Penn College wrestling in national spotlight

With a returning lineup that includes the program’s first national qualifier, Pennsylvania College of Technology wrestling coach Pankil Chander describes this year’s team as “competitive, deep and young” as the Wildcats enter the season nationally ranked among NCAA Division III schools for the first time in program history.

“We have nearly doubled the roster size from last season,” Chander said. “In the first tournament of 2022, we weighed in 14 guys. In the first tournament of 2023 this weekend (Friday and Saturday at the Ithaca Invitational), we’re weighing in 30. We currently have 34 on the roster with only three seniors and significant depth at five out of our 10 weights, while still a bit top-heavy at the other five.

“The depth has bred more internal competition and that has elevated the intensity and competitiveness of our room. There are several weight classes where the margins are razor-thin between the No. 1, 2 and 3 guys. That’s a great recipe for success and having an intense training environment.

“There’s more diversity in training partners, and that keeps guys uncomfortable and getting a different feel every practice.

“I also am noticing the high level of commitment from our group last season really trickle down to our incoming guys in an immediate and impactful way.”

Leading the returnees is sophomore Isaac Cory, of Montoursville, who went 18-4 a year ago and finished among the top 16 in the 184-pound weight class at the NCAA Division III National Championships, earning the program’s first team point at nationals, where it tied for 52nd in a 71-team field. Cory also was named to the d3wrestling.com all-freshman team.

Just announced this week, Penn College is tied for 23rd among D-III teams in the first edition of the National Wrestling Coaches Association Coaches Poll, and Cory is ranked fourth nationally at 184 (he is ranked No. 1 in the Mideast Region).

Overall, Penn College went 11-10 in its dual-match season that included a host of other NCAA-era (since 2014) program firsts.

Also among the returnees is junior Noah Hunt, of Muncy, 37-16 overall last year and sixth at 141 in the D-III Mideast Regional where, in doing so, he earned All-Region honors, like Cory, as the Wildcats finished 11th of 21, tying the college’s previous highest finish in 2019. As a sophomore, Hunt was fifth at regionals.

Other Wildcats who competed last season at regionals were senior Gabriel Kennedy-Citeroni, of Blairsville (197); juniors Patrick Snoke, of West Chester (133); and Cullen Van Rooyen, of Dresden, Ohio (149); and sophomores Mason Leshock, of Shamokin (165); Zach Miller, of Lock Haven (165); and Brett Patton, of West Chester (149).

Hunt and Kennedy-Citeroni both are ranked second in their weights in the Mideast Region entering the season and Leshock is ranked fifth.

New to the program and expected to make an impact are freshmen TJ Martin, of Honesdale, a National High School Coaches Association Senior All-American; Nicholai Brotzman, of Marietta, a PIAA Class AAAA state qualifier earlier this year; Kaden Ware, of Brooklyn, Connecticut, a two-time New England Championships medalist; Travis Green, of Manchester, Maryland, a three-time Maryland State Championships medalist; Richie Markulics, of Nazareth, a transfer from Division I Edinboro who was a three-time PIAA Class AA medalist; Luke Heimbach, of Boyertown, a 2022 PIAA Class AAA state qualifier; Brice Hall, of Rockbridge Bath, Virginia, a three-time Virginia state medalist; and Devin Grubb, of Hesston, who had 62 wins in his final two seasons at Huntingdon High School, including a pair of wins over PIAA Class AA state qualifiers.

“Between the talented incoming class and an experienced group of returners that helped redefine the commitment of this program, I’d say our big strength is the skill of this group as a collective,” Chander said. “We have many fundamentally sound technicians, some confident gunslingers, a few crafty scramblers and everything in between. That’s why it’s been a fun experience to coach this group – the overall talent allows me to leave more room for creativity and not put my wrestlers in the fundamental box as much as I felt I may have needed to do last year.

“This team loves wrestling, loves learning, and has bought into the vision for the future of this group and the work that needs to be done to get there.”

The second-year coach said that “practice has been fun, intense and productive. We’ve covered significant ground this preseason and the growth in our roster size has made it a much more competitive training environment. We have a talented room filled with quick learners. The amount of improvement I’ve witnessed in this team in a short amount of time makes me excited about our future.”

And, Chander added, “We need to continue to work on not focusing on outcomes when we compete, and solely focus on executing to our standard of performance.”

Commenting on his team’s schedule, which will include action in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference for the first time, Chander said, “We had a nationally competitive and incredibly tough schedule last year, and this year is no different! This year’s schedule is tougher since we’re going to more two-day events and many historic events for the first time.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to go to a premier college event in the Virginia Duals in Hampton, Virginia, for the first time (Jan. 12-13), where we’ll compete alongside Division II and Division I programs.

“It’s our first trip to the Ithaca Invitational, which features six top 25 teams, including us.

“Our first trip to the historic Doug Parker Invite hosted by Springfield College, which is loaded with several top 25 programs.

“We’ll host our very own invitational on Jan. 6 and welcome nine other regionally and nationally competitive Division III programs.

“Those events that we’re entering for the first time are loaded with nationally ranked squads and put our team in a position to test their mettle against the best to be prepared come the postseason.”

Chander said the key to success this season is to “have a positive relationship with adversity. As a young program and team with talent that is used to doing a lot of winning, we’re going to have to accept the learning curve that comes with being consistent at a higher level. You may take a few more losses than you’re used to taking in a season because the level of competition is higher.

“The training demands more discipline. The learning curve brings adversity and our relationship with it has to be positive – that’s the sure way we’ll continue to grow and develop at an exponential rate.”

Schedule
Friday, Nov. 3 – at Ithaca College Invitational, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 4 – at Ithaca College Invitational, 9 a.m.
Saturday, Nov. 11 – vs. SUNY Brockport, noon; vs. SUNY Oswego, TBA; vs. Niagara County Community College, TBA

For more about the United East, visit the conference website .
For additional information, visit the Wildcats Athletics website .

No. 21