Michael Macchiavello (Photo/NC State Sports Information)MANHEIM, Pa. -- Penn's Frank Mattiace and NC State's Michael Macchiavello have been selected to compete at 197 pounds and two showcase bouts have been announced for the 52nd annual NWCA All-Star Classic set for Princeton University's Jadwin Gym on Sunday, November 5.
The NWCA All-Star Classic is hosted by Wrestlers in Business Network and sponsored by Princeton Brain and Spine and Northwestern Mutual Life.
The Mattiace-Macchiavello bout will replace the originally scheduled bout between Ohio State's Kollin Moore and Virginia Tech's Jared Haught.
Mattiace, a New Jersey native and graduate of Blair Academy in Blairstown, was the 2017 EIWA Champion at 197 pounds and entered the 2017 NCAA Division I Championships as the No. 12 seed. Ranked in the top 10 by most major rankings services, Mattiace led the Quakers with 30 wins last season. Macchiavello was one of the most improved wrestlers on the Wolfpack last season. At 26-8, he was second in the ACC Championships and qualified for the NCAA tournament. A North Carolina native, Macchiavello will join teammates Kevin Jack (141) and Pete Renda (184) in the event.
Throughout the history of the All-Star Classic, showcase matches have been held prior to the main card, often highlighting local and regional talent. The two showcase matches this year are no exception as Penn's May Bethea and Lehigh's Gordon Wolf have ties to the Princeton Wrestling Club -- both started wrestling with the club when they were kids. According to Wrestlers in Business Network Princeton Chapter President Dr. Mark McLaughlin, a longtime coach with the club, "They've been wrestling each other since they were little. They started in the basement five floors down, now they're in Jadwin on the first floor."
Bethea was a match away from placing at the 2017 NCAA Division I championships a year ago at 157 pounds. He was second on the team in wins behind Mattiace with 26 last season. Bethea has qualified for the NCAA championships the past two seasons and hails from nearby Trenton. Wolf has seen modest success at the college level, with his most notable win coming at the 2016 NCAA Division I Championships knocking off Iowa's Alex Meyer in the first round at 174 pounds. He split time at 165 last year for the Mountain Hawks and will be expected to contribute at a higher level this season. Wolf hails from Lawrenceville, N.J., just 10 minutes down the street from Princeton.
Another matchup comes at heavyweight with two dynamic big men. Columbia's Garrett Ryan will face Lock Haven's Thomas Haines in the other showcase bout. Ryan is an Arizona native who moved east to finish his high school career at prep powerhouse Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania. A three-time NCAA qualifier at Columbia, Ryan went 27-9 last season and 1-2 at the NCAA Division I Championships. Haines, an NCAA qualifier last season at Lock Haven, started his college career at Ohio State before transferring closer to home. Haines was one of the nation's top big men coming out of Solanco High School in Quarryville, Pa. Haines was 33-7 a year ago and was the runner-up at the EWL championships. He entered the NCAA Division I Championships as the No. 14 seed.
On the women's side, Emmanuel's Victoria Gutierrez has been tabbed to replace teammate Fayth Woodward. Gutierrez will face Makayla Bourbon of the University of the Cumberlands at 116 pounds.
WHAT: 52nd NWCA All-Star Classic hosted by Wrestlers in Business Network
WHEN: Sunday, November 5, 3 p.m.
WHERE: Jadwin Gym, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.
TICKETS: $20 (group discounts available)
SOCIAL MEDIA: #ComeBackToJadwin #allstarclassic2017 #wrestleback
WATCH: www.trackwrestling.com
INFO: www.goallstarclassic.com
ANNOUNCED MATCHUPS
Men
125: Darian Cruz, Sr. (Lehigh) vs. Nick Piccininni, So. (Oklahoma State)
133: Seth Gross, Jr. (South Dakota State) vs. Stevan Micic, So. (Michigan)
141: Kevin Jack, Sr. (NC State) vs. Bryce Meredith, Sr. (Wyoming)
149: Max Thomsen, So. (Northern Iowa) vs. Matthew Kolodzik, So. (Princeton)
157: Alec Pantaleo, Jr. (Michigan) vs. B.J. Clagon, Sr. (Rider)
165: Chad Walsh, Sr. (Rider) vs. Jonathan Schleifer, Sr. (Princeton)
174: Mark Hall, So. (Penn State) vs. Zahid Valencia, So. (Arizona State)
184: Pete Renda, Sr. (NC State) vs. Drew Foster, Jr. (Northern Iowa)
197: Frank Mattiace, Sr. (Penn) vs. Michael Macchiavello, Sr. (NC State)
285: Tanner Hall, Jr. (Arizona State) vs. Nick Nevills, Jr. (Penn State)
Matchups
165: May Bethea, Sr. (Penn) vs. Gordon Wolf, Sr. (Lehigh)
285: Garrett Ryan, Sr. (Columbia) vs. Thomas Haines, Jr. (Lock Haven)
Women
101: Marina Doi, Sr. (King) vs. Hiba Salem, Jr. (Menlo)
109: Maria Vidales, So. (Emmanuel) vs. Charlotte Fowler, So. (Campbellsville)
116: Victoria Gutierrez, So. (Emmanuel) vs. Makayla Bourbon, Sr. (U. of the Cumberlands)
123: Dom Parrish, Jr. (Simon Fraser) vs. Amber Pair, So. (Eastern Oregon)
130: Megan Black, Sr. (McKendree) vs. Shelby Hall, Sr. (Campbellsville)
136: Kayla Miracle, Sr. (Campbellsville) vs. Solin Piearcy, So. (Menlo)
143: Mallory Velte, Sr. (Simon Fraser) vs. Desiree Zavala, So. (Grays Harbor)
155: Niauni Hill, Sr. (Lindenwood-Belleville) vs. Kiera Gabaldon, Jr. (Warner Pacific)
170: Brandy Lowe, Sr. (McKendree) vs. Kacie Moorehouse, So. (Grays Harbor)
191: Paige Baynes, Jr. (Grays Harbor) vs. Alyssa Cantu, Sr. (Missouri Valley)
Note: Women's college wrestling competes under international freestyle rules.
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