The Shippensburg University wrestling program enters the season as the eighth-ranked team in the East region and the No. 20 in the nation. The Raiders are ready to hit the mats at full speed and produce a strong season and place several wrestlers back at the national championships.
Shippensburg is one of only two PSAC Division II programs represented in the pre-season team rankings and returns 13 student-athletes to the mat. After a strong finish last season in which the Red Raiders finished 15th in the country, Shippensburg is priming for another standout year with a young but experienced lineup.
The Raiders have several candidates who could vie for a national qualifying berth. Last season, Shippensburg had three wrestlers qualify for nationals, bringing head coach Don Tabar’s eight-year total to 24. Additionally, Shippensburg had a national runner-up, three East region semifinalists and the school’s first PSAC champion since 1978.
More importantly, Tabar and assistant coach Seth Bloomquist firmly believe that the balance of this year’s team may be its greatest asset. “We have the best dual meet team that I think I’ve ever had,” Tabar said this preseason. “We’ve got a well-balanced lineup and a great mix of veterans and youth.”
While the roster features 12 freshmen, Shippensburg possesses key veterans at several important weight classes that will combine with the newcomers for a durable group of wrestlers. The competition for the starting spots will be intense, but with the level of talent possessed by the wrestlers, the results will make for a strong group of Raider grapplers that will hit the mats this season.
125 pounds
Freshman
Colton McFatridge leads the crop of talented wrestlers at 125 pounds. McFatridge was a state champion as a senior in Delaware and is expected to have a strong debut season for the Raiders. Red-shirt freshman
Bryce Marshall returns from surgery and will vie for dual meet competition in his first healthy season with the team.
Fellow freshman
Justin Morris is also expected to see some competition at 125 pounds this year and will battle for the starting spot along with fellow freshman
Dave Calambas. The four freshmen at this weight class will all be competing to earn the call at 125 during the dual meets this season.
133 pounds
After debuting at 125 pounds in his freshman season, sophomore
Gary Atiyeh made the switch to 133 and finished sixth at the PSAC Championships. He earned four victories in dual meets and will look for a breakout performance this season. Red-shirt junior
Andrew Jones is in his fourth year with the team and will also get quite a bit of wrestling in this season. Jones secured ten victories and a fourth-place finish at the “Shorty Hitchcock” Classic last season.
141 pounds
Freshmen
Tom Wiechelt and
James Reilley will be battling for time at 141 pounds this year. Wiechelt was a solid competitor in the Mid-Penn Conference last season and also ran cross country, while Reilley was a second-place finisher in the 1a-2a Maryland wrestling tournament last season.
149 pounds
Red-shirt freshman Joey
Joey Anceravage is expected to have a breakout season at 149 pounds this season. Armed with loads of talent, Anceravage debuted last season with two falls, a major decision and six victories in tournament competition and is ready to shoulder the load at 149 pounds.
157 pounds
Freshman
Nicholas Browne is a talented newcomer from Laurel Highlands who leads the group of competitors at 157 pounds. Fellow newcomer
Clark Barlow finished with a 103-43 record in Delaware high school competition is expected to compete for dual meet slots this season. Red-shirt sophomore
David Sunderland, a Raider veteran with 18 wins under his belt, is expected to return in the second semester.
165 pounds
The team’s lone senior,
Jake Wilson is fresh off an appearance at the national championships last season and ranked third in the East regional rankings to start the season. Wilson finished with 14 victories and bumped up a weight class during the season but has solidified his grasp on the 165-pound spot. Red-shirt sophomore
Zach Hogentogler has accrued some solid experience with the Raiders and will vie for time along with freshman
Tyler Zittle , a PIAA state qualifier last year.
174 pounds
Red-shirt sophomore
Chris Barrick broke through in a big way last season, posting a 28-7 record with nine falls, five technical falls and seven major decisions. He is ranked third in the East Region to start the season is ready for a strong sophomore season with the Raiders. Among the competitors battling for tournament victories this season are red-shirt sophomore
Nathan Reese and sophomore
Brian Hindle.
184 pounds
Shippensburg’s mainstay at 184 will be red-shirt junior
Jon Hade, who in his first full season with the Raiders last year finished a 21-13 record that included a fall and three major decisions. Hade also earned seven victories in dual meets and enters the season ranked No. 6 in the East regional rankings.
197 pounds
Two talented freshmen will be jockeying for the premium spot at 197 pounds.
Taylor Knight , an Iowa native, was a three-time state qualifier and finished as high as fifth in his high school career, while
Kasey Lyon compiled 99 wins and finished third at states as a senior. Both competitors possess a wealth of talent and will be mainstays for the Shippensburg program.
285 pounds
Sophomore
Brandon Miller is expected to solidify the heavyweight position this season. Miller gained some experience as a freshman last year but is expected to make a solid contribution this season after a high school campaign in which he finished fifth at the PIAA state championships.
