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Wrestling Season Opens 2008-09 Season With Renewed Hope
November 12, 2008 | Wrestling
Wrestling head coach Chris Ayres believes his program is on the upswing, and with his third season at Princeton beginning this weekend at The Bearcat Open in Binghamton, N.Y., he believes the program is about to take another step forward.
“I think the level of commitment has improved greatly from my first year to now,” Ayres said. “More and more guys are doing the extra work needed to be successful at this level. Every Division I team practices around 4:30 in the afternoon. It's what the guys do in the other hours that separates the All-America from the rest of the field.”
In the traditional sense of team athletics, wins and losses are the measuring stick for a program's success. Ayres would love to see some dual victories this season, but the more important goals will be determined in the postseason.
“I'd love to get the dual meet wins this year, but more importantly I need to have several guys place at the EIWA championships and go to nationals,” he said. “Our roster size is an issue and our depth is an issue. We're at least 12 individuals off the average Ivy League roster. If we get injuries in the wrong spots, we're looking at forfeits. You can win a bunch of matches and lose a couple forfeits, and it becomes next to impossible to win. When considering this year's recruiting efforts I anticipate that this should be the last season where forfeits could be an issue ”
Ayres has built his roster each year, but there are still 3-4 weight classes this season that are basically one deep. Should that one get injured ? and in a sport as physical as wrestling, injuries are the norm, not the exception ? Princeton can find itself trailing 6-0 or 12-0 before the match even starts.
The level of talent in the starting lineup is where you can truly measure the improvement of the program. Princeton didn't have an EIWA placewinner or an All-Ivy wrestler since 2005, but freshman Tony Comunale placed at EIWAs last season and classmate Travis Erdman earned All-Ivy honors. Comunale was an injury away from likely making the trip to NCAAs, but Ayres believes he has a handful of guys who are doing the necessary work to get in position for an NCAA bid in 2009.
“We're getting an improvement in the overall culture from both the older guys and the young guys,” Ayres said. “Senior captain Marty Everin is doing everything it takes to have a successful season. He's really living the life of a collegiate wrestler. Also, I think the talent level in the room has improved with every freshman class, and this one is no exception.”
Here is a weight-by-weight preview for the 2008-09 Princeton season:
125 ? Comunale is the only Princeton wrestler in the EIWA preseason rankings, where he is currently fourth at 125 pounds. The sophomore placed sixth at Easterns last year and led a consolation match that would have sent him to NCAAs before suffering an injury. He lost the match and the bid, but when he returns to the lineup, he'll have the experience of last season to build on.
When is the big question, since he suffered an injury over the summer and could be out until the heart of the league season. If there is any wrestler that could bounce back quickly, Ayres believes it is Comunale, who won 20 matches as a freshman.
“He is just so mentally tough,” Ayres said. “Other guys may struggle with confidence at first, but Tony will just fight through it. He's a terrific competitor who never stops wrestling. His tank is never on E.”
Senior Robert Benitez will start in place of Comunale at the start of the season; a former Princeton starter, Benitez is an experienced competitor.
133 ? Junior Nikhil Pereira is one of the starters Ayres can't afford to lose, because there isn't another option at the weight class. He has been pleased with the progress of the economics major from Newton, Mass.
“He has really improved after a full season as the starter,” Ayres said. “He's a good leader as well, especially in academic areas, for the team. He gives good advice to the younger guys and is fairly vocal about it.”
Pereira started for Princeton at the 2008 EIWAs at 133 pounds.
141 ? Freshman Daniel Kolodzik is the first nationally ranked recruit for Ayres while at Princeton. He went 146-17 at Miami Valley School, where he won two Ohio state championships, placed second one year and placed fourth another. Ranked as high as fifth nationally at 135 pounds by intermat.com, Kolodzik was a four-time Ironman place-winner, including once as a finalist.
“This kid is for real,” Ayres said. “He was a two-time state champ in a very competitive state. He's technically sound and he knows how to compete. He'll go through the same transitional stage that every freshman wrestler does, but he's going to be good for us.”
149 - Sophomore Justin Spain, junior Danny Scotton and freshman Andy Lowy are in the mix for the starting spot. Spain was a Tennessee state champion who won 166 high school matches, but he was injured his freshman season. Scotton was a regional champion in New Jersey, one of the nation's toughest wrestling states, and Lowy was a four-time state placewinner in Maryland who won 134 matches.
“They're all close,” Ayres said. “This is what a weight should look like for a college team. Their game raises every day because they know a starting job is on the line. They are all solid, but if somebody ends up clearly winning it, that person could be pretty tough when the league season rolls around. That's the kind of competition we're looking for throughout the lineup.”
157 ? Everin is finally fully healthy, and Ayres feels he could be primed for a very good year.
“He's a good captain for us and he's doing everything in and out of the room to be a success,” Ayres said. “Marty is a physical wrestler who imposes his will on you. I think he could be exceptional this season, and he's trained that way.”
165 ? Much like 149 pounds, there is a healthy competition at this weight class between junior Mike Alvarez and senior Aaron Casp.
“They have both worked hard,” Ayres said. “Alvarez has really improved and had a great offseason. Casp is a senior and is giving himself every opportunity to get the job. I like what I've seen from both; they're both living the lifestyle of a college wrestler.”
174 ? Erdman, a 13-match winner last year, will build off his All-Ivy freshman season and hopes to be an even bigger factor at this weight class in the league.
“He has more confidence this year.” Ayres said. “He was probably a little uncertain as a freshman, but he wants to be one of the best wrestlers out there. Matches like Rutgers and Columbia last year showed he can handle stressful situations late in matches. He was unhappy with the way last season ended, which has added to his motivation. He's a very good competitor.”
184 ? Sophomore Anthony Salerno and freshman Kurt Brendel will push each other for this job. Salerno doesn't own a significant amount of experience over Brendel, considering he missed much of last season with an injury, but he did return in time to compete at the EIWAs. Brendel was a three-time Pennsylvania state qualifier who took sixth as a senior; anybody who places in Pennsylvania is plenty tough.
“This is a good weight for us,” Ayres said. “They're pushing each other well. Kurt has been better than I would have guessed this early; he's a hard worked. Salerno has also exceeded my expectations, but he's still battling some injuries. I like the way they're both working.”
197 ? Junior Zach Morse has had a roller coaster career already, and Ayres likes the way the ride seems to be going right now.
“From this time last year until right now, Zach is our most improved guy,” the coach said. “It's like two different people. He didn't come here ready for the season last year. That high school mentality, where you start training when the season starts, doesn't fly here, and he came in this year in great shape. He bought into the wrestler's lifestyle in the offseason, and I think he will be rewarded with a much improved season.”
HWT ? The surprise of the 2007-08 season was senior Sam Ritter, who walked on to the team and paid immediate dividends. The surprise of this season could be freshman Stephen Turner, who went 75-20 in high school before suffering an injury that cost him his entire senior season.
“We weren't sure what to expect this season, but Steve has done a really good job,” Ayres said. “He's a hard worker. He's got a ways to go to reach his potential, but I think he's going to be competitive this year. If Zach is our most improved guy over the span of a year, Steve is our most improved guy from the day he stepped on campus this year until now.”
Morse and Turner will be especially important because they are the lone Princeton wrestlers at their respective weights.
Ayres is pleased with the direction and progress of the program, but he is far from satisfied. The former Lehigh All-America and assistant coach, Ayres is seeing the challenges of rebuilding a program, and he is going about it the right way: one step at a time.
The next step begins Saturday, and Ayres believes he has his best Princeton group ready to take it with him.
“I think the level of commitment has improved greatly from my first year to now,” Ayres said. “More and more guys are doing the extra work needed to be successful at this level. Every Division I team practices around 4:30 in the afternoon. It's what the guys do in the other hours that separates the All-America from the rest of the field.”
In the traditional sense of team athletics, wins and losses are the measuring stick for a program's success. Ayres would love to see some dual victories this season, but the more important goals will be determined in the postseason.
“I'd love to get the dual meet wins this year, but more importantly I need to have several guys place at the EIWA championships and go to nationals,” he said. “Our roster size is an issue and our depth is an issue. We're at least 12 individuals off the average Ivy League roster. If we get injuries in the wrong spots, we're looking at forfeits. You can win a bunch of matches and lose a couple forfeits, and it becomes next to impossible to win. When considering this year's recruiting efforts I anticipate that this should be the last season where forfeits could be an issue ”
Ayres has built his roster each year, but there are still 3-4 weight classes this season that are basically one deep. Should that one get injured ? and in a sport as physical as wrestling, injuries are the norm, not the exception ? Princeton can find itself trailing 6-0 or 12-0 before the match even starts.
The level of talent in the starting lineup is where you can truly measure the improvement of the program. Princeton didn't have an EIWA placewinner or an All-Ivy wrestler since 2005, but freshman Tony Comunale placed at EIWAs last season and classmate Travis Erdman earned All-Ivy honors. Comunale was an injury away from likely making the trip to NCAAs, but Ayres believes he has a handful of guys who are doing the necessary work to get in position for an NCAA bid in 2009.
“We're getting an improvement in the overall culture from both the older guys and the young guys,” Ayres said. “Senior captain Marty Everin is doing everything it takes to have a successful season. He's really living the life of a collegiate wrestler. Also, I think the talent level in the room has improved with every freshman class, and this one is no exception.”
Here is a weight-by-weight preview for the 2008-09 Princeton season:
125 ? Comunale is the only Princeton wrestler in the EIWA preseason rankings, where he is currently fourth at 125 pounds. The sophomore placed sixth at Easterns last year and led a consolation match that would have sent him to NCAAs before suffering an injury. He lost the match and the bid, but when he returns to the lineup, he'll have the experience of last season to build on.
When is the big question, since he suffered an injury over the summer and could be out until the heart of the league season. If there is any wrestler that could bounce back quickly, Ayres believes it is Comunale, who won 20 matches as a freshman.
“He is just so mentally tough,” Ayres said. “Other guys may struggle with confidence at first, but Tony will just fight through it. He's a terrific competitor who never stops wrestling. His tank is never on E.”
Senior Robert Benitez will start in place of Comunale at the start of the season; a former Princeton starter, Benitez is an experienced competitor.
133 ? Junior Nikhil Pereira is one of the starters Ayres can't afford to lose, because there isn't another option at the weight class. He has been pleased with the progress of the economics major from Newton, Mass.
“He has really improved after a full season as the starter,” Ayres said. “He's a good leader as well, especially in academic areas, for the team. He gives good advice to the younger guys and is fairly vocal about it.”
Pereira started for Princeton at the 2008 EIWAs at 133 pounds.
141 ? Freshman Daniel Kolodzik is the first nationally ranked recruit for Ayres while at Princeton. He went 146-17 at Miami Valley School, where he won two Ohio state championships, placed second one year and placed fourth another. Ranked as high as fifth nationally at 135 pounds by intermat.com, Kolodzik was a four-time Ironman place-winner, including once as a finalist.
“This kid is for real,” Ayres said. “He was a two-time state champ in a very competitive state. He's technically sound and he knows how to compete. He'll go through the same transitional stage that every freshman wrestler does, but he's going to be good for us.”
149 - Sophomore Justin Spain, junior Danny Scotton and freshman Andy Lowy are in the mix for the starting spot. Spain was a Tennessee state champion who won 166 high school matches, but he was injured his freshman season. Scotton was a regional champion in New Jersey, one of the nation's toughest wrestling states, and Lowy was a four-time state placewinner in Maryland who won 134 matches.
“They're all close,” Ayres said. “This is what a weight should look like for a college team. Their game raises every day because they know a starting job is on the line. They are all solid, but if somebody ends up clearly winning it, that person could be pretty tough when the league season rolls around. That's the kind of competition we're looking for throughout the lineup.”
157 ? Everin is finally fully healthy, and Ayres feels he could be primed for a very good year.
“He's a good captain for us and he's doing everything in and out of the room to be a success,” Ayres said. “Marty is a physical wrestler who imposes his will on you. I think he could be exceptional this season, and he's trained that way.”
165 ? Much like 149 pounds, there is a healthy competition at this weight class between junior Mike Alvarez and senior Aaron Casp.
“They have both worked hard,” Ayres said. “Alvarez has really improved and had a great offseason. Casp is a senior and is giving himself every opportunity to get the job. I like what I've seen from both; they're both living the lifestyle of a college wrestler.”
174 ? Erdman, a 13-match winner last year, will build off his All-Ivy freshman season and hopes to be an even bigger factor at this weight class in the league.
“He has more confidence this year.” Ayres said. “He was probably a little uncertain as a freshman, but he wants to be one of the best wrestlers out there. Matches like Rutgers and Columbia last year showed he can handle stressful situations late in matches. He was unhappy with the way last season ended, which has added to his motivation. He's a very good competitor.”
184 ? Sophomore Anthony Salerno and freshman Kurt Brendel will push each other for this job. Salerno doesn't own a significant amount of experience over Brendel, considering he missed much of last season with an injury, but he did return in time to compete at the EIWAs. Brendel was a three-time Pennsylvania state qualifier who took sixth as a senior; anybody who places in Pennsylvania is plenty tough.
“This is a good weight for us,” Ayres said. “They're pushing each other well. Kurt has been better than I would have guessed this early; he's a hard worked. Salerno has also exceeded my expectations, but he's still battling some injuries. I like the way they're both working.”
197 ? Junior Zach Morse has had a roller coaster career already, and Ayres likes the way the ride seems to be going right now.
“From this time last year until right now, Zach is our most improved guy,” the coach said. “It's like two different people. He didn't come here ready for the season last year. That high school mentality, where you start training when the season starts, doesn't fly here, and he came in this year in great shape. He bought into the wrestler's lifestyle in the offseason, and I think he will be rewarded with a much improved season.”
HWT ? The surprise of the 2007-08 season was senior Sam Ritter, who walked on to the team and paid immediate dividends. The surprise of this season could be freshman Stephen Turner, who went 75-20 in high school before suffering an injury that cost him his entire senior season.
“We weren't sure what to expect this season, but Steve has done a really good job,” Ayres said. “He's a hard worker. He's got a ways to go to reach his potential, but I think he's going to be competitive this year. If Zach is our most improved guy over the span of a year, Steve is our most improved guy from the day he stepped on campus this year until now.”
Morse and Turner will be especially important because they are the lone Princeton wrestlers at their respective weights.
Ayres is pleased with the direction and progress of the program, but he is far from satisfied. The former Lehigh All-America and assistant coach, Ayres is seeing the challenges of rebuilding a program, and he is going about it the right way: one step at a time.
The next step begins Saturday, and Ayres believes he has his best Princeton group ready to take it with him.
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