By By Tim Robertson
The most successful Pride team will enter another season this week.
Coach Tom Ryan and the Pride wrestling squad, which is are ranked 18th in the preseason USA Today/National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) poll, will hit the mats this week against the U.S. Military Academy in West Point before returning home Thursday to battle with the Beavers of Oregon State
The Pride has eight NCAA qualifiers back from last season’s team that went 13-5 overall in dual meets with a perfect 6-0 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) conference record. These eight make up what Ryan called the, “great nucleus of returning student-athletes.” Joining the veteran wrestlers is the “seventh best recruiting class in the nation,” Ryan said.
Among those eight returning is Jon Masa, a two-time returning All-American ranked second in the nation, and who Ryan says “is an incredible talent.” The 149-pound senior compiled a 9-7 overall dual match record and is ranked first among all other 149-pound wrestlers in the CAA.
Ryan also believes that his team is now better suited to compete with the perennial powerhouses. “The University has decided to fully-fund the wrestling program. We are now on par financially with the nation’s premier programs that we have beaten with less money. This is a great time for Hofstra wrestling. I believe our best days are ahead of us.”
Joining Masa is Dave Tomasette, who Ryan lists as his preseason surprise wrestler, because he “seems to understand the level of commitment required [to be successful].”
Tomasette, a sophomore wrestling in the 125-pound class, finished last year with a 10-8 overall dual match record and an impressive 5-1 record in CAA dual matches. He is also ranked first in his weight class among CAA wrestlers entering the 2005-06 season.
The Pride has four more wrestlers atop their weight classes in the CAA. Either Charles Griffin or Ricky LaForge will wrestle in the 133 class. James Strouse, who went 4-1 in CAA duals is atop the 157 division. Mike Patrovich along with Joe Rovelli of the 165 and 184 weight divisions, respectively, round out the top wrestlers in the conference for the Pride, which is predicted to win its fifth straight CAA title.
Major parts of that seventh- ranked recruiting class are Mitch Smith, Alton Lucas and Mike Pucillo. All three rookies made the preseason CAA All-Freshman team, but with strong veterans ahead of them, they could be fighting for spots within their weight classes.
The Pride will need these talented freshmen along with the highly touted teammates if the team wishes to continue its success under Ryan, who has a 98-74-1 record in 10 seasons, and extend its 41 CAA dual match win-streak.
The Pride undoubtedly faces another difficult schedule with national powerhouses like four-time defending national champion Oklahoma State University, which also holds down the top position in the NWCA preseason poll.
The Pride will also head to Cornell University, who is ranked ninth. No. 8 Lehigh University, the No. 4 University of Michigan and the No. 25 University of Pennsylvania will all wrestle against the Pride. The Pride recognizes the difficulty of its schedule, but realizes what is really important.
“We focus on us. Keeping the focus on our needs will give us the best chance of success,” Ryan said.
Ryan believes that although the Pride faces strong opponents, “we were among the top 10 dual meet teams last year and I would expect the same this year. However, what we guarantee is a team that will be in great shape and compete hard.” The Pride landed as high as sixth in the NWCA poll last season.
Many good things happened to last year’s team that Ryan and his wrestlers will bring into the new season. “We earned a team win over No. 2 Lehigh at the time, Jon Masa earned All-American honors and we won our fifth consecutive conference tournament with seven champions [out of nine wrestlers],” Ryan said.
The Pride also placed 17th in the NCAA championships last March.
The disappointments last year included two loses in the All-American round of the NCAA tournament
“Those were hard to swallow,” Ryan said. “I have learned though that we grow the most from the things that challenge us the most.”
This season’s team has a lot to live up to in comparison to last season. “Last year was a very good team with some tremendous dual wins. I think this team can be good as well. We will do everything we can to achieve at the national level,” Ryan said.
Senior Ryan Patrovich is top-ranked 149-lb wrestler in the Colonial Athletic Association. (Photo Courtesy Athletic Dept.)
