WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College wrestling program will open its 2023-24 season Wednesday evening when the University of Pitt-Bradford and Wheeling University visit Salvitti Family Gymnasium. 

The competition will serve as the lid-lifter and the start of a four-plus month journey towards the NCAA Championships in mid-March. The NCAA Championships will be held March 15-16 at the La Crosse Center in Wisconsin. The event will be hosted by Wisconsin-La Crosse. 

2022-23 Season Review: The Presidents, who earned a share of the Presidents' Athletic Conference title last winter, will look for more success this season under second-year head coach Sonnie Blanco. The 2017 W&J graduate helped the Presidents to its seventh PAC title in program history as he earned Coach of the Year honors. 

Blanco credits the team members for their willingness to buy into the new coaching staff so quickly as the team headed into the season. 

"The coaching staff is definitely doing the right things," Blanco said. "Coach Nick Daza, Coach Jeff Breese and I were able to quickly establish an impacting culture that our guys bought into. Coach Breese was especially helpful considering he has been involved in the program for years."

The Presidents captured four individual titles at the annual PAC Championships. Leading the way was Bryce Rodriguez-Uram (Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton), who captured the 141-pound title with a sudden victory (6-4) over Thiel's Jake Alberts en route to also being selected 2022-23 PAC Newcomer of the Year. 

Hunter Swedish (Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley) posted three victories to earn his first PAC individual title at 133 pounds. Swedish won by fall over Thiel's Hunter Crouse in the quarterfinals. Swedish then matched up with Waynesburg's Harley Constable. Swedish avenged an early-season loss to Constable in a big way with a major decision victory by a 10-2 score to advance to the finals. Swedish picked up another win by major decision, as he topped Christian Michaels of Waynesburg by a 15-2 margin. 

Logan Marko capped his W&J career by earning his first conference title by posting a pair of wins by fall at 165 pounds. The first fall came in 3:58 in the semifinals before he secured the title by fall in 10 seconds. Marko also represented W&J on the PAC Sportsmanship Team. 

Jacob Duncan (South Park, Pa./Ringgold) put together a perfect 2-0 record at 197 pounds to claim the title. Duncan won both matches by fall to earn his first individual title.

The season ended in late February at the NCAA Division III Southeast Regional hosted by York College of Pa. W&J did not advance any wrestlers through to Saturday at regionals. Six Presidents earned at least one win at regionals.
 
2023-24 PAC Wrestling Preseason Poll
School (first-place votes)           Points   2022-23 dual meet record (PAC); PAC Championships finish
1. W&J College (4)                    19        3-7 (1-1); T1st (3), 105.5 pts. 
2. Thiel College (2)                    16        9-2 (2-0); T1st (3), 105.5 pts.
3T. Saint Vincent College (1)      14        First season as a varsity program
3T. Waynesburg University        14        0-13 (0-2); 3rd (3), 38 pts.
 
2023-24 PAC Wrestlers To Watch – W&J
Name                           Yr.        Wt.                   Hometown/High School
Christian McChesney     Fr.        197                  Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem
William Mitchell            Fr.        174                  Baltimore, Md./Kiski Prep
Bryce Rodriguez-Uram  So.       141                  Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton
Joshua Searle                Jr.         157                  Red Creek, N.Y./Red Creek Central
Hunter Swedish            Jr.         133                  Cranberry Township, Pa./Seneca Valley
 
Team Captain: Hunter Swedish

"Hunter Swedish is the team captain this year," Blanco stated. "I'm expecting him to continue to lead by example on the mat and off. I am excited to see his growth in leadership within the team this season."

Key Returners: 
Swedish finished with a team-high 23 wins last season. Swedish collected five wins by fall, four by tech. fall, five by major decision and eight by decision. The junior has compiled a 44-13 record over his first two seasons. Swedish captured the 133-pound title at the 2023 PAC Championships with a 15-2 major decision victory over Christian Michaels of Waynesburg. 

Rodriguez-Uram put together a strong debut season with the Presidents last season. Rodriguez-Uram posted a 16-7 overall record en route to 2022-23 PAC Newcomer of the Year honors. He won 10 times by fall as a freshman. Rodriguez-Uram was the champion at 141 pounds. He also earned PAC Newcomer of the Week honors five times in 2023-23.

"I want Hunter and Bryce to continue to have fun and accomplish their goals," Blanco said. "Nationals is the long-term goal for them both and my expectation for them. I would also like to see them both be Scholar All-Americans like they were last season too."

Trevor Manley (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) returns to the heavyweight spot after contributing 11 wins last season after joining the program following the football season. 

Joshua Searle (Red Creek, N.Y. / Red Creek Central) will look for more time at 157 pounds. Searle picked up nine wins last season. 
 
Newcomers: W&J welcomes 15 new wrestlers into the fold for 2023-24.

"Our freshmen class will play a major rule in our success this year," Blanco said. "The athletes I brought in are very hungry for success. You can expect a lot of freshmen to be starting on our roster this season."

Ethan Barr                    Jr.        165                  West Alexander, Pa. / McGuffey
Nicholas Blanchette      Fr.        133/141           Washington, Pa. / Washington               
Noah Byrum                 Fr.        165                  Laurel, Md. / Reservoir              
Peyton Carter               Fr.        149                  Front Royal, Va. / Skyline                       
Michael Cruz                 Fr.        125                  Malvern, Pa. / Great Valley                    
Brandon Dami               Fr.        125                  Canonsburg, Pa. / Canon-McMillan                    
Jiovanni DeChicchis       Fr.        157                  Venetia, Pa. / Peters Township              
Jaden Fields                  Fr.        184                  Worthington, Ohio / Thomas Worthington                     
Christian McChesney     Fr.        197                  Greensburg, Pa. / Greensburg-Salem                 
William Mitchell            Fr.        157/165           Baltimore, Md. / Kiski Prep                    
Isaiah Payne                 Fr.        285                  Greensburg, Pa. / Greensburg-Salem                 
Logan Smith                  Fr.        197                  Washington, Pa. / McGuffey                  
Taylor Smith                 Fr.        141/149           Mifflintown, Pa. / Juniata                      
Vontez Tyus                  Fr.        133/141           Chagrin Falls, Ohio / Maple Heights                    
Daniel Verscharen         Fr.        125                  Eighty Four, Pa. / Ringgold
 

Looking At The Schedule: W&J will host its annual W&J Invitational on Saturday, Nov. 11. The Presidents will also host six dual matches during the 2023-24 season.

"I am happy that Saint Vincent has added wrestling," Blanco said. "Their addition will help strengthen our conference and wrestling in our region. I am excited for the new competition as it motivates our team to face new competition."

W&J hosts Thiel (Jan. 10) and Saint Vincent (Jan. 17) in the new year. The Presidents will head to Waynesburg on Jan. 24. The PAC Championships return to Washington for the first time since 2019-20. The event will be held at Salvitti Gym on Friday, Feb. 16 at 5 p.m. 

"It is very exciting to host the PAC Championship," Blanco said. "To be in our own backyard is very special for the program and our guys."
 

The Final Word From Blanco: "Thank you to those who have helped move the program forward. I wish everyone in the conference good luck this season."