2020 NCAA qualifier Doug Zapf(Photo/Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com)Penn Quakers
"As a program, we are poised to breakout. Our goal is to allocate qualifiers at all 10 weights for the NCAA Tournament and 'pull our weight' at the conference tournament" - Head Coach Roger Reina.
TOP RETURNERS
The Quakers have five returning NCAA Qualifiers. Note, the team did not compete last year due to COVID-19. Returning qualifiers are from March 2020, or previous years.
• Anthony Artalona (2018/19 - Round of 12)
• Michael Colaiocco (2019/20)
• Carmen Ferrante (2018/19)
• Cole Urbas (2019/20)
• Doug Zapf (2019/20)
KEY DEPARTURES
Many of the young wrestlers who were in the starting lineup a few years back were underclassmen. This young group has now become upperclassmen and is still in the starting lineup. Fortunately, Penn has not lost any starters to graduation.
NEWCOMERS
Keep an eye out for Ryan Miller to be the projected starter at 125 lb. He was a UWW Jr Finalist and earned a silver at the Junior Pan American Games. Let's hope the freestyle results translate to NCAA success.
CJ Composto is one of the projected starters at 141 lb. Reina mentioned CJ was "under the radar" due to a torn ACL in high school, which he ultimately decided to get fixed. He missed his senior year because of surgery, so many coaches may have missed the opportunity to see him wrestle.Â
In the 165 lb. class, the potential starter at this weight is Lucas Revano. After wrestling at 141, then 149 during the 2019/2020 season, he'll bump up a few weights with an EIWA 6th place finish already on his resume.Â
Nick Incontrera will be a freshman who expects to see the lineup at the 174 lb. weight class. He had a fantastic high school career at Blair Academy. Recent results include 4th place at UWW Junior Nationals.Â
Maximus Hale is one newcomer Reina mentioned to watch. With his recent freestyle success of 4th place at U23 freestyle nationals, Penn is looking for Maximus to "maximize" his folkstyle success as well.Â
WRESTLER TO WATCH
Anthony Artalona is the main guy that will look to lead the Penn Quakers. During his 2019/2020 season freshman campaign, he was an EIWA Champion at 149 lb. At the NCAA Championships in March of that same year, Anthony was one win away from being an All-American. With an incredible U23 freestyle performance, including a win over this year's NCAA 3rd place finisher Yahya Thomas (Northwestern), the staff feels Artalona is "right in the mix" to be on the podium come March.Â
Another wrestler on the squad that Coach Reina is excited to see compete is Doug Zapf. His work ethic has been relentless. He began his college career at 133 lb., and is now expecting to hold down the 157 lb. class for Penn. Being a PA state champ at the 106 lb. weight class in 2017, he has been living in the weight room to fill into a full-sized 157 lb. wrestler.Â
POTENTIAL LINEUP
125: Ryan Miller (FR)
133: Michael Colaiocco (SO) or Carmen Ferrante (JR)
141: CJ Composto (SO) or Rich Delsanter (FR)
149: Anthony Artalona (JR)
157: Doug Zapf (JR)
165: Lucas Revano (SO)
174: Nick Incontrera (FR)
184: Neil Antrassian (SR), Maximus Hale (SO), or Jake Hendricks (SR)
197: Cole Urbas (SO)
285: Ben Goldin (JR)
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