2021 NCAA qualifier Cole Rhone (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Bloomsburg Huskies
On paper, we could be starting seven true freshmen or redshirt freshmen. So we are starting a young team and having a few guys returning that have been to the national tournament; it will be interesting to see where our team is once we start scraping with other teams in the country - Bloomsburg head coach Marcus Gordon
TOP RETURNERS
The Huskies will be able to present a lineup that features a pair of returning national qualifiers. That hasn't been commonplace for Bloomsburg, of late. Last season, the Huskies had Alex Carida and Willy Girard, together for one dual meet. Before that, you had to go back to the 2013-14 season to find a Bloomsburg squad with multiple returning qualifiers.
The two in this year's lineup are Cole Rhone (133) and Alex Carida (157). Rhone grabbed an automatic berth to the 2021 national tournament after taking fourth at the MAC Championships. In St. Louis, Rhone picked up a win over Bryce West (Northern Illinois). West was fifth at the MAC Tournament, though the two didn't meet.
Carida was a national qualifier in 2020 when he finished sixth in the MAC at 157 lbs. At the 2020 MAC Championships, Carida defeated a pair of returning national qualifiers (Zac Carson - Ohio and Alex Klucker - Lock Haven) to ensure his status at the NCAA Tournament.
KEY DEPARTURES
2019 EWL champion and NCAA qualifier Willy Girard has finished up his career at Bloomsburg. Girard went 23-13 during his banner campaign in 2018-19. He redshirted the following year and only saw action in one bout during the 2021 season.
NEWCOMERS
Rutgers transfer, Cody Harrison, should slot in nicely for the Huskies at 165 lbs. Harrison went 8-7 during his initial year with the Scarlet Knights, competing unattached. Last season, Harrison saw action in two "extra" matches and lost in both of those contests.
WRESTLER TO WATCH
Even though Carida was a national qualifier in 2019-20, he just missed out on a spot in the national rankings at 157 lbs. The Bloomsburg staff feels as if this can be a year for Carida to really breakout and establish himself as a national threat. In the shortened 2021 season, Carida notched a win over Buffalo's Michael Petite, who ended up fourth in the league and earned an automatic bid to St. Louis.
POTENTIAL LINEUP
125: Shawn Orem (Sr)
133: Cole Rhone (So)
141: Josh Mason (Jr)
149: Cade Balestrini (Fr)
157: Alex Carida (Sr)
165: Cody Harrison (Jr)
174: Tanner Culver (So)
184: Bruno Stolfi (Jr)
197: David Tuttle (So)
285: Shane Noonan (So)
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