With Roar marking the halfway point of the off-season, I'm transitioning to team previews.
LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS
Lehigh’s line-up, especially at the lighter weights, looked like a triage center last year but the Mountain Hawks still had a solid season, highlighted by their 2nd straight EIWA title. Even with the injuries, Lehigh improved upon their 2018 NCAA tournament performance (15th, 36.5 pts) with a 13th place finish and 40.5 points in 2019. Lehigh qualified 8 wrestlers and had 3 All-Americans.
For the dual season, Lehigh had a brutal schedule which included Penn State, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Minnesota, Cornell, Missouri , North Carolina and Arizona State. After starting the season with 7 straight losses, Lehigh finished 9-9 with their biggest win coming against Cornell.
125 – Luke Resnick (So) <Owen J. Roberts, PA>
With injuries to Matt Parker and Stanford transfer Connor Schram never making it onto the mat, Resnick was pressed into starting duty last season. He had a tough season going 4-17. Resnick did have a big win against 3-time qualifier Christian Moody (OU).
125 – Jaret Lane (So) <Southern Columbia, PA>
Lane may also be in the mix for 125 this season for Lehigh. He went 5-6 as a true freshman before his season ended due to injury.
125/133 – Nick Farro (Jr) <Delbarto, NJ>
Farro began last season at 125 and finished at 133 compiling an 8-4 record. He had some wins against national qualifiers versus Chalifoux (Army) and Moody (OU) at 125 and Russell (App St) at 133.
133 – Brandon Paetzell (Jr) <Phillipsburg, NJ>
A former transfer from Rutgers, Paetzell qualified for the NCAAs for the first time last season. He had an overall record of 15-13 and went 0-2 in the tournament from the 20 seed. Paetzell had some big wins during the season, highlighted by decisions against eventual AA John Erneste (Mo) and former AA Montorie Bridges (Wyo).
Scott Parker was forced into retirement due to a serious shoulder injury last season. He finished his career at Lehigh as a 3x national qualifier and 2x AA (7th-2018, 8th-2017).
133 – Connor McGonagle (Fr) <Timberlane, NH>
Mostly likely redshirting, McGonagle is part of a very good incoming recruiting class for Lehigh. He was a 4x State champion, 3x New England champion and 2x NHSCA champion.
141 – Ryan Pomrinca (Sr) <North Hunterdon, NJ>
Pomrinca went 14-14 last season and didn’t qualify for the NCAA tournament. He became the starter after a season ending injury to Luke Karam. Pomrinca did have a big win against eventual 4th place finisher Dominick Demas (OU).
141 – Malyke Hines (Fr) <Osceola, FL>
Another likely redshirt, Hines is a 3x State champion, 2x NHSCA champion and an Escape the Rock champion.
149 – Luke Karam (Jr) <Bethlehem Catholic, PA>
Karam went 6-4 at 141 before injuries ended his season. He was a national qualifier in 2018, going 1-2.
Last season, Courtlandt Schuyler finished his career as a 2x national qualifier. He went 14-11 overall and 0-2 in the tournament from the 24 seed.
157 – Josh Humphreys (So) <Parkersburg South, WV>
Humphreys had a solid true freshman season going 22-8 overall and securing the 8 seed at the NCAA tournament. He lost a rematch against (9)Pagdilao (ASU) in the 2nd round and after a couple of wins in the wrestlebacks, lost to (3)Deakin (NW) in the round of 12.
165 – Cole Walter (Sr) <Mifflinburg, PA>
Walter looks to reclaim the 165 starter spot. He was a national qualifier @165 in 2017 going 20-11 overall and 1-2 in the tournament.
Last season, Gordon Wolf finished his career as a 2x national qualifier. He went 22-8 overall and was the 18 seed in the tournament. After a first round loss to Conner Flynn (Mo), Wolf won three straight in the wrestlebacks before losing in the round of 12 to (11)Bryce Steiert (UNI).
165/174 – Edmond Ruth (Fr) <Susquehanna Twp, PA>
Spyker’s full court press didn’t work as Ruth is another one of Lehigh’s incoming freshman. Ruth was a 2x State champion and 1x NHSCA champion. He went 105-1 over his last three seasons, his only loss coming against Gerrit Nijenhuis in the PIAA 3A 170lb final.
174 – Jordan Kutler (Sr) <Blair Academy, NJ>
Kutler returns for his final season at Lehigh after becoming an AA for the second time. He went 25-6 and placed 7th from the 5 seed. He placed 6th in 2018.
184 – Chris Weiler (Jr) <Wyoming Seminary, PA>
Weiler looks to return to the starting lineup after going 21-12 between 184 and 197 last season. He made it to the round of 12 @197 in 2018.
Last season, Ryan Priesch finished his career as an All-American with a 4th place finish from the 8 seed. Priesch was a 4x qualifier (1-2 @165 – 2016, R12 @174 – 2017, R12 @184 – 2018).
184 – Jake Logan (Fr) <New Rochelle, NY>
Another ranked recruit and likely redshirt, Logan is a 2x State champion and 2x Eastern States champion.
197 – Jake Jacobsen (Sr) <Stroudsburg, PA>
Jacobsen went 12-9 and qualified for the NCAAs for the first time. He went 2-2 from the 24 seed, making it to the round of 16 after an upset of (9)Benjamin Honis (Cor) in the first round.
197 – Kyle Gentile (Jr) <Pennridge, PA>
Lehigh has some depth at 197. Gentile went 8-3 last season which included a couple of wins versus national qualifiers; Aiello (UVA) and Root (Cit).
Heavy – Jordan Wood (Jr) <Boyertown, PA>
Wood became an All-American for the first time last season, finishing 4th from the 4 seed. His overall record was 25-5. Wood made it to the round of 12 in 2018.
While Lehigh loses an All-American (Priesch) and two other national qualifiers (Schuyler and Wolf), three former national qualifiers look to be back in the line-up. Lehigh once again looks to be a solid team and should improve upon last season’s performance.
LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS
Lehigh’s line-up, especially at the lighter weights, looked like a triage center last year but the Mountain Hawks still had a solid season, highlighted by their 2nd straight EIWA title. Even with the injuries, Lehigh improved upon their 2018 NCAA tournament performance (15th, 36.5 pts) with a 13th place finish and 40.5 points in 2019. Lehigh qualified 8 wrestlers and had 3 All-Americans.
For the dual season, Lehigh had a brutal schedule which included Penn State, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia Tech, Minnesota, Cornell, Missouri , North Carolina and Arizona State. After starting the season with 7 straight losses, Lehigh finished 9-9 with their biggest win coming against Cornell.
125 – Luke Resnick (So) <Owen J. Roberts, PA>
With injuries to Matt Parker and Stanford transfer Connor Schram never making it onto the mat, Resnick was pressed into starting duty last season. He had a tough season going 4-17. Resnick did have a big win against 3-time qualifier Christian Moody (OU).
125 – Jaret Lane (So) <Southern Columbia, PA>
Lane may also be in the mix for 125 this season for Lehigh. He went 5-6 as a true freshman before his season ended due to injury.
125/133 – Nick Farro (Jr) <Delbarto, NJ>
Farro began last season at 125 and finished at 133 compiling an 8-4 record. He had some wins against national qualifiers versus Chalifoux (Army) and Moody (OU) at 125 and Russell (App St) at 133.
133 – Brandon Paetzell (Jr) <Phillipsburg, NJ>
A former transfer from Rutgers, Paetzell qualified for the NCAAs for the first time last season. He had an overall record of 15-13 and went 0-2 in the tournament from the 20 seed. Paetzell had some big wins during the season, highlighted by decisions against eventual AA John Erneste (Mo) and former AA Montorie Bridges (Wyo).
Scott Parker was forced into retirement due to a serious shoulder injury last season. He finished his career at Lehigh as a 3x national qualifier and 2x AA (7th-2018, 8th-2017).
133 – Connor McGonagle (Fr) <Timberlane, NH>
Mostly likely redshirting, McGonagle is part of a very good incoming recruiting class for Lehigh. He was a 4x State champion, 3x New England champion and 2x NHSCA champion.
141 – Ryan Pomrinca (Sr) <North Hunterdon, NJ>
Pomrinca went 14-14 last season and didn’t qualify for the NCAA tournament. He became the starter after a season ending injury to Luke Karam. Pomrinca did have a big win against eventual 4th place finisher Dominick Demas (OU).
141 – Malyke Hines (Fr) <Osceola, FL>
Another likely redshirt, Hines is a 3x State champion, 2x NHSCA champion and an Escape the Rock champion.
149 – Luke Karam (Jr) <Bethlehem Catholic, PA>
Karam went 6-4 at 141 before injuries ended his season. He was a national qualifier in 2018, going 1-2.
Last season, Courtlandt Schuyler finished his career as a 2x national qualifier. He went 14-11 overall and 0-2 in the tournament from the 24 seed.
157 – Josh Humphreys (So) <Parkersburg South, WV>
Humphreys had a solid true freshman season going 22-8 overall and securing the 8 seed at the NCAA tournament. He lost a rematch against (9)Pagdilao (ASU) in the 2nd round and after a couple of wins in the wrestlebacks, lost to (3)Deakin (NW) in the round of 12.
165 – Cole Walter (Sr) <Mifflinburg, PA>
Walter looks to reclaim the 165 starter spot. He was a national qualifier @165 in 2017 going 20-11 overall and 1-2 in the tournament.
Last season, Gordon Wolf finished his career as a 2x national qualifier. He went 22-8 overall and was the 18 seed in the tournament. After a first round loss to Conner Flynn (Mo), Wolf won three straight in the wrestlebacks before losing in the round of 12 to (11)Bryce Steiert (UNI).
165/174 – Edmond Ruth (Fr) <Susquehanna Twp, PA>
Spyker’s full court press didn’t work as Ruth is another one of Lehigh’s incoming freshman. Ruth was a 2x State champion and 1x NHSCA champion. He went 105-1 over his last three seasons, his only loss coming against Gerrit Nijenhuis in the PIAA 3A 170lb final.
174 – Jordan Kutler (Sr) <Blair Academy, NJ>
Kutler returns for his final season at Lehigh after becoming an AA for the second time. He went 25-6 and placed 7th from the 5 seed. He placed 6th in 2018.
184 – Chris Weiler (Jr) <Wyoming Seminary, PA>
Weiler looks to return to the starting lineup after going 21-12 between 184 and 197 last season. He made it to the round of 12 @197 in 2018.
Last season, Ryan Priesch finished his career as an All-American with a 4th place finish from the 8 seed. Priesch was a 4x qualifier (1-2 @165 – 2016, R12 @174 – 2017, R12 @184 – 2018).
184 – Jake Logan (Fr) <New Rochelle, NY>
Another ranked recruit and likely redshirt, Logan is a 2x State champion and 2x Eastern States champion.
197 – Jake Jacobsen (Sr) <Stroudsburg, PA>
Jacobsen went 12-9 and qualified for the NCAAs for the first time. He went 2-2 from the 24 seed, making it to the round of 16 after an upset of (9)Benjamin Honis (Cor) in the first round.
197 – Kyle Gentile (Jr) <Pennridge, PA>
Lehigh has some depth at 197. Gentile went 8-3 last season which included a couple of wins versus national qualifiers; Aiello (UVA) and Root (Cit).
Heavy – Jordan Wood (Jr) <Boyertown, PA>
Wood became an All-American for the first time last season, finishing 4th from the 4 seed. His overall record was 25-5. Wood made it to the round of 12 in 2018.
While Lehigh loses an All-American (Priesch) and two other national qualifiers (Schuyler and Wolf), three former national qualifiers look to be back in the line-up. Lehigh once again looks to be a solid team and should improve upon last season’s performance.
