I braved the traffic this morning and headed up US-1 from Princeton to New Brunswick. I need some help on this lineup. Its a mess. There are a lot of possible permutations at several weight classes. So here's a start:
125 – Metzler (So) or Aguilar (Fr)
I’m assuming the rumors are true and that Suriano is bumping up to 133. Metzler went 11-11 last season, getting his redshirt burnt for a couple of duals at the end of the year after Suriano was injured. Another option could be Nico Aguilar, an incoming freshman and 2-time California state runner-up.
133 – Suriano (Ju)
Suriano went 25-1 last year on his way to a 2nd place finish @125. He takes over for 3-time qualifier and AA from last year (6th place - unseeded), Scott Delvecchio (R12 in 2017, 0-2 in 2015).
141 – Mike Van Brill (So) or Lipari (Jr)
Van Brill went 14-14 last year and did not qualify for the tournament. Lipari went 10-8 in opens last year. Zach Firestone (a transfer from Bucknell in 2017) went 19-4 in opens last year @133 so maybe he could be a possibility here or @125 too. (None of them have redshirts left to use.)
149 – Ashnault (Sr)
Ashnault returns from injury. He is a 3-time AA @141 (6th in 2017, 4th in 2016, 8th in 2015). He takes over for last year’s starter, Eleazer Deluca who went 14-14 on the season, 2-2 in the tournament.
157 – John Van Brill (Sr) or Glasgow (Fr) or someone else
Van Brill is a 2-time qualifier (2-2 in 2018 from the 15 seed, 1-2 in 2017 from the 13 seed) and had a 22-14 season record. He may move up to 165 (he’s listed @165 on the Rutgers website). If so, it would look like incoming freshman Gerald Jones or maybe Nick Santos (So) or Stephan Glasgow (Fr) would start here. Glasgow is a 2-time New Jersey state champion @152.
165 – Glasgow (Fr) or John Van Brill (Sr)
Glasgow or Van Brill replaces Richie Lewis (“The Mouth” to those who don’t recognize his given name), a two-time qualifier who finished in the round of 12 last year from the 6 seed and 1-2 @157 in 2017.
174 – Grello (So) or Pagano (Sr)
Grello went 14-10 in his first year as the starter and did not qualify for the tournament. Pagano went 14-8 last year (1-4 in duals). Pagano did qualify for the tournament in 2017, going 1-2.
184 – Gravina (Sr)
Three-time qualifier Gravina gets an additional year due to injury. He had a 19-7 season record last year and went 1-2 in the tourney from the 14 seed. He went to the round of 12 in 2017 and went 1-2 in 2016.
197 – Correnti (So) or Wright (Fr)
Correnti returns from a redshirt season (15-6 record) at heavyweight. He qualified for the tournament in 2017 @197 going 1-2. Last year’s starter, Anthony Messner, went 2-13. If Correnti can’t drop back down, it looks like Wright would be the starter (10-4 record in a grayshirt year).
Heavy – Colucci (Jr) or Correnti (So)
Colucci is a transfer from Lehigh and went 7-2 last year. He's taking over for Razohnn Gross who went 16-13 last year and didn’t qualify for the tournament.
Rutgers returns 1 AA (Suriano) from last year and loses 1 AA (Delvecchio) and R12 Lewis. They also get a former AA back (Ashnault). Rutgers hopes in returning to their rightful place in the top 10 largely hinge upon Ashnault’s ability to come back from injury. Rutgers placed 11th with 42.5 points last year.
125 – Metzler (So) or Aguilar (Fr)
I’m assuming the rumors are true and that Suriano is bumping up to 133. Metzler went 11-11 last season, getting his redshirt burnt for a couple of duals at the end of the year after Suriano was injured. Another option could be Nico Aguilar, an incoming freshman and 2-time California state runner-up.
133 – Suriano (Ju)
Suriano went 25-1 last year on his way to a 2nd place finish @125. He takes over for 3-time qualifier and AA from last year (6th place - unseeded), Scott Delvecchio (R12 in 2017, 0-2 in 2015).
141 – Mike Van Brill (So) or Lipari (Jr)
Van Brill went 14-14 last year and did not qualify for the tournament. Lipari went 10-8 in opens last year. Zach Firestone (a transfer from Bucknell in 2017) went 19-4 in opens last year @133 so maybe he could be a possibility here or @125 too. (None of them have redshirts left to use.)
149 – Ashnault (Sr)
Ashnault returns from injury. He is a 3-time AA @141 (6th in 2017, 4th in 2016, 8th in 2015). He takes over for last year’s starter, Eleazer Deluca who went 14-14 on the season, 2-2 in the tournament.
157 – John Van Brill (Sr) or Glasgow (Fr) or someone else
Van Brill is a 2-time qualifier (2-2 in 2018 from the 15 seed, 1-2 in 2017 from the 13 seed) and had a 22-14 season record. He may move up to 165 (he’s listed @165 on the Rutgers website). If so, it would look like incoming freshman Gerald Jones or maybe Nick Santos (So) or Stephan Glasgow (Fr) would start here. Glasgow is a 2-time New Jersey state champion @152.
165 – Glasgow (Fr) or John Van Brill (Sr)
Glasgow or Van Brill replaces Richie Lewis (“The Mouth” to those who don’t recognize his given name), a two-time qualifier who finished in the round of 12 last year from the 6 seed and 1-2 @157 in 2017.
174 – Grello (So) or Pagano (Sr)
Grello went 14-10 in his first year as the starter and did not qualify for the tournament. Pagano went 14-8 last year (1-4 in duals). Pagano did qualify for the tournament in 2017, going 1-2.
184 – Gravina (Sr)
Three-time qualifier Gravina gets an additional year due to injury. He had a 19-7 season record last year and went 1-2 in the tourney from the 14 seed. He went to the round of 12 in 2017 and went 1-2 in 2016.
197 – Correnti (So) or Wright (Fr)
Correnti returns from a redshirt season (15-6 record) at heavyweight. He qualified for the tournament in 2017 @197 going 1-2. Last year’s starter, Anthony Messner, went 2-13. If Correnti can’t drop back down, it looks like Wright would be the starter (10-4 record in a grayshirt year).
Heavy – Colucci (Jr) or Correnti (So)
Colucci is a transfer from Lehigh and went 7-2 last year. He's taking over for Razohnn Gross who went 16-13 last year and didn’t qualify for the tournament.
Rutgers returns 1 AA (Suriano) from last year and loses 1 AA (Delvecchio) and R12 Lewis. They also get a former AA back (Ashnault). Rutgers hopes in returning to their rightful place in the top 10 largely hinge upon Ashnault’s ability to come back from injury. Rutgers placed 11th with 42.5 points last year.
Last edited:
