Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Campbell Wrestling Drops Close Dual to Apprentice to 23-18

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Apprentice was able to overcome two forfeits, coming from behind to defeat the Campbell wrestling squad 23-18 Tuesday evening at Carter Gym. The Builders successfully dug itself out of a hole, as they forfeited at the 157 lbs. and 174 lbs. weight classes, giving the Camels a 12 point advantage before the match started.
Tommy Arnold secured the dual for Apprentice at 197 lbs. in the next to last match of the evening. Ahead 18-15 with one match remaining, Arnold scored a tech. fall victory over Campbell's Joseph Foster, who was wrestling in his first college match, to put the dual out of reach for the Camels.
Richie Apolinar got Campbell on the board in the first match of the night by taking an 8-5 decision at 125 lbs. from Apprentice's Kevin Hill. It would be the last Camel win, other than by forfeit, until the last match of the evening.
Campbell's David Wise and Micah Amrozowicz battled in the first overtime match of the night at 133 lbs. The two accumulated only one escape point apiece during regulation, but Amrozowicz scored a takedown with just under 11 seconds left in the first overtime to drop Wise 3-1. It was Amrozowicz 32^nd win on the season, and it tied the match at 3-3.
Not to be outdone, Campbell's Trevour Smith and Jeremiah Jones went to overtime at 141 lbs. in the following match. The two ended the second period deadlocked at 3-3 and 5-5 the end of regulation. Jones converted a takedown on a quick shot 10 seconds into overtime, giving the Builders a 6-3 lead.
Apprentice tied the dual at 15-15 after Rudy Leming pinned Nick Amato in the second period. The match was knotted at 5 when Leming caught Amato off-balance and put him on his back. The Builders took over the lead for good in the 184 lbs. match, as Justin Gilliard took a 5-3 decision over Kyle Higgins. Jeremiah Fennell picked up a 4-3 victory in the heavyweight match, but even a fall would not have affected the outcome.
The Camels compete in their last home dual of the 2006-07 season next Tuesday when they host Davidson at 7:00 p.m.

Apprentice 23, Campbell 18
125: Richie Apolinar (CU) dec. Kevin Hill (AS), 8-5
133: Micah Amrozowicz (AS) dec. David Wise (CU), 3-1 (OT, 7:50)
141: Jeremiah Jones (AS) dec. Trevour Smith (CU), 7-5 (OT, 7:10)
149: Matt Perry (AS) dec. Chris Mazzatta (CU), 5-4
157: Steve Wiktorek (CU) wins by forfeit
165: Brent Poynter (CU) wins by forfeit
174: Rudy Leming (AS) fall Nick Amato (CU), 4:46
184: Justin Gilliard (AS) dec. Kyle Higgins (CU), 5-3
197: Tommy Arnold (AS) tech fall Joseph Foster (CU), 17-0
Hwt: Jeremiah Fennell (CU) dec. Cecil Lee (AS), 4-3

Monday, February 05, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Camels Welcome Builders to Buies Creek on Tuesday

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Campbell wrestling team will try to rebound from a 0-2 week when they host NCWA-affiliated opponent Apprentice Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. in Carter Gym.
The Camels suffered a close, 21-16 defeat to Gardner-Webb last Tuesday before falling to George Mason 30-12 on Saturday. The two losses dropped the Camels to 2-14-1 on the season with a 1-5 mark against CAA opponents.
David Wise saw his five-match win streak snapped in the Gardner-Webb dual, but kept his perfect CAA record intact by taking a 7-3 decision over George Mason's Mostafa Ibrahim on Saturday. The freshman from Yorktown, Va., has now won six of his last seven matches and currently sits with an overall record of 9-6.
The Builders of Apprentice come into the match with an 8-6 dual record, despite losing three of its last four duals. They are led by senior Micah Amrozowicz, who has compiled a 27-8 record at 133 lbs. on the year. Amrozowicz comes in as the second ranked wrestler among NCWA-affiliated schools.
The Camels have had the Builders number over the past, as the Camels boast a perfect 3-0 record over Apprentice in the schools three meetings. Last year, Campbell took a 37-12 victory over Apprentice in Buies Creek.

Saturday, February 3, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Patriots Ride Past Camels 30-12 in CAA Dual Saturday Night

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell (2-14-1, 1-5 CAA) jumped out to an early 12-0 lead, but George Mason (9-7, 5-3 CAA) stormed back and won the last seven matches of the evening to give the Patriots a 30-12 victory Saturday night at Carter Gym.
Campbell was staked to a 12-0 lead courtesy of a George Mason forfeit at 125 lbs and victories from David Wise at 133 lbs. and Trevour Smith at 141 lbs.
Wise ran his CAA record to a perfect 5-0 by some late match heroics. With the score tied 3-3 and less than 15 seconds remaining, Wise earned his last point via an escape to give him the one-point decision.
The next late match victory took place in the 149 lbs. match between Campbell's Chris Mazzatta and GMU's Chris Cartella. With the score tied and time winding down in the third period. Cartella escaped from Mazzatta's control giving Cartella the deciding point in his 6-5 win.
The last match of the evening also provided some excitement at the end, as Mason's Ryan Kittrick used a takedown with seven seconds remaining and the match tied to give him a 3-1 decision over CU's Jeremiah Fennell.
The dual was the second of the day for the Patriots, who fell to UNC Greensboro 21-16 in Greensboro earlier this afternoon. With the loss, the Camels have now lost six straight duals.
Campbell takes to the mat in Carter Gym Tuesday against Apprentice. The dual is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start.

George Mason 30, Campbell 12
125: Richie Apolinar (CU) wins by forfeit
133: David Wise (CU) dec. Will Powars (GMU), 4-3
141: Trevour Smith (CU) dec. Mostafa Ibrahim (GMU), 7-3
149: Chris Cartella (GMU) dec. Chris Mazzatta (CU), 6-5
157: Robert Henry (GMU) fall Steve Wiktorek (CU), 1:55
165: Tyler Tisdell (GMU) dec. Brent Poynter (CU), 5-2
174: Randy Oates (GMU) fall Nick Amato (CU), 2:03
184: Jim Martin (GMU) dec. Kyle Higgins (CU), 9-3
197: Harry Zander (GMU) fall Rob Yoder (CU), :22
Hwt: Ryan Kittrick dec. Jeremiah Fennell, 3-1

Friday, February 2, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Campbell Hosts Fellow CAA Member George Mason Saturday

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Campbell wrestling team (2-13-1, 1-4 CAA) will continue its four-dual homestand Saturday at Carter Gym when they host conference rival George Mason (8-6, 4-3 CAA) at 7:00. The dual on Saturday will be the second of the day for the Patriots. GMU will wrestle at UNC-Greensboro at 1:00 Saturday before traveling to Buies Creek for its second dual of the day.
The home slate began in promising fashion for the Camels, as they lost a narrow, back-and-forth decision to Gardner-Webb 21-16. The Camels and Bulldogs split the matches in the dual, 5-5, but three tech. fall victories gave GWU the extra boost it needed to pull away from Campbell.
Campbell has not had great success against Mason in the past. The Camels have only managed one win in the all-time series, as the Patriots with a 10-1 record. Campbell's only win came in the 2003-04 season when CU won 22-16 at George Mason. In Last year's match-up, the Camels took a 32-9 loss in Fairfax, Va.
Campbell comes into the matched ranked as the eighth overall team in the CAA. The Camels boast two ranked wrestlers in David Wise (8-6, 4-0 CAA) at 133 lbs. and Jeremiah Fennell (9-15, 1-3 CAA), both of whom are ranked third in their respective weight classes.
The Patriots took a tough loss in their last dual, as they fell to Duquesne by 20-19. Mason heavyweight Ryan Kittrick needed at least a major decision victory to tie the dual, but could only manage a decision victory to leave GMU one point short.
George Mason sits right in the middle of the CAA rankings at fifth overall. A stable of CAA-ranked wrestlers lead GMU, with eight Patriots earning recognition in the latest rankings. Joe Coughlin (12-11, 2-3 CAA) at 125 lbs., Tyler Tisdell (8-7, 1-1 CAA) at 165 lbs. and Ryan Kittrick (18-11, 6-1) at 285 lbs. lead all Mason wrestlers, ranking fourth in their respective weight classes.
The second dual of the Camels' home swing will begin at 7:00 at Carter Gym.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Camels Drop Back and Forth Battle With Gardner-Webb 21-16

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell controlled the middle weight classes, but three straight, late tech. fall victories by Gardner-Webb spoiled Campbell's Carter Gym opener, and propelled the Bulldogs past Campbell 21-16 at Carter Gym Tuesday night.
Rob Yoder needed to avoid any loss other than a regular decision at 197 lbs. to give the Camels a chance to win or tie in the final match. Yoder avoided the pin but could not avoid the tech. fall as he went down at the hands of Dustin Porter, 17-1, clinching the match for Gardner-Webb.
Campbell stormed ahead, courtesy of its middle weight classes. Chris Mazzatta, Steve Wiktorek, and Brent Poynter scored victories at 149, 157 and 165 lbs. respectively to give the Camels a 13-6 lead. Mazzatta's win was the first for the redshirt freshman in 15 matches, as he won his third match of the year by decision over Ben Hoppenbrouwer, 7-1.
Gardner-Webb quickly took control of the dual, winning the next three matches by tech fall. Nick Amato, Kyle Higgins and Rob Yoder all kept the Camels close by avoiding pins, but could not prevent the Bulldog's from pulling away after the 197 lbs. match.
David Wise's streak of five straight victories came to an end Tuesday night. His run was ended by Gardner-Webb's Rob Tate. Tate snapped Wise's streak in the 133 lbs. match taking a 9-3 decision from Wise.
The Camels resume their four-dual homestand Saturday against CAA opponent George Mason. The Camels and Patriots are set to square off at 7:00.

Gardner-Webb 21, Campbell 16

125: Richie Apolinar (CU) dec. Cortney Roberts (GWU), 10-3
133: Rob Tate (GWU) dec. David Wise (CU), 9-3
141: Chaz Franz (GWU) dec. Trevour Smith (CU), 11-5
149: Chris Mazzatta (CU) dec. Ben Hoppenbrouwer (GWU), 7-1
157: Steve Wiktorek (CU) maj. dec. Nick Raich (GWU), 9-1
165: Brent Poynter (CU) dec. Brendan Couture (GWU), 8-4
174: Chad Davis (GWU) tech. fall Nick Amato (CU), 19-3
184: Brandon Beach (GWU) tech. fall Kyle Higgins (CU), 17-1
197: Dustin Porter (GWU) tech. fall Rob Yoder (CU), 17-1
Hwt: Jeremiah Fennell (CU) dec. Nick Roerich (GWU), 6-4

Monday, January 29, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Wrestling Opens Four-Dual Homestand Tuesday Against Gardner-Webb

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – After nearly three months of road duals and tournaments, the Campbell wrestling squad (2-12-1, 1-4 CAA) makes its first appearance at Carter Gym 7:00 Tuesday against in-state rival Gardner-Webb (5-12-1).
Gardner-Webb has won the last three meetings over Campbell, but those three victories are its only wins in the all-time series as Campbell holds a 9-3 advantage over GWU. The Bulldogs took a 38-9 decision over the Camels last year in Boiling Springs.
Freshman David Wise has been solid for Campbell the last two weeks, winning five matches in a row. In the latest CAA rankings, Wise was slotted third with a 7-5 overall record and a 4-0 mark against CAA opponents. Jeremiah Fennell is the other ranked wrestler, coming in at fourth with an 8-15 record.
Brent Poynter leads the Camels in wins with 10. Kelin Bidelspach (9-6) and Steve Wiktorek (8-4), who both have been hampered by injury, are the only other Camels to post winning records this season. Despite seeing limited mat time, Wiktorek still leads the team in pins this season with five.
The Camels come into the contest with a 2-12-1 record and a 1-4 mark in CAA duals. Campbell will try to snap a five match losing streak after snapping a six match winless streak two weekends ago at the CAA duals. The Camels are a long way from the school record for consecutive dual defeats though, as CU dropped 12 straight in the 1996-97 season.
GWU comes into the match with a 5-12-1 overall dual record, but have won their last two matches over Davidson (35-12) and Cal Poly (25-22). The two wins came after a twelve-dual winless streak for the Bulldogs, stretching from November 11 to January 22.
Dustin Porter leads Gardner-Webb in victories, sporting a 19-7 record at 197 lbs. Rob Tate (17-10 at 133 lbs.), Chaz Franz (16-9 at 141 lbs.) and Brandon Beach (16-11 at 184 lbs.) all have had a solid season for The Bulldogs as well.
Looking ahead, Gardner-Webb will be at the East Regional Duals on Saturday while the Camels host CAA opponent George Mason on Saturday as well.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Camels Beaten By Blue Devils 38-8, Fall to The Citadel 52-0

DURHAM, N.C. – David Wise won his fifth straight match, but Duke (7-4, 0-1 ACC) pulled away late in the match to defeat Campbell (2-12-1, 1-4 CAA) 38-8 at Cameron Indoor Stadium Wednesday night. In the second dual, The Citadel (3-4, 0-1 SoCon) won every match by tech fall or better to shut-out the Camels 52-0.
Wise came into the night riding a four-match win streak following a 4-0 performance at last weekend's CAA Duals. Wise, who is ranked third at 133 lbs. in the latest CAA rankings, extended the streak to five by defeating Duke's Spencer Jasper by tech fall, 19-3.
Campbell stuck with the Blue Devils early in the match. After Wise's victory Campbell held a 5-3 advantage over Duke. After Trevour Smith lost by an 8-3 decision and Chris Mazzatta fell by a major decision count of 11-3, Steve Wiktorek defeated Jared Sernoffsky 4-0 at 157 lbs. to cut the Duke lead to 10-8.
The 165 lbs. match saw the momentum shift to the Blue Devils for good. Brent Poynter took Aaron Glover to overtime after they ended the third period tied at five. Glover left no doubt by pinning Poynter and turning the tide in favor of Duke. The Blue Devils took the last four matches of the night, two by pin, to glide past CU 38-8.
In Campbell's second match of the night, The Citadel proved to be too much for the Camels as the Cadets won every match by at least tech fall, en route to shutting out CU 52-0.
After spending the entire season away from Buies Creek, The Camel wrestlers make their first appearance at Carter Gym Tuesday, when they take on in-state rival Gardner-Webb. The first match of the dual starts at 7:00 p.m.

Duke 38, Campbell 8
125: Kellan McKeon (Duke) def. Richie Apolinar (Campbell), 2-1\
133: David Wise (Campbell) tech. fall Spencer Jasper (Duke), 19-3
141: Philip Wightman (Duke) def. Trevour Smith (Campbell), 8-3
149: Daniel Shvartsman (Duke) maj. dec. Chris Mazzatta (Campbell), 11-3
157: Steve Wiktorek (Campbell) def. Jared Sernoffsky (Duke), 4-0
165: Aaron Glover (Duke) pins Brent Poynter (Campbell), 9:53 (5-5 at end of regulation, 8-6 Glover at time of pin)
174: Matthew Koelling (Duke) maj. dec. Nick Amato (Campbell), 14-5
184: John Barone (Duke) wins by forfeit
197: Patrick Keenum (Duke) pins Rob Yoder (Campbell), 6:54
HWT: Mike Tunick (Duke) pins Jeremiah Fennell (Campbell), 5:47

The Citadel 52, Campbell 0
125: Tyler Sim (The Citadel) maj. dec. Richie Apolinar (Campbell), 13-2
133: Matthew Leach (The Citadel) pins Trevour Smith (Campbell), 4:43
141: Matt Bullwinkel (The Citadel) wins by forfeit
149: Levi Duyn (The Citadel) pins Chris Mazzatta (Campbell), 3:38
157: Travis Piccard (The Citadel) maj. dec. Steve Wiktorek (Campbell), 13-4
165: Zachary Filter (The Citadel) maj. dec. Jeffrey Cote (Campbell), 11-0
174: Darius Caldwell (The Citadel) pins Nick Amato (Campbell), 2:46
184: Griffen Greene (The Citadel) wins by forfeit
197: John Dickerson (The Citadel) pins Rob Yoder (Campbell), 1:09
HWT: John Buck (The Citadel) pins Jeremiah Fennell (Campbell), 6:27

Monday, January 22, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Wrestling Dual with Duke Moved Up to Wednesday

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell's wrestling dual that was originally scheduled for 7:00 Thursday has been moved up to Wednesday evening to accommodate scheduling conflicts at Duke.
The Camels are coming off a 1-3 weekend at the CAA Duals, improving their dual record to 2-10-1 (1-4 CAA) on the 2006-07 season. Freshman David Wise's 4-0 weekend at 133 lbs. highlighted the CU effort in Fairfax, Va.
The Camels make their first appearance in Buies Creek next Tuesday, January 30, when they host CAA opponent George Mason at Carter Gym. Start time for the dual is scheduled for 7:00.

Saturday, January 20, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Wise Wins Three Matches; Camels Drop Three at Day Two of the CAA Duals

FAIRFAX, Va. – David Wise won all three of his matches at 133 lbs. on the day, but Campbell (2-10-1, 1-4 CAA) fell in all three of its matches at day two of the CAA Duals Saturday afternoon. Campbell fell to Boston U. 37-6, Sacred Heart 34-18, and Binghamton 33-12 to finish the two-day, five-round event.
Wise was the only Campbell wrestler to win multiple matches on Saturday, as he went 4-0 over the two day event. Wise won all of his matches by decision, scoring two, 4-1 victories over Boston's Joey Whitaker and Sacred Heart's Mike Arone. Wise gave himself more of a cushion in his final match, earning an 8-2 decision over Binghamton's Corey Sullivan.
Campbell's best shot at a dual victory came in the second match against Sacred Heart. The Camels jumped out to 9-0 lead thanks to a forfeit and a Wise victory. The Pioneers stormed right back picking up two victories by fall at 141 and 149 lbs. Steve Wiktorek and Brent Poynter picked up decisions at 157 and 165 before a major decision setback and a forfeit put the Pioneers ahead for good. SHU's Kyle Fox pinned CU's Rob Yoder at 197 lbs. to put the match out of reach for the Camels.
Campbell also hung tight with Binghamton in the third dual of the day. Wise's third victory and a Caleb Lesnoff decision at 141 lbs. knotted the score at 6-6. The Bearcats would take the lead for good after that match. Kyle Fried pinned Campbell's Chris Mazzatta with just 12 seconds remaining in the match and the Camels forfeited at 157 lbs. to put the Bearcats up 18-6. Brent Poynter kept Campbell within a one-match margin, by pinning Sam Sirota at 165 lbs. to bring the score to 18-12. The Bearcats took control from there, winning the last four matches and the dual by the score of 33-12.
The first match of the day was all Boston U. Campbell received decisions from Wise and Jeremiah Fennell, but seven straight Terrier victories were sandwiched between the two Camel wins, giving the Terriers a 37-6 victory.
The Camels ended the weekend with a 1-3 record, picking up a 40-6 victory over Wagner Friday evening. The Camels last dual before their first dual at Carter Gym will be Thursday, when they travel to Durham to face Duke. The dual is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m.

BOSTON U. 37, CAMPELL 6
125 – Abbie Rush (BU) dec. Richie Apolinar (CU), 12-7, 3-0 Boston U.
133 – David Wise (CU) dec. Joey Whitaker (BU), 4-1, 3-3 Tie
141 – Carlo Ferrandino (BU) fall Kelin Bidelspach (CU), 3:32, 9-3 Boston U.
149 – Mike Roberts (BU) maj. dec. Chris Mazzatta (CU), 18-6, 13-3 Boston U.
157 – A.J. Detwiler (BU) wins by forf., 19-3 Boston U.
165 – C.J. Inglin (BU) dec. Brent Poynter (CU), 8-7, 22-3 Boston U.
174 – Eli Vidal (BU) dec. Nick Amato (CU), 8-4, 25-3 Boston U.
184 – Carmen Rondash (BU) wins by forf., 31-3 Boston U.
197 – Jim Connors (BU) fall Rob Yoder (CU), 5:25, 37-3 Boston U.
285 – Jeremiah Fennell (CU) dec. Orey Hall (BU), 3-1, 37-6 Boston U.

SACRED HEART 34, CAMPBELL 18
125 – Richie Apolinar (CU) wins by forf., 6-0 Campbell
133 – David Wise (CU) dec. Mike Arone (SHU), 4-1, 9-0 Campbell
141 – Cory Dunn (SHU) fall Kelin Bidelspach (CU), 4:38, 9-6 Campbell
149 – Chris Davis (SHU) fall Chris Mazzatta (CU), 6:54, 12-9 Sacred Heart
157 – Steve Wiktorek (CU) fall Tom Sullivan (SHU), 1:21, 15-12 Campbell
165 – Brent Poynter (CU) dec. Patrick Nappi (SHU), 13-7, 18-12 Campbell
174 – Jed Giguere (SHU) maj. dec. Nick Amato (CU), 16-6, 18-16 Campbell
184 – Andrew Silber (SHU) wins by forf., 22-18 Sacred Heart
197 – Kevin Fox (SHU) fall Rob Yoder (CU), 0:53, 28-18 Sacred Heart
285 – Payam Zarrinpour (SHU) fall Jeremiah Fennell (CU), 1:19, 34-18 Sacred Heart

BINGHAMTON 33, CAMPBELL 12
125 – Mike Kleeman (BU) fall Richie Apolinar (CU), 4:09, 6-0 Binghamton
133 – David Wise (CU) dec. Corey Sullivan (BU), 8-2, 6-3 Binghamton
141 – Caleb Lesnoff (CU) dec. Kareem Naguib (BU), 12-7, 6-6 Tie
149 – Kyle Fried (BU) fall Chris Mazzatta (CU), 6:48, 12-6 Binghamton
157 – Nate Patterson (BU) wins by forf., 18-6 Binghamton
165 – Brent Poynter (CU) fall Sam Sirota (BU), 5:58, 18-12 Binghamton
174 – Chris Klucka (BU) dec. Nick Amato (CU), 5-4, 21-12 Binghamton
184 – Corey Waite (BU) wins by forf., 27-12 Binghamton
197 – Ed Backus (BU) dec. Rob Yoder (CU), 5-2, 30-12 Binghamton
285 – Mike Patterson (BU) dec. Jeremiah Fennell (CU), 3-1, 33-12 Binghamton

Friday, January 19, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Camels Roll Past Wagner 40-6 at CAA Duals

FAIRFAX, Va. – David Wise and Kelin Bidelspach both won their matches by fall, helping lead the Camels to a 40-6 victory over Wagner in Campbell's first match of the CAA Duals Friday evening. The win was the first CAA dual victory for the Camels this year, who also snapped a six-dual winless streak.
Wise's and Bidelspach's pins came in consecutive matches, with the freshman Wise recording his first collegiate pin by sticking Wagner's Joe Cipriano at the 1:03 mark of the first period. Bidelspach followed up Wise by taking just 15 seconds longer to pin Chris Parish, giving him a share of the team lead in victories, and the Camels a 16-0 lead.
Richie Apolinar preceded the two pins by scoring a 16-6, major decision victory over Nicholas Keshecki. Steve Wiktorek and Jeremiah Fennell also picked up decisions in their matches to round out the Campbell victories.
Wagner, who has yet to win a dual this season, forfeited three weight classes on the evening in spotting the Camels 18 points. The Camels ended up winning five of the seven matches wrestled to put away the dual.
The Camels have a long day at the duals tomorrow. After not wrestling in the first round Friday, the Camels have three duals scheduled for Saturday. CU takes on Boston U. at 11:00 a.m., Sacred Heart at 1:00 and Binghamton at 3:00 to round out its weekend in Fairfax.

Campbell 40, Wagner 6
125 – Richie Apolinar (CU) maj. dec. Nicholas Keshecki (WC), 16-6
133 – David Wise (CU) fall Joe Cipriano (WC), 1:03
141 – Kelin Bidelspach (CU) fall Chris Parish (WC), 1:18
149 – Justin Ensign (WC) dec Chris Mazzatta (CU), 5-4
157 – Steve Wiktorek (CU) dec. Sean Quinn (WC), 12-6
165 – Brent Poynter (CU) wins by forfeit
174 – Nick Amato (CU) wins by forfeit
184 – Kyle Higgins (CU) wins by forfeit
197 – Robert Rivera (WC) dec. Rob Yoder (CU), 5-4
285 – Jeremiah Fennell (CU) dec. Tyler Jeffries (WC), 10-4, 40-6 Campbell

Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Wrestling Ties Delaware State 22-22; Blanked by American University 53-0

WASHINGTON D.C. – Brent Poynter was the lone Camel grappler to win a match as Campbell (1-7-1, 0-1CAA) tied Delaware State 22-22 and fell to American 53-0 Wednesday afternoon in the nation's capital.
Poynter, who tied for the team lead in wins, was the only Camel wrestler to not win by forfeit, as the senior scored a 10-2, major decision victory over Delaware State's Brandon Gardner. The win brought Poynter's overall record to 8-7 on the season.
The Camels squared off against Delaware State in the first dual of the day. Richie Apolinar and Trevour Smith received forfeit victories to stake the Camels to a 12-0 lead. Two tech fall defeats and a double forfeit at 157 lbs. left the score at 12-8 CU. After Poynter's victory at 165 lbs., another tech fall loss, and a Camel forfeit the score stood at 18-16 Delaware State. In the last match of the dual Rob Yoder dropped an 11-3, major decision at 197 lbs. to give DSU a 22-16 lead. However, the Hornets had to forfeit the last match, knotting the final score at 22-22
CU's second match pitted them against the American University Eagles. American jumped to an early 19-0 lead by winning the first four matches of the dual. The Eagles, who received votes in the latest Intermat Wrestling poll, never looked back, as they received three more victories to go along with three Camel forfeits to shutout Campbell 53-0.
The Camels are off until Friday, January 19^th when they travel to Farifax, Va. to compete in the important CAA Duals. Friday's matches start at 1:00 p.m. while Saturday's action begins at 11:00 a.m.

Campbell 22, Delaware State 22
125- Richie Apolinar (CU) Forfeit
133- Trevour Smith (CU) Forfeit
141- James Garrett (DSU) Major Dec. David Wise (CU) 15-5
149- Will Saylor (DSU) Major Dec. Chris Mazzatta (CU) 14-6
157- Double Forfeit
165- Brent Poynter (CU) Major Dec. Brandon Gardner (DSU) 10-2
174- Kyle Skinner (DSU) Major Dec. Jeff Cote (CU) 11-0
184- Zumarr Skinner (DSU) Forfeit
197- Shawn Nowrley (DSU) Major Dec. Rob Yoder (CU) 11-3
Hwt- Jeremiah Fennell (CU) Forfeit

American 53, Campbell 0
125- Jasen Borshoff (AU) Major Dec. Richie Apolinar (CU) 20-10
133- Jordan Lipp (AU) Major Dec. David Wise (CU) 16-4
141- Kyle Borshoff (AU) Tech. Fall Trevour Smith (CU) 21-4, 4:55
149- Damian Swietlik (AU) Fall Chris Mazzatta (CU) 2:59
157- Jimmy Pepper (AU) Forfeit
165- No. 17 Mike Cannon (AU) Fall Brent Poynter (CU) 2:02
174- Rudy Rueda (AU) Fall Jeff Cote (CU) 2:10
184- Dwayne Hash (AU) Forfeit
197- No. 9 Josh Glenn (AU) Forfeit
Hwt- No. 6 Adam LoPiccolo (AU) Major Dec. Jeremiah Fennell (CU)

Saturday, January 06, 2007
Contact: Matt Marek

Apolinar, Bidelspach Win Two Matches; Camels Drop Three at North Carolina State Duals

RALEIGH, N.C. – Richie Apolinar and Kelin Bidelspach each won two matches, but the Camels (1-6) dropped three duals at the annual N.C. State Duals Saturday afternoon at Reynolds Coliseum.
Apolinar, wrestling at 125 lbs., started the day by pinning South Dakota State's Marcus Walters at the 2:34 mark in the third match of the dual. A forfeit to Trevor Smith in the next match tied the dual at 12-12, but the Jackrabbits won the next three matches to pull away. Brent Poynter took a 3-1 decision from Nate Althoff at 165 lbs., but SDSU won the next two matches to earn a 39-15 victory over the Camels.
Apolinar won his second straight in CU's next dual against Ohio University, earning an 8-6 decision over Seth Morton. Kelin Bidelspach's forfeit victory at 141 lbs. rounded out the scoring for the Camels in the dual, as the Bobcats took the last five matches to score a 47-9 victory over CU.
CAA opponent Drexel took control from the start in the final dual, jumping out to a 20-0 lead. Bidelspach secured Campbell's only points of the dual in the fifth match, earning a major decision, 13-3 victory over Morgan Remillard. The Dragons countered by taking the final five matches to give them a 45-4 victory.
North Carolina State and Ohio finished the day 3-0, while Drexel finished 2-1. Campbell's next match takes place this Wednesday, when the Camels travel to Washington, D.C. to take on American University and Delaware State. The first dual against American is set for 1:00.

Campbell Dual Results

South Dakota State 39, Campbell 15
197 – Travis Gottschalk (SDS) pinned Rob Yoder, at 4:31
Hwt – Jason Stripling (SDS) pinned Jeremiah Fennell, at 2:31
125 – Richie Apolinar (CU) pinned Marcus Waters, at 2:34
133 – Trevour Smith (CU) won by forfeit
141 – Derek Pimer (SDS) pinned Kelin Bidelspach, at 4:47
149 – Sean Flynn (SDS) dec. Chris Mazzatta, 9-5
157 – Brad Gregory (SDS) won by forfeit
165 – Brent Poynter (CU) dec. Nate Althoff., 3-1
174 – Ryan Meyer (SDS) pinned Jeff Cote, at 6:41
184 – Tyler Sorenson (SDS) won by forfeit

Ohio University 47, Campbell 9
197 – Larry Reichard (OU) pinned Rob Yoder, at 2:36
Hwt – Marcus Adelman (OU) pinned Jeremiah Fennell, at 4:44
125 – Richie Apolinar (CU) dec. Seth Morton, 8-6
133 – Terry Jackson (OU) tech fall Trevour Smith, 15-0, at 5:31
141 – Kelin Bidelspach (CU) won by forfeit
149 – Clay Tucker (OU) pinned Chris Mazzatta, at 0:44
157 – Jake Frerichs (OU) won by forfeit
165 – Jacob Ison (OU) pinned Brent Poynter, at 0:55
174 – Antione Love (OU) pinned Jeff Cote, at 1:22
184 – Adam Faires (OU) won by forfeit

Drexel 45, Campbell 4
197 – Jon Oplinger (DU) pinned Rob Yoder, at 0:58
Hwt – Chris Cowen (DU) major dec. Jeremiah Fennell, 14-5
125 – Steve Mytych (DU) major dec. Richie Apolinar, 10-1
133 – Billy Martin (DU) dec. Trevour Smith, 8-4
141 – Kelin Bidelspach (CU) major dec. Morgan Remillard, 13-3
149 – Mark Cartella (DU) major dec. Chris Mazzatta, 14-3
157 – Ryan Hluschak (DU) won by forfeit
165 – Kristopher Park (DU) pinned Brent Poynter, at 5:38
174 – Nick Kozar (DU) pinned Jeff Cote, at 4:54
184 – Justin Terhune (DU) won by forfeit

Team Results
1. North Carolina State 3-0
1. Ohio 3-0
3. Drexel 2-1
4. South Dakota State 1-2
5. Campbell 0-3
5. Gardner-Webb 0-3

Friday, January 5, 2006
Contact: Matt Marek

Camel Grapplers Head Back To Raleigh for NC State Duals

BUIES CREEK, NC – The Campbell wrestling squad takes to the mat for the first time in 2007 in Raleigh tomorrow, as the Camels will take part in the North Carolina State Duals. The Camels are scheduled to wrestle three duals against South Dakota State, Ohio University. and CAA opponent Drexel.
The dual action is the first since December 14^th when UNC Greensboro defeated the Camels 37-12 in Greensboro. The Camels dual record sits at only 1-3, but the Camels will not wrestle in a tournament format until the CAA Championships in March.
The Camels first taste of CAA action will come in the last match of the day against Drexel. The Dragons currently are 5-5 on the season with a 2-0 mark in the CAA. Campbell has struggled against Drexel, dropping four meetings with the Dragons. Ryan Hluschak, ranked 13^th in the nation at 157 lbs., leads Drexel with an 11-0 record on the year. Steve Mytych holds a solid 11-3 record at 125 lbs. and Jon Oplinger has also had a solid season, posting an 11-4 record at 197 lbs.
The first match of the day pits CU against South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits and Camels meet for the first time in the two schools' history, as SDSU is in their third year of Division I competition. Heavyweight Jason Stripling leads the Jacks with a 10-2 mark on the season. Tyler Sorenson's 10-4 record at 197 lbs. has given SDSU a boost this year as well.
Another first time opponent, Ohio comes into the duals with an 8-3 record. Jacob Ison leads the Bobcats in wins at 165 lbs. with an 18-8 record while Antione Love is not far behind with a 13-4 record at 174 lbs. The Bobcats are the surprise of the MAC thus far this season, as they were picked fifth out the six schools with wrestling in the preseason poll.
Other teams taking place in the dual are host North Carolina State and Gardner-Webb. Action on three mats is scheduled to begin at 12:00 on Saturday with duals to follow at approximately 2:00 and 4:00.

Friday, December 29, 2006
Contact: Matt Marek

Campbell Finishes Day One of Southern Scuffle in 27^th Place

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Steve Wiktorek, Kelin Bidelspach and Jeremiah Fennell all recorded two victories for the Camels on Friday, who finished day one of the Southern Scuffle Tournament at the Greensoboro Coliseum 27^th out of 32 teams with 12 points.
Minnesota sits in first place with 59.5 points after sending seven wrestlers to tomorrow's championship quarterfinals. Edinboro sits in second (53.5), followed by Cornell (52), Missouri (50.5) and Cal-State Bakersfield (42.5) to round out the top five.
Jeremiah Fennell advanced the farthest of any Camel wrestler, winning his first round match by a 13-3 major decision over Duke's Mike Tunic. Fennell fell to Navy's Ed Prendergast in the second round to send Campbell's lone wrestler out of the championship bracket. He won his next match, before being knocked out of the tournament by The Citadel's John Buck.
Steve Wiktorek tied Fennell for the team lead in pins with four by earning two on the day. After losing his first match, Wiktorek rebounded by pining Jake Forestiere of North Carolina and David Pelsang of Gardner-Webb, before bowing out to Brad Murri of Boise State.
Kelin Bidelspach was the third Camel to earn multiple victories on the day. He, like Wiktorek, lost his first match before pinning Philip Wightman of Duke and earning a decision over UNC-Greensboro's Ben Wilmore. Bidelspach ended the day falling to Kent State's Drew Lashaway by fall.
The Camels cannot move up in the team standings and will not be in action tomorrow, as no Campbell wrestler advanced to day two action. Campbell travels to Raleigh for the North Carolina State duals next Saturday. Action is set to start at 12:00.

Thursday, December 14, 2006
Contact: Matt Marek

Campbell Drops Dual Match at UNC Greensboro 37-12

GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro recorded four fall victories as the Spartans topped Campbell 37-12 in a wrestling dual match Thursday at Fleming Gymnasium.

With the victory, Jason Loukides picked up his first dual win as UNCG's head coach.

Junior Jeff Hedges put the Spartans (1-0) out in front 6-0 after the first match by recording a fall victory over Richard Apolinar in 5:19 in the 125 lb. weight class. Campbell followed with a 9-6 win in the 133 lbs. weight class as David Wise scored a 9-6 decision over Mitchell Johnson.

However, junior Chris Bencivenga, who is ranked 20th this week in the 141 lbs. weight class, picked up another fall victory for the Spartans by pinning Caleb Lesnoff in 1:55. Senior Andrew Krieger recorded a 9-1 major decision victory over Chris Mazzatta at 149.

Campbell claimed the next two matches, as Steve Wiktorek pinned Nathan Berryman in 3:58 at 157 and Brent Poynter notched a 6-2 victory at 165. However, the Spartans bounced back with a victory by fall at 174 and a forfeit win at 814 to secure the dual match.

The Camels return to action Dec. 29-30 in the Southern Scuffle hosted by UNCG at the Greensboro Coliseum. The tournament will feature six nationally-ranked teams as well as 67 ranked individuals.

UNCG 37, Campbell 12

125 – Jeff Hedges (UNCG) def. Richard Apolinar (Campbell) by fall, 4:19

133 – David Wise (Campbell) def. Mitchell Johnson (UNCG) by decision, 9-6

141 – Chris Bencivenga (UNCG) def. Caleb Lesnoff (Campbell) by fall, 1:55

149 – Andrew Krieger (UNCG) def. Chris Mazzatta (Campbell) by major decision, 10-1

157 – Steve Wiktorek (Campbell) def. Nathan Berryman (UNCG) by fall, 3:58

165 – Brent Poynter (Campbell) def. Mark Ring (UNCG) by decision, 6-2

174 – Craig McIntosh (UNCG) def. Dillon Landi (Campbell) by fall, 5:33

184 – Joe Lowe (UNCG) wins by forfeit

197 – Nick Clark (UNCG) def. Rob Yoder (Campbell) by fall, 0:23

285 – Joe Sheffield (UNCG) def. Jeremiah Fennell (Campbell) by decision, 6-1

November 29, 2006
Contact: Matt Marek

Campbell Pulls Out Thrilling, 24-21 Victory Over Belmont Abbey

BELMONT, N.C.- With the Camels trailing by three going into the last match of the dual, Steve Wiktorek came through in the clutch, winning his second match of the year to give Campbell a 24-21 victory over Belmont Abbey in wrestling action Wednesday night.
With Campbell needing at least a decision victory to tie the match, Wiktorek left no doubt by pinning Justin Bates just over two minutes into the first period. The win gave Wiktorek his first pin of the year, while giving the Camels their first dual victory on the season.
The dual started out shaky for the Camels, as they dropped three of the first four matches, falling behind 15-3. Jeremiah Fennell got things rolling for the Camels as he posted his fourth victory on the season by pinning Chris Schram to bring the score to 15-9.
After a Crusader decision victory, David Wise provided a much-needed boost to the Camel squad. Trailing 3-2 in third period, Wise recorded a two-point takedown with three seconds left in the match to give him a dramatic, 4-3 victory.
Kelin Bidelspach kept the momentum on CU's side with his fourth victory of the year, pinning Patrick McCabe at 6:36 of the third period to tie the match at 18-all.Chris Mazzatta lost to Appolon Jean-Paul by a score of 8-3 to set up Wiktorek's late-dual heroics.
Campbell is off for finals until December 14 when they travel to Greensboro to take on the Spartans of UNC-Greensboro. Start time for the dual is set for 2:00.

Results
Campbell 24, Belmont Abbey 21
125: Chris Neidermeier (BAC) dec. Richie Apolinar (BAC) 15-9
133: David Wise (CU) dec. Reimark Neidermeier (BAC) 4-3
141: Kelin Bidelspach (CU) fall 6:36 Patrick McCabe (BAC)
149: Appolon Jean-Paul (BAC) dec. Chris Mazzatta (CU) 8-3
157: Steve Wiktorek (CU) fall 2:11 Justin Bates (BAC)
165: Brent Poynter (CU) dec. Philip Bliss (BAC) 7-6
174: David Hoggard (BAC) dec. Dillon Landi (CU) 10-8 (OT)
184: Will Cruz (BAC) forfeit
197: Tim Stanton (BAC) fall 1:59 Rob Yoder (CU)
HWT: Jeremiah Fennell (CU) fall Chris Schram (BAC)

Saturday, November 18, 2006
Contact: Matt Marek

Fennell Leads Campbell Grapplers to 10^th Place Finish at Navy Classic

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Jeremiah Fennell was the lone place winner for Campbell, finishing fifth in the heavyweight bracket, helping the Camels to a 10^th place finish at the Navy Classic Saturday afternoon.
Fennell opened the day by winning his first match by pin in 1:17 over McDaniel's Aaron Janowski. Fennell then proceeded to win his second straight match, taking a 5-2 decision over Rutgers' Mike D'Amico. Fennell then dropped his next two matches before taking the fifth place match, pinning McDaniel's Ryan Deiter at 4:59.
Several other Camels posted solid showings. Richie Apolinar (125 lbs.), David Wise (133 lbs.), Kelin Bidelspach (141 lbs.), Brent Poynter (165 lbs.) and Dillon Landi (174 lbs.) all earned three victories in the tournament.
Navy won the 13 team tournament with 148.5 team points. Fourteen Midshipmen put up place winning performances on the day. Bloomsburg finished a close second with 141.5 points placing 12 wrestlers on the afternoon.
Campbell will be off for 11 days until they travel to Belmont Abbey for a team dual on November 29. The non-conference match-up is set to start at 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Contact: Matt Marek

Landi Shines in College Debut as Camels Fall to N.C. State, Liberty in Season Openers

RALEIGH, N.C. – Freshman Dillon Landi earned two victories on the night as Campbell fell to North Carolina State 34-13 and 36-9 to Liberty in its season opening duals Wednesday night at Reynolds Coliseum.
N.C. State took control of the first dual early, winning the first four matches. Steve Wiktorek got the Camels on the scoreboard at 157 with an 8-4 victory over Kody Hamrah.
The highlight of the dual for the Camels came two matches later when Landi, a Long Valley, N.J. native, recorded his first collegiate victory. The freshman scored a 13-5 major decision victory over Cameron Reeves at 174.
Two other Camels saw their first collegiate action in the match, as Redshirt freshman Chris Mazzatta was pinned at 149 while true freshman David Wise lost by major decision at 133.
Kyle Higgins rounded out the scoring for the Camels at 184, receiving a forfeit victory. That brought CU to within 10 points, but the Pack took the next two matches, providing the final 34-13 margin.
The second match proved to be another rough outing for the Camels. Liberty jumped out to an early 9-0 lead before redshirt freshman Kelin Bidelspach shut out Liberty's Dustin Hicks 4-0 at 141 to pull CU within six at 9-3.
Liberty stormed back to win the next three matches before Landi halted the Flame's streak by winning his second match of the night. Landi's victory came in convincing fashion, pinning Liberty's Si-Young Son 55 seconds into the matching, bringing the score to 21-9. That was as close as the Camels would get as Liberty pulled away by taking the next three matches, winning by a score of 36-9.
Campbell's next action takes place one week from Saturday, when the Camels head to Annapolis, Md. for the Navy Classic Tournament. Start time is scheduled for 9:00 a.m.

Results
North Carolina State 34, Campbell 13
125 – Taylor Cummings (NCS) major dec. Richie Apolinar, 14-3 (4-0)
133 – Garrett Cummings (NCS) major dec. David Wise, 14-5 (8-0)
141 – Darrion Caldwell (NCS) pinned Kelin Bidelspach, at 0:13 (14-0)
149 – Joe Caramanica (NCS) pinned Chris Mazatta, at 2:03 (20-0)
157 – Steve Witorek (CU) dec. Kody Hamrah, 8-4 (20-3)
165 – Obie Simpson (NCS) dec. Brent Poynter, 11-7 (23-3)
174 – Dillon Landi (CU) major dec. Cameron Reeves, 13-5 (23-7)
184 – Kyle Higgins (CU) won by forfeit (23-13)
197 – Mark Jahad (NCS) tech fall Rob Yoder, 21-4 at 6:54 (28-13)
Hwt – Jainor Palma (NCS) pinned Jeremiah Fennell, at 2:52 (34-13)

Liberty 36, Campbell 9

125 – Sean Katz (LU) pinned Richie Apolinar, at 4:21 (6-0)

133 – Zach McCray (LU) dec. Caleb Lesnoff, 4-0 (9-0)

141 – Kelin Bidelspach (CU) dec. Dustin Hicks, 19-12 (9-3)

149 – Aaron Kelley (LU) dec. Chris Mazzatta, 6-2 (12-3)

157 – Shaun Smith (LU) dec. Steve Wiktorek, 4-3 (15-3)

165 – Chad Porter (LU) pinned Brent Poynter, at 4:03 (21-3)

174 – Dillon Landi (CU) pinned Si-Young Son, at 0:55 (21-9)

184 – John Campbell (LU) dec. Kyle Higgins, 11-6 (24-9)

197 – Roy Bosek (LU) pinned Rob Yoder, at 3:42 (30-9)

Hwt – Patrick Walker (LU) pinned Jeremiah Fennell, at 3:17 (36-9)

Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Contact: Matt Marek

CampbellGrapplers Ranked Ninth in CAA Pre-Season Coaches Rankings; Fennell Fourth

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Campbell University wrestling team was recently ranked ninth and Jeremiah Fennell was ranked fourth among heavyweights in the Colonial Athletic Association in a poll of the league's coaches.
Campbell garnered three votes, finishing ahead of Wagner and James Madison. Rider was the first place selection with 45 points and 10 wrestlers ranked in the league's dual rankings. Hofstra, the defending CAA champion, was not far behind Rider finishing in second place, three points behind the Broncs.
Fennell, a sophomore from Sandusky, Ohio, finished 19-21 last season with a team-leading seven pins. Fennell had the second most CAA victories for the CU with four and was the only Campbell wrestler to win a match at the CAA championships last year. Ahead of Fennell in the heavyweight division is top ranked Payam Zarrinpour of Sacred Heart, who is the seventh ranked heavyweight in the country.
Last season, Campbell more than doubled its win total from the 2004-05 campaign, finishing with a 5-14 overall record and a 2-6 CAA mark. Fennell, Richie Apolinar, Brent Poynter and Steve Wiktorek all return from double digit victory totals last year, looking to improve on the five-win team mark from last year.
Campbell opens its season tonight at North Carolina State, squaring off against the Wolfpack and Liberty. The first dual is scheduled for 6:00.

CAA Pre-Season Rankings

Team Points Ind. Ranked InterMat National Rank
1. Rider 45 10 11th
2. Hofstra 42 8
3. Drexel 34 9
4. George Mason 27 9
5. Old Dominion 25 8
6. Sacred Heart 17 6
7. Boston U. 10 6
8. Binghampton 7 2
9. Campbell 3 1
10. Wagner 1 0
11. James Madison 0 0

CAA Heavyweight Rankings
Name School InterMat National Rank
1. Payam Zarrinpour Sacred Heart 8th
2. Chris Cowen Drexel
3. Tyler Rees Rider
4. Jeremiah Fennell Campbell
5. Ryan Kittrick George Mason
6. Orey Hall Boston U.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Contact: Matt Marek

Campbell Wrestling to Open 2006-07 Slate Against N.C. State, Liberty

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The '06-07 edition of Campbell wrestling begins its season Wednesday night at 6:00 in Raleigh against ACC-foe North Carolina State and Big South newcomer Liberty.
10 newcomers and 15 returnees will fight to help Campbell improve upon 2005-06 season in which it went 5-14 overall and 2-6 in the CAA en route to an 11^th place finish in the CAA Championships. The youthful Camels will be tested this year, as a combined 21 freshman and sophomores will occupy roster slots for CU.
The Camels return four grapplers with double-digit wins in Richie Apolinar, Jeremiah Fennell, Brent Poynter, and Steve Wiktorek. Fennell was the only member of the squad to win a match at the CAA Championships, while Poynter led the team with 21 wins and earned the team MVP award.
North Carolina State prevailed in last year's match against the Camels by a score of 36-15 in Raleigh. Brent Poynter earned a two-point decision and Steve Wiktorek recorded a pin in the dual. The Wolfpack currently own a 14-0 mark over the Camels in the all-time series.
North Carolina State had a successful ACC Championship run last season as Ryan Goodman won the 197 lbs. championship, on his way to earning the tourney's Most Outstanding Wrestler award. Two other State wrestlers scored individual titles en route to a second place finish for the Wolfpack.
CU will square off with Liberty for the first time since the 1994-95 season when the Camels blanked the Flames 60-0. Despite the defeat, Liberty still owns the lead in the all-time series owning a 6-2 record over the Camels.
This season is the first since the '94-95 season that Liberty has fielded a wrestling program. In the 20 years that Liberty sponsored wrestling leading up to the hiatus, the Flames went 180-101-6 with 42 athletes earning All-American recognition at various levels. Liberty opened up its first season back on the mats in impressive fashion, winning two duals over James Madison and Anderson, before being dropped by Virginia Tech at in Blacksburg, Va. on Sunday.

Monday, October 9, 2006
Contact: Matt Marek

Campbell Wrestling Releases 2006-2007 Schedule

BUIES CREEK, N.C. - A home clash against in-state rival Gardner-Webb, duals vs. two ACC opponents and a four match home stand in late January and early February highlight the Campbell University wrestling schedule for the 2006-2007 season.
The Camel grapplers spend the first two months of the season on the road, opening on November 8 in Raleigh against North Carolina State, Newberry and Liberty, before their first home match against Gardner-Webb on January 30.
The schedule features matches versus in-state rivals UNC Greensboro, Davidson, Appalachian State and Belmont Abbey and matches versus Atlantic Coast Conference foes N.C. State and Duke.
After the season opener the Camels travel to Annapolis, Md. for the Navy Classic Tournament on Saturday, November 18. Sophomore Jeremiah Fennell and Redshirt freshman Kelin Bidelspach both placed fourth in the Classic last year while Sophomore Kyle Higgins placed sixth.
The Camels will stay in the state for the remainder of 2006, traveling to Belmont Abbey and UNC Greensboro for dual matches before heading back to Greensboro for the Southern Scuffle Tournament December 29-30.
The Camels start 2007 by heading back to Raleigh to compete in the N.C. State Duals on January 6 before traveling to Washington D.C. for a triangular with an American University squad that placed 17^th in the NCAA Championships last year, and Delaware State.
The weekend of Jan. 19-20 proves to be a big one for Campbell, as they travel to Fairfax, Va. for the important CAA conference Duals. The Camels then come back to North Carolina to face Duke for a date in Durham on January 25.
Carter Gymnasium will be the destination for the next four CU matches, as the Camels entertain Gardner-Webb, CAA opponent George Mason, Apprentice and Davidson in their only home dates of the season.
The Camels will make trips to Duquesne, James Madison and Appalachian State from February 16-20 before getting ready for the CAA Championships in Fairfax, Va. March 2 and 3.

For the complete 2006-2007 wrestling schedule click here.

Monday, July 31, 2006

Contact: Stan Cole

Pennsylvania Standout Derek Mahaffey Signs With Campbell Wrestling

BUIES CREEK, N.C. -- Head coach Billy Greene has announced the addition of Derek Mahaffey to the Fighting Camel wrestling program for the 2006-07 season. A native of Waynesboro, Pa., Mahaffey signed a national letter of intent to compete for the Camels.

"I am pleased to announce that Derek Mahaffey has made the commitment to join the Campbell University wrestling squad," said Greene. "During the recruiting process, I was impressed with Derek's solid character and ideals, as well as his desire to excel in collegiate wrestling."

Mahaffey, a five-time member of the Pa. National All-Star wrestling team, comes to Campbell after spending his junior and senior years competing in the 275-pound division at Wyoming Seminary College Prep in Kingston, Pa. Over these two years he compiled a 71-19 record with 59 pins.

His school-record 38 pins in the 2005-06 season also ranked first among high-school wrestlers in the state of Pennsylvania. Mahaffey's impressive senior year record of 45-9 earned him spots in the 2006 Prep Nationals and the Pa. Independent Schools Wrestling Championships, where he placed seventh and second respectively in the 275 pound weight class.

In 2006, Mahaffey won the Mount Mat Madness III championship, as well as the Saint Albans Invitational Tournament championship, both in the 275 pound weight division.

"Derek provides needed depth and competitiveness to our program's upper weight classes," commented Greene. "I envision his presence in the wrestling room as having a positive effect on the workout partners around him."

In his junior year, Mahaffey recorded a 26-10 record and placed third at the 2005 Pa. Independent Schools Wrestling Championships.

Prior to his seasons at Wyoming Seminary, Mahaffey attended Waynesboro High School in Waynesboro, Pa., where he compiled a 42-31 record with 25 falls.

Mahaffey graduated high school with 12 varsity letters -- four each in football, wrestling, and track and field. He plans a double major in religion and biology.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Jason Cook Named to Colonial Athletic Association All-Freshman Team

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – Jason Cook was selected to the Colonial Athletic Associations All-Freshman team, the league office announced on Thursday. Cook was chosen the best freshman wrestler in the conference at the 197-pound division.
The freshman from New Carlisle, Ohio, finished with a record of 22-15. He was 13-6 in dual matches and 6-4 against opponents from the CAA. Cook went a perfect 5-0 at the CAA Duals hosted by George Mason.
Cook placed in the first three tournaments of the year. He finished third at the Caroina Open, fourth at the Navy Open and fifth in his first collegiate competition at the UNC Pemrboke Classic.
Cook becomes the first Campbell wrestler named to the Colonial Athletic Association All-Freshman team. The Camels finished the season 5-14 and 2-6 in the CAA. Both are improvements over the previous season. The Camels lost just one senior to graduation and will return the nucleus of last season's team.

CAA All-Freshman Team
Steve Mytych of Drexel University at 125 - CAA Rookie of the Year
Ryan Williams of Old Dominion at 133
Greg Jensen of Drexel at 141
Mike Kessler of Rider at 149
Chris Wade of Binghamton at 157
Tyler Tisdell of George Mason at 165
Doug Umbehauer of Rider at 174
David Mendoza of Old Dominion at 184
Jason Cook of Campbell at 197
Jim Connors of Boston U. at heavyweight.

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Campbell Wrestling Signs a Pair of Freshman for Upcoming Season

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – David Wise and Dillon Landi have signed national letters of intent to compete as part of the Campbell wrestling team next season, coach Billy Greene announced Wednesday. Both wrestlers are true freshmen and will depth to a Campbell roster that graduated just one senior last season.
"I am excited that David and Dillon will be joining the Campbell wrestling team next season," said coach Greene. "I am confident that both young men will make a positive contributions at their respective weight classes."
Landi is four-time state qualifier from New Jersey, who placed fourth as a senior in the New Jersey State Championship meet. In four years at West Morris Central he compiled a record of 118-15 with 77 pins in a state that is known for competitive high school wrestling.
During his high school career Landi wrestled at the 160, 171 and 189 pound divisions. In his senior season at 171 he won his fourth consecutive district championship and earned Most Outstanding Wrestler honors after winning the region meet. He finished the season 40-3 with 22 wins by pin and placed fourth in the state of New Jersey. His 40 wins were a new school record at West Morris Central, as were his 118 career wins.
"Dillon is a stand-out wrestler with an intense and focused competitive style," said Greene. "His accomplishments as a high school wrestler indicate his potential for continued success at the collegiate level. Dillon's presence in practice and in competition will immediately benefit our wrestling program."
Landi is receiving the Scott Ellis Scholarship at Campbell. The scholarship is awarded to students based on academic performance in high school. Landi attended the same high school as Campbell soccer player Ashley Naylor.
Wise joins the Campbell team from Tabb High School in Yorktown, Va. Wise split his time in high school between Idaho and Virginia, but was able to place in the state tournament in all four of his years in high school. He twice finished third in the state of Idaho, while at Mountain Home HS. He then moved to Virginia and wrestled two years at the 125 pound division.
As a senior he finished 40-7 and was ranked 28^th in the nation by USA Wrestling Magazine. He finished as the 125 pound state champion in the state of Virginia. He also earned a regional title and was the most outstanding wrestler in two dual tournaments and was Peninsula Wrestler of the Year. He finished his career 167-12 and never lost in dual-meet competition.
"David is a scrappy and technically sound wrestler, who achieved a great deal of success during his high school wrestling career," said Greene. "David brings a strong work ethic and a focused desire to excel at the next level to our wrestling program."
While at a junior at Tabb, Wise was named most outstanding wrestler as his team finished third at the Virginia Duals. That same year he wrestled 125 and helped his school to a region championship and a seventh place finish at the state tournament.
The duo joins a Campbell team that last season more than doubled its win total from the previous season. Coach Greene's squad had two wrestler's rank in the top-6 in their respective weight class in the Colonial Athletic Association. The wrestling program will begin its 29^th season in November.

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Campbell Wrestling Season Comes to a Close on Final Day of the CAA Tournament

PHILADELPHIA – Jermiah Fennell and Jason Cook both fell in their first matches on day two of the Colonial Athletic Association Championship Tournament, hosted by Drexel University. The Camels finished the tournament in 11th place with 0.5 points, while Hofstra won the event with a total of 125 points.
Jeremiah Fennell who went 1-1 on the first day of competition fell to James Connors from Boston University 8-4 in the consolation semi-final on Saturday. Fennell finishes the season with a record of 19-21 and was ranked as high as No. 6 in the Colonial Athletic Association's heavyweight division.
Jason Cook's day also came to a close on Saturday. The freshman dropped a 10-5 decision to Sacred Heart's Kevin Fox. Cook finished the season with a 22-15 record and was 13-6 in dual meet matches.
The Campbell wrestling team showed improvement this season. They more than doubled the win total from the previous season and managed to be improve their CAA win total with a team comprised mainly of freshman and sophomores.
In the 28th season of competition, the Camels finished 5-14 overall and 2-6 in the CAA.

>> Complete CAA Championship Results