Chuck BarbeeBarbee welcomes back 13 letterwinners and eight starters from a team that put together a 12-5 mark last season and was ranked in the national polls for much of the year. Senior Patrick Simpson will serve as the team's captain this season.
Army opens it intercollegiate season Nov. 12 when the Black Knights travel to Brockport, N.Y., to compete in the Oklahoma Gold-Brockport Classic.
Here is the Army wrestling season outlook by weight class.
125
A talented stable of skilled wrestlers defines the 125-pound weight class for Army this season. Head coach Chuck Barbee believes that there are five grapplers who have what it takes to make significant contributions to this year's team.
Sophomores Travis Featherstone and Fernando Martinez have battled throughout the preseason and the odds are that one of the second-year performers will eventually emerge as this year's starter.
Featherstone beat out Martinez for the lead role last season and went on to compile a sturdy 15-16 overall record as the Black Knights' regular starter. The Orange, Calif., native competed in each of Army's dual matches, going 7-10 in those bouts.
A former Indiana state champion during his high school career, Martinez saw action in three different tournaments last season. He authored a 6-4 mark with one major decision. The sophomore has trained hard during the off-season and is primed for the bright lights of dual competition.
"Featherstone and Martinez are going to be neck-and-neck and I think the competition between them will allow us to make substantial improvements at the weight class," says Barbee.
Freshman Davey Mason, a two-time Oklahoma state champion, will be a factor. A technically gifted wrestler, Mason may need a little time to make the adjustment to Division I wrestling.
The younger brother of Phillip and Patrick Simpson, William Simpson is a talented freshman who will challenge for a spot right away. A three-time Tennessee state champion, Simpson exhibits tremendous toughness.
Junior Thang Tran, who is entering his third year with the program, adds quality depth.
133
The starting spot at 133 pounds is up for grabs this year as returning starter Tony Severo has moved up a class. Severo, an EIWA placewinner for the Black Knights last year, is moving up to 141 pounds and his departure creates a hole that needs to be filled.
The early favorite to step in is junior Frank Baughan. Baughan was called upon several times last year for spot duty and performed admirably.
"Baughan's a darn good wrestler," comments Barbee. "He just needs some time under the lights."
Baughan will get a heavy test from freshman Whitt Dunning. A high school All-American, Dunning has shown that he can compete at the national level and will present a legitimate challenge to the starting role.
Three-time Oklahoma state champion Tyler Howard is expected to step right in and challenge Baughan as well. A freshman, who spent last year at USMAPS, Howard possesses a great deal of raw talent.
"This group has exceptional capabilities and while there is a great deal of unproven talent at this weight class, I am excited to see it develop," mentions Barbee.
141
The favorite at 141 pounds is senior Tony Severo, who moved up a weight class after a successful year at 133.
"Tony did tremendous work last year in cutting down to 133," remarks Barbee. "I think his best weight is 141, and I think we'll see a lot of fire in his eyes this year. Tony will be tough to beat this season."
Lief Gilsdorf, who is pencilled in as Severo's backup, is a great competitor and an even better teammate. The junior won his only bout of the year, a 3-2 dual match victory over an opponent from Sacred Heart.
Senior Tommy Hendrix, who has been a solid contributor for Army throughout his career, will add steady leadership to this group.
Freshman Casey Schrieber, a high school runner-up in Florida last year, will provide depth as he continues to develop. Fellow plebe Brock Epps, a former high school standout in North Carolina, rounds out the weight class.
149
Senior Patrick Simpson, who is stepping up from 141 pounds, is projected as the starter in the 149-pound weight class.
He has shown great determination during his off-season program. The coaching staff is expecting big things from him this year as the team captain and one of the squad's seasoned veterans.
Drake Rossi, a tough freshman from Illinois, will be one of the three wrestlers pushing Simpson this year. Rossi has good skills and a very promising future with the Black, Gold and Gray.
Junior Mike Tatz, who has toiled tirelessly during his first two years, is expected to see more mat time this year at both the varsity and junior varsity levels.
Austin Milster and Gary Bowman will add depth to this group. Milster, a junior, is a tireless worker. A freshman, Bowman walked on to the team after spending a productive season at USMAPS.
157
A hard-fought battle is expected at 157 pounds. Sophomore Aaron Wernimont, who put together an 8-8 mark as the primary backup to Phillip Simpson last year at 149 pounds, has moved up to 157 pounds and will be in the mix.
Sophomore Brandon Benson, who started several matches last year as a plebe is also in the group. Benson, a two-time Oklahoma state champion during his high school days, authored a 15-16 record last season with four pins.
Freshman Brian Rowan comes in after a successful year at USMAPS and is a great competitor.
"This weight class is really stacked for us," says Barbee. "I think several guys could start for us, and whoever gets the nod is going to be pretty darn tough. I think we have the man-power to make some noise on the national level in this class."
Stephen Anastasia, Ed Gibbons, Joey Cohe, Caleb Pelletier and Jon Drew are all expected to wrestle at 157 pounds, making it the deepest weight class on the team.
165
Coming off a break-out junior season, senior Chad Marzec is the incumbent at 165 pounds. Marzec, who started every match for the Black Knights last year, won a career-best 23 matches, including 12 dual bouts.
"Chad is a great worker and he is determined to make it happen for himself at the national level this year," says Barbee.
Marzec will face fierce competition from classmate Jon Anderson, who moved up from 157. Anderson started more than half of Army's dual matches and forged a 12-7 overall mark.
"Jon is as big and as ripped as he's ever been, and he and Chad are really going to do battle," notes Barbee.
Freshhman Dan Geib, who spent the 2004-05 year at USMAPS already knows how to compete at a high level. He is a former Pennsylvania state champion.
Freshmen Duder Edmunds and Aaron Carter will get their first taste of college wrestling this year, as will junior Bob Heightchew, who is returning from his Morman mission.
"I am excited about this weight class and I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do against some of the nation's top competition," adds Barbee.
174
For the second consecutive year, Coach Barbee expects a huge battle for the starter's role at 174 pounds. Senior Gabriel Lucero, who started during the first half of last season, will go toe-to-toe with sophomore Scott Ferguson, who replaced Lucero in the lead role during the latter stages of 2004-05.
The two grapplers put together statictics that were nearly identical last year. Lucero enjoyed his best season since arriving at West Point by racking up a 12-9 record with two pins and three major decisions.
Ferguson, meanwhile, came on strong at the end of the season, piling up a 10-8 mark with a pin and two major decisions.
"Both guys trained hard during the summer and they are ready to step it up a notch," explains Barbee. "Those guys are really going to push each other."
Freshman Jon Mathias, who hails from the talent-rich state of Ohio, enters the Army program after a year at USMAPS. Although he still needs some seasoning, Coach Barbee is confident that Mathias will contribute to the Black Knight program in the near future.
Hard-working sophomore Brent Smith will add more depth to this group. He had some success last year and will look to build on that this season.
184
Senior Luke Calvert, who missed the second half of last season due to injury, returns to the lineup this year as one of Army's veteran leaders. The Broken Arrow, Okla., native, who has been ranked nationally throughout his decorated Army career, is determined to make it back to the NCAA tournament. He enters his final collegiate campaign with 63 career victories--the most of any returning Black Knight.
Senior Charles Martin, who did an outstanding job filling in for Calvert last year, will battle his classmate for the starting role. Martin went 18-9 last year with three pins.
"I don't think Luke is looking past anybody," says Barbee. "Charles has trained hard and is very determined. Those guys are really going to set the standard for us at this weight class."
Sophomore Brent Nowak will provide Army with depth at the class.
197
Senior Todd Wisman, Army's highest returning EIWA placewinner, returns to the fold as the early favorite to start once again at 197 pounds.
"Todd has been around the block," comments Barbee. "He's been under the heat of competition for a number of years now, and he's truly one of our most seasoned veterans."
Wisman won 19 matches last season after winning a total of just 12 during his first two seasons. He will have his work cut out for him as junior Connor Sanders is nipping at his heels for the starting nod.
Sanders was 8-9 last season, including a 3-3 record in dual matches.
This weight class should eventually boil down to a two-horse race between Wisman and Sanders. Whoever emerges as the No. 1 wrestler will be battle-tested and ready for action.
Freshman Josh Ewing, who was at USMAPS last year and finished as the runner-up in Ohio the year before that, will be able to grow and mature this year.
Sophomore Dan Scheiring is a solid athlete who will also spend time training at 197 pounds.
Heavyweight
Sophomore Nathan Thobaben, who started six dual matches last year, returns to the Academy this season and is poised to defend his leading position in the lineup.
Thobaben broke onto the scene and produced a solid record of 16-12 during his plebe season. Included in his 16 wins were five pins, one technical fall and one major decision.
"We expect Nathan to step it up this year and take it to another level," says Barbee.
Senior James Hollis, who has been an off-and-on starter for Army the past couple of years, will challenge Thobaben for the starting position. Hollis went 2-1 last season in dual matches with one win by fall.
"James is a veteran senior who will be competing with Nathan all year long," says Barbee.
Sophomores Raffi Mnatzakanian and Scott Clark possess a great deal of talent and will augment this group nicely.
Freshman Michael Sprigg, who was a high school All-American, is a tough wrestler and the coaching staff is optimistic that he will make a smooth transition to the college level.
Overview
With nine starters retuning, an abundance of key reserves coming back and another talented recruiting class coming to West Point, Coach Barbee is entering the 2005-06 campaign cautiously optimistic.
Once again this season, the Black Knight schedule is nothing short of ambitious with ranked opponents-including defending NCAA Champion Oklahoma State-dotting the dual match schedule.
"I think we have what it takes to become a strong dual match team," mentions Barbee. "We don't have one star yet, but our goal is that several stars will emerge ready for the national tournament."
The EIWA is as strong as it has ever been and Army will be battle-tested along the way. Each one of the team's battles will help prepare Army to achieve its ultimate goals of beating Navy, performing well at the EIWA Championships and advancing several wrestlers to the NCAA Championships.
"We have a solid team with good kids who train hard," praised Barbee. "I think our team has the ability to be very good, and it is up to the wrestlers to make it happen this year. I want us to be at the national tournament, and I want to bring several guys this time."
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