Pitt Wrestling
Pitt Wrestling Wins 1 of 3 at National Collegiate Duals
Pitt wrestling competed at the National Collegiate Duals in Nashville, Tenn. on Monday, facing off against some of the best wrestlers in Division I.
Pitt lost to No. 6 Iowa State 21-14 and No. 5 Cornell 27-12, but finished off the day with a late win on criteria against Little Rock, 22-21 (60-54). The losses to Iowa State and Cornell end a four-dual winning streak for Pitt, but the win against Little Rock has them at 7-3 at the end of 2023.
No. 17 redshirt sophomore Luca Augustine (8-2) had the best day on the Panthers, winning all three of his matches at 174 pounds. He won a 5-4 decision against Cyclones No. 22 redshirt first-year MJ Gaitan, a 3-1 decision against Trojans No. 15 redshirt senior Tyler Brennan and a 5-1 decision against Big Red senior Benny Baker. Augustine used his strength as a defensive wrestler to make strategic attacks, leading him to victories on Monday.
Pitt wrestling redshirt senior Colton Camacho (7-5) started with a loss in a 6-4 decision to Iowa State No. 22 senior Kysen Terkunia, but responded with an upset in a 3-1 decision over Cornell No. 5 sophomore Brett Ungar at 125 pounds. He would finish the day with a major decision, 20-7, against Little Rock redshirt sophomore Reid Nelson, his first major decision win of the season.
No. 17 redshirt first-year Mac Stout (12-3) had a solid day for the Panthers himself at 197 pounds. He majored Cyclones redshirt first-year Rowan Udell, won a technical fall decision against Trojans senior Tanner Mendoza and only lost on a close 2-1 decision to Big Red No. 7 senior Jacob Cardenas.
Pitt No. 10 redshirt first-year Dayton Pitzer (8-2) lost his biggest match of the day in 6-3 decision Iowa State No. 3 senior Yonger Bastida, but he almost had a chance late with a takedown and back points, but it came too late. Pitzer would respond with his first pin of the season against Cornell first-year Ashton Davis at 4:40 and then a 5-0 decision against Little Rock No. 27 redshirt junior Josiah Hill, to win the dual on criteria.
Panthers No. 19 redshirt first-year Finn Solomon (12-4) defeated Cyclones senior Zach Redding in an 8-4 decision and won on injury default against Trojans redshirt first-year Kyle Dutton at 2:03. His sole loss came vs. Big Red junior Ethan Fernandez in a 4-1 decision.
The other starting Pitt wrestlers struggled throughout the day, with a combined record of 1-14, compared to the 11-4 for the top five wrestlers.
No. 15 redshirt senior Cole Matthews (4-6) continued his struggles for the Panthers with an 0-3 outing at the National Collegiate duels at 141 pounds. He lost a major decision, 13-2, to Cyclones No. 14 redshirt junior Anthony Echemendia, an 8-2 decision to Big Red No. 16 sophomore Vince Cornella and a 10-6 decision to Trojans redshirt first-year Brennan Van Hoecke.
Pitt wrestling No. 8 redshirt senior Holden Heller (7-2), ended his perfect season with two major decision losses to Iowa State No. 4 senior David Carr, 9-1, and to Cornell No. 3 junior Julian Ramirez, 11-1 at 165 pounds. This makes it two losses to Carr in back-to-back seasons for Holden Heller, as Carr won a 7-3 decision at Fitzgerald Field House last February.
No. 14 redshirt senior Reece Heller started out with an impressive victory for the Panthers in a 14-6 major decision over Cylones No. 5 senior Will Feldkamp. He then completely flipped his results with a technical fall loss, 18-1, to Big Red No. 9 junior Chris Foca and suffered a pin to Trojans redshirt senior Triston Willis at 2:31 in the first period.
Pitt No. 23 redshirt first-year Vinnie Santaniello lost all three of his matches on Monday at 133 pounds. This includes a 9-6 sudden victory to Iowa State No. 8 redshirt first-year Evan Frost, a 19-4 technical fall at 5:55 to Cornell No. 2 senior Vito Arujau and a 12-8 decision to Little Rock No. 22 first-year Nasir Bailey.
Panthers redshirt first-year Jared Keslar (6-8) has also seen his form drop in recent weeks, losing both of his matches at 157 pounds. He dropped major decisions to Cyclones No. 21 first-year Cody Chittum, 13-2, and also to Trojans No. 28 redshirt senior Matt Bianchi, 8-0.
Pitt first-years in Dylan Evans (5-5) and Grant MacKay (3-3) both came in for their first dual action of their collegiate career. Evans lost a 14-3 major decision to Cornell No. 15 first-year Meyer Shapiro at 157 pounds and MacKay lost in a 15-0 technical fall at 6:18 to Little Rock redshirt first-year Brendan Abdon at 165 pounds.
Pitt wrestling will return following the New Year, as they’ll compete in the Franklin & Marshall Open in Lancaster, Pa. on Friday, Jan. 5. Their next dual is against Oklahoma State at Fitzgerald Field House on Friday, Jan. 12.
Pitt Wrestling Results at National Collegiate Duals
No. 6 Iowa State 21, No. 13 Pitt 14
125: No. 22 Kysen Terukina (ISU) dec. Colton Camacho (Pitt), 6-4 (ISU leads, 3-0)|
133: No. 8 Evan Frost (ISU) dec. No. 23 Vinnie Santaniello (Pitt), 9-6 SV (ISU leads, 6-0)
141: No. 14 Anthony Echemendia (ISU) maj. No. 15 Cole Matthews (Pitt), 12-3 (ISU leads, 10-0)
149: No. 19 Finn Solomon (Pitt) dec. Zach Redding (ISU), 8-4 (ISU leads, 10-3)
157: No. 21 Cody Chittum (ISU) maj. Jared Keslar (Pitt), 13-2 (ISU leads, 14-3)
165: No. 4 David Carr (ISU) maj. No. 8 Holden Heller (Pitt), 9-1 (ISU leads, 18-3)
174: No. 17 Luca Augustine (Pitt) dec. No. 22 MJ Gaitan (ISU), 5-4 (ISU leads, 18-6)
184: No. 14 Reece Heller (Pitt) maj. No. 5 Will Feldkamp (ISU), 14-6 (ISU leads, 18-10)
197: No. 17 Mac Stout (Pitt) maj. Rowan Udell (ISU), 11-2 (ISU leads, 18-14)
285: No. 3 Yonger Bastida (ISU) dec. No. 10 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt), 6-3 (ISU wins, 21-14)
No. 5 Cornell 27, No. 13 Pitt 12
125: Colton Camacho (Pitt) dec. No. 5 Brett Unger (Cornell), 3-1 (Pitt leads, 3-0)
133: No. 2 Vito Arujau (Cornell) tech. No. 23 Vinnie Santaniello (Pitt), 19-4 5:55 (Cornell leads, 5-3)
141: No. 16 Vince Cornella (Cornell) dec. No. 15 Cole Matthews (Pitt), 8-2 (Cornell leads, 8-3)
149: Ethan Fernandez (Cornell) dec. No. 19 Finn Solomon, 4-1 (Cornell leads, 11-3)
157: No. 15 Meyer Shapiro (Cornell) maj. Dylan Evans (Pitt), 14-3 (Cornell leads, 15-3)
165: No. 3 Julian Ramirez (Cornell) maj. No. 8 Holden Heller (Pitt), 11-1 (Cornell leads, 19-3)
174: No. 17 Luca Augustine (Pitt) dec. Benny Baker (Cornell), 5-1 (Cornell leads, 19-6)
184: No. 9 Chris Foca (Cornell) tech. No. 14 Reece Heller (Pitt), 18-1 (Cornell leads, 24-6)
197: No. 7 Jacob Cardenas (Cornell) dec. No. 17 Mac Stout (Pitt), 2-1 (Cornell leads, 27-6)
285: No. 10 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) pins Ashton Davis (Cornell), 4:40 (Cornell wins, 27-12)
 No. 13 Pitt 22, Little Rock 21
125: Colton Camacho (Pitt) maj. Reid Nelson (Little Rock), 20-7 (Pitt leads, 4-0)
133: No. 21 Nasir Bailey (LR) dec. No. 23 Vinnie Santaniello (Pitt), 12-8 (Pitt leads, 4-3)
141: Brennan Van Hoecke (LR) dec. No. 15 Cole Matthews (Pitt), 10-6 (LR leads, 6-4)
149: No. 19 Finn Solomon (Pitt) injury default Kyle Dutton (LR), 2:03 (Pitt leads, 10-6)
157: Matty Bianchi (LR) maj. Jared Keslar (Pitt), 8-0 (Tied, 10-10)
165: Brendon Abdon (LR) tech. Grant MacKay (Pitt), 15-0 (6:18) (LR leads, 15-10)
174: No. 17 Luca Augustine (Pitt) dec. No. 15 Tyler Brennan (LR), 3-1 (LR leads, 15-13)
184: Triston Willis (LR) pins No. 14 Reece Heller (Pitt), 2:31 (LR leads, 21-13)
197: No. 17 Mac Stout (Pitt) tech. Tanner Mendoza (LR), 18-1 (1:45) (LR leads, 21-18)
285: No. 10 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) dec. No. 27 Josiah Hill (LR), 5-0 (Tied, 21-21)
Pitt wins on the third criteria of match points, 60-54
