With a previous record of 2-6 overall and 1-1 in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) heading into the new year, the Pride returns to the mat for the first time since the Journeymen Collegiate Wrestling Duals in Niceville, Florida, on December 20-21, where they faced #8 Virginia Tech, #6 Arizona State and #22 Northern Iowa.
The Hofstra wrestling team hosted its first matchup of the year with a 21-15 loss to visiting Bucknell University Saturday afternoon, Jan. 8, inside the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.
“There were some matches where we were heavily favored, and we scored zero bonus points in any of them, which is crazy,” Hofstra head coach Dennis Papadatos. Despite several losses, Justin Hoyle, Ricky Stamm, Charles Small, Trey Rogers and Zachary Knighton-Ward picked up wins for the Pride.
Hofstra fell short early with defeats at 125 and 133 pounds. With the score being tied 1-1 at the end of the third period, freshman Jacob Moon headed into a sudden victory where opponent Brandon Seidman was able to get the takedown right at the buzzer, making the final score 3-1. Freshman Ty Cymmerman, competing at 133 pounds, was defeated by just two points.
Hoyle gained a hard-fought 8-6 decision victory against Noah Levett. Following the win, the Bison won by pin at 149 pounds and by decision at 157 pounds making the score 15-3. Stamm won his seventh match of the season at 165 pounds, defeating Matt Kidwell by a 7-3 decision.
At 174 pounds, Ross McFarland started strong with significant momentum and an early takedown in the first against Bucknell’s, Sam Barnes. Unfortunately, McFarland was unable to continue due to a medical forfeit. The Bison led with a 21-6 advantage, but the Pride won the remaining three bouts by decision.
Rogers reached a career milestone by winning his 50th career match, joining Ricky Stamm as the only active Hofstra wrestler with 50 or more career victories.
Knighton-Ward landed his 10th win of the season with a decision victory over Luke Niemeyer. Knighton-Ward has won at least ten matches in a season three times, including his redshirt season in 2018-19.
Hofstra’s all-time record versus Bucknell is 5-20. Sunday’s dual was the first time the two programs had met since January 2019 and only the fourth time Hofstra and Bucknell had competed in a dual against each other since 2000.
“I can’t believe how everything that can’t be going wrong for us has,” Papadatos said. Following Saturday’s matchup, Hofstra falls to 2-7 overall and 1-2 in the EIWA. Bucknell advanced to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play with a 29-10 victory over Long Island University earlier that afternoon.
On Saturday, Jan. 15, The Pride will host the University at Buffalo in non-conference action before hosting the U.S. Naval Academy in EIWA competition on Sunday, Jan. 16.
Photo courtesy of Evan Bernstein/Hofstra Athletice
