With 14 recruits joining an experienced returning squad of seven Northeast Regional placers and four national qualifiers, the New York University wrestling team has high hopes for the 2022-23 season.
The reigning University Athletic Association (UAA) champions are ready to continue their Association title streak under the guidance of Head Coach
Bruce Haberli and Senior Assistant Coach
Corey Luce. Haberli, an inductee to the National Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2018, will be entering his 28th season at NYU with a 323-199-3 record during his tenure. They are joined by assistant coaches
Gene Kobilansky,
Anthony Dattolo,
Sean Lyons and
Nathan Pike.
"We feel we covered some areas and added depth in others in this incoming class," Luce said. "Of course, there are always a few surprises along the way with a few late pickups and we are happy about those.
"With the guys returning to the squad with national tournament experience and the addition of 14 new members, the goals remain the same. We want to continue to win our conference championship every year while adding a Northeast Regional title to that resume and bringing home our first National Tournament trophy in March."
This year's newcomers will be working alongside an impressive roster of returning Violet wrestlers in their quest to secure another UAA championship and continue the team's streak of 16 straight seasons appearing at the NCAA Championships.
NYU has produced an All-American for 10 consecutive seasons, boasts 20 All-Americans across the past 15 years and has won eight of the last 10 UAA crowns.
125
In the 125 bracket, sophomore
Benny Bautista claims the team's only collegiate experience in this weight class, holding a 16-3 record last season and a UAA runner-up finish. This year, he hopes to not only start at the weight class for the Violets but stand on the podium in Virginia in March.
However, joining Bautista at 125 are four freshmen also looking to capture a varsity spot. Thomas Fischer was a New Jersey State qualifier for Delbarton and just finished competing for the Swedish national team in Bulgaria. Taisei Kurachi also qualified for the NJ State Tournament several times in his high school career and placed seventh in his junior season. Brayden Biedermann comes to NYU from the wrestling-rich state of Ohio, where he was a state qualifier. Cristian DiBlasi hails from Governor's Academy in Massachusetts and was a three-time National Prep qualifier.
133
Sophomore
Nick Kruczynski returns at 133 after an outstanding freshman season. Kruczynski had 24 wins last year and placed seventh at the NCAA Northeast Regional. He will be challenged by
Tyler Crew, a senior who moves up a weight class this year and was a 2020 Northeast Regional placer at 125.
Freshman Andrew DeSola joins the 133 bracket from powerhouse American Heritage School in Florida, having placed second in the State Championship his senior year and placing two other years in his high school career.
141
The 141 weight class could be the most wide open going into the season. UAA champion
Danny Lightfoot will be looking to reclaim his varsity spot in his sophomore year but will be challenged by fellow second-year
Luke DiGiovanni, who is bouncing back from a season-ending injury last year. DiGiovanni was a NJ State placer his senior year of high school and is itching to get back on the mat.
Another contender for the 141 spot is rookie KJ Sherman, a rare four-time NJ State qualifier for Holy Spirit High School who missed placing a few trips in the blood round. Sherman kept busy wrestling in numerous off-season tournaments and will be looking to have an outstanding freshman season.
149
Senior
Anthony Chavez is poised to make big jumps going into his final season. Chavez had 20 wins in 2021-22 and huge victories over nationally ranked opponents, but ultimately fell short of the NCAA qualifying tournament.
NYU brings a lot of depth with some tough freshmen who will be looking to make their mark and challenge Chavez for the starting spot. Among them is Sammy Papadopoulos from Natick High School in Massachusetts, where he was a three-time sectional finalist and two-time state placer. He will be joined by Dan Husain from Garnet Valley High School in Pennsylvania. Husain was a state qualifier his senior season and fell just one match short of placing.
157
Senior
Trent Furman had a stellar 2021-22 season, taking second at the Northeast Regional only after losing to the eventual national champion and falling one match short of All-America status.
Joining Furman at 157 is Hassan Khan, an exciting transfer from Sacramento City Junior College in California, where assistant coach and former national champion for the Violets
Nathan Pike also transferred from. Khan had a decorated high school career, placing at the constantly competitive California State tournament and the Doc Buchanan Wrestling Tournament.
Thomas Lapinski, a district champion and NJ State qualifier for Cherokee, will also start his collegiate wrestling career at 157.
165
Junior
Cooper Pontelandolfo had the best true freshman season of any Violet to wear the NYU singlet. With 30 wins last season, a first-place finish at the Ned McGinley Invitational, a UAA title and a runner-up finish at the NCAA Northeast Regional Tournament, Pontelandolfo finished his outstanding season at sixth place at Nationals in Iowa as NYU's returning All-American.
Aidan Bowers joins NYU 165s from Christian Brothers High School in Tennessee, where he was a four-time state finalist, two-time champion and three-time placer in the National Prep Tournament.
174
For his senior season,
Jason Geyer will return to 174 where he was dominant throughout last season while ranking nationally in the top 10 and wrestling to a 16-3 record. He also won the Racich Rumble Tournament, was a Ned McGinley runner-up, a UAA runner-up and second-place finisher at the NCAA Northeast Regional at 184, which qualified him for the NCAA Championships. This is another tough weight class for NYU with some incoming freshmen and returners who will provide a lot of depth.
Tony Asatrian transferred to NYU this year from Lock Haven University. He placed third at the NJ State Tournament in his senior season, fifth at the Beast of the East and third at Doc Buchanan.
184
Scott DuPont enters his final season as a Violet with a 14-6 record, having placed in four tournaments last season and winning several important matches for the team to secure a handful of dual meet victories. DuPont will be challenged by
Declan Skelly, who had a solid sophomore season and will be looking to make improvements going into the new campaign.
Freshman Nicky Bell joins the group from Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts, where he was a three-time New England Prep finalist and two-time National Prep All American.
197
Junior
Matt Kelly was a second-semester transfer from Division I Binghamton University last season and made a statement right away with a 13-4 record. He placed third in the Northeast Region and fell just one match short of being an All American. Senior
Gabe Rodrigues will be adding depth to this weight class when he returns in the second semester from studying abroad.
Heavyweight
Graduate student
Will Ortman established himself last season as the best heavyweight to ever wear a Violet singlet. Ortman was a three-time Northeast Regional placer, falling one match short in his last two appearances from placing fourth. Entering the lineup late in January 2022, he only managed an 8-2 record last season but is heading into this year not only looking to qualify for his first NCAA Championships but also stand on the podium.
The team, equipped with national tournament experience and 14 new wrestlers, opens the season and their hunt for championship titles on Saturday, November 5, at the always-competitive Ned McGinley Invitational in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
