19
125: No. 20 Jacob Schwarm (UNI) wins by fall KJ Fenstermacher (WVU), F 2:48
133: Caleb Rea (WVU) wins by fall Jacob Schipper (UNI), F 6:43
141: No. 8 Josh Alber (UNI) dec. Luke Martin (WVU), 6-3
149: Christian Monserrat (WVU) major dec. Derek Holschlag (UNI), 10-2
157: Zachary Moore (WVU) wins by fall Patrick Schoenfelder (UNI), F 2:23
165: No. 7 Bryce Steiert (UNI) dec. Nick Kiussis (WVU), 9-6
174: No. 9 Taylor Lujan (UNI) wins by fall Josh Ramirez (WVU), F 2:51
184: No. 9 Drew Foster (UNI) tech. fall Jackson Moomau (WVU), 19-0 [TF – 2:57]
197: Noah Adams (WVU) dec. Izaak Shedenhelm (UNI), 12-5
285: Carter Isley (UNI) major dec. David Smith (WVU), 10-1
No. 9 Cornell 20, West Virginia 15
197: Noah Adams (WVU) rFr dec. No. 18 Ben Honis (Cornell), 13-7
285: David Smith (WVU) rSo dec. Brendan Furman (Cornell), 10-6
125: KJ Fenstermacher (WVU) rFr F dec. Dominic LaJoie (Cornell), 7-3
133: Vito Arujau (Cornell) major dec. Caleb Rea (WVU), 17-3
141: No. 12 Chas Tucker (Cornell) dec. Luke Martin (WVU) F , 6-2
149: Christian Monserrat (WVU) rSr dec. Hunter Richard (Cornell), 8-7
157: Fredy Stroker (Cornell) major dec. Hunter Jones (WVU) rSo , 11-1
165: Nick Kiussis (WVU) So dec. Milik Dawkins (Cornell), 7-1
174: No. 16 Brandon Womack (Cornell) dec. Josh Ramirez (WVU) F , 6-4
184: No. 8 Max Dean (Cornell) wins by fall over Jackson Moomau (WVU) F , F 2:46
