Princeton University
EIWA Day 1
#MarchIsHere … Tested Tigers Head To Hofstra For EIWAs
March 01, 2018 | Wrestling
That was more than a brand for the 2017-18 Princeton wrestling season, something you saw on a brilliant array of social media posts, team posters, and more. It was a driving philosophy through a loaded, challenging regular season. Get through this, the coaching staff said, and nothing will surprise you when it matters most. Now Princeton is ready to put that to the test, because #MarchIsHere.
Princeton heads to the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex at Hofstra University this weekend to compete at the 2018 EIWA Championships, where 47 bids to the NCAA Championships will be up for grabs — that ranks second only to the Big Ten among conference championships. Seven underclassmen will lead the Tigers this weekend, as they try to build upon a season loaded with ranked opponents and create another memorable EIWA weekend.
The last two have certainly held up as such for Princeton. In 2016, Jadwin Gym served as this host for EIWAs, and junior captain Brett Harner ended a 13-year drought with a 197-pound title, which helped the team place fifth overall. There was even more success at Bucknell last year; both Matthew Kolodzik and Jordan Laster won titles to help the Tigers finish third overall, their best finish since winning the team title in 1978. Princeton also qualified seven wrestlers to the NCAA Championships (six directly from EIWAs), the most in program history.
The EIWAs will take place March 3-4 at Hofstra, with full-session tickets going for $80 in advance, and $90 on the day of the event. There are also single-session tickets you can purchase for all four sessions (see ticket link below). Here are all the key links you will need for the weekend, and below that is a weekend schedule and Princeton notes and anecdotes heading into EIWAs.
2018 EIWA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Watch Live (courtesy of FloWrestling)
Purchase Tickets
Championship Central
All-Time Princeton EIWA Placewinners
Princeton Notes Packet
PREVIEW VIDEO
Matthew Kolodzik, Patrick Brucki look ahead to EIWAs: VIDEO
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 3
Session 1:
- 11 a.m.: Championship First Round
- 2:15 p.m.: First Round Wrestlebacks
Session 2:
- 6 p.m.: Championship Quarterfinals
- 7:30 p.m.: Wrestleback Quarterfinals
Sunday, March 4
Session 3:
- 10 a.m.: Semifinals
- 11:45 a.m.: Wrestleback Semifinals
- 12:35 p.m.: 7th-Place Matches
Session 4:
- 2:30 p.m.: EIWA Hall of Fame Ceremony
- 3 p.m.: Finals
PRINCETON NOTES
Moving Up • Princeton posted its best EIWA Championships team finish since 1978 (the program's last EIWA title) last year when it took third. After 10 straight finishes outside the Top 10 between 2005-2014, the Tigers have finished 7th (2015), 5th (2016), and 3rd (2017) the last three years.
Championship Pedigree • Princeton sophomore Matthew Kolodzik became the third Tiger 31 years to win an EIWA individual title last season, which came via a 3-2 decision over Lehigh's Randy Cruz. Kolodzik is one of 38 different Princeton wrestlers to win an EIWA title, and he can become the 11th to win multiple titles this season. Jacob Frantz, Richard Harding, and Bob Eberle won three titles apiece, while Bill Graham, Julian Gregory, Warren Taylor, Bradley Glass, John Sefter, Dave Crisanti, and Greg Parker each won two.
Rank & File • Princeton brings three nationally ranked wrestlers (InterMat) into the latest EIWA Championships. Sophomore Matthew Kolodzik leads the way with the #11 ranking at 149, while freshman Patrick Brucki is ranked 12th at 197, and junior co-captain Mike D'Angelo is ranked 14th at 157.
Seventh Heaven • Princeton made program history last year by sending seven wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, topping the previous high of five, which was accomplished in 2015.
Go Fourth • Princeton senior co-captain Jonathan Schleifer can make program history this weekend. He is one of 10 Tiger wrestlers to qualify for the NCAA Championships three times in his career, but no Princeton wrestler has ever gone all four years. Schleifer qualified a spot for the EIWA, which will award six NCAA berths at 165 pounds.
Return Trip • Six of Princeton's projected starters this weekend will have competed in at least one EIWA Championships during their career. Jonathan Schleifer will be making his fourth trip, and he will be looking for his first top-four finish. Matthew Kolodzik won the 141-pound title last year, while both Pat D'Arcy and Mike D'Angelo qualified for the NCAA Championships last year. Sophomores Matteo DeVincenzo and Kevin Parker both made their EIWA debuts in 2017, and DeVincenzo upset the seventh seed to reach the medal podium.
Fresh Faces • Four Tigers will make their EIWA debuts this weekend, including a pair of freshmen. Patrick Brucki leads the team with 24 wins, and is currently ranked 12th at 197, while classmate Jonathan Gomez had a critical fall at 133 in the Tigers' dual win over Harvard. Sophomore Christian Araneo returned from injury two weeks ago and will compete at heavyweight, while junior Matthew Gancayco is the Tiger starter at 174.
Standing Pat • Prior to Matthew Kolodzik's performance last year, no Tiger freshman had ever won an EIWA individual title. Patrick Brucki will try to match that result this year, and he will do so after scoring a 3-2 decision over reigning EIWA 197-pound champion Frank Mattiace during the final weekend of the team season.
Welcome Back • Princeton has dealt with injuries throughout a tough regular season, but it is looking forward to the return of a starter this weekend. Junior Pat D'Arcy, who reached the NCAA Championships last year and upset the 13th seed in the opening round, will wrestle for the first time since January 13.
Battle Tested • Princeton faced one of the toughest schedules in the nation this year. Of the team's eight losses, five came against teams ranked in the Top 10, and two others came against teams ranked between 11th and 25th. The Tigers went 4-3 against EIWA competition during the season.
Coach 'Em Up • Head coach Chris Ayres is in his 12th season at Princeton, and he is the reigning EIWA Coach of the Year after leading Princeton to a Top-3 finish last season for the first time in nearly 30 years. Associate head coaches Sean Gray and Joe Dubuque are veterans on the Princeton staff, while volunteer assistant Nate Jackson is in his first season with the Tigers.
Players Mentioned
