Dayton Pitzer Out for Rest of Pitt Wrestling Regular Season

Pitt wrestling redshirt first-year heavyweight Dayton Pitzer will sit out the rest of the season, according to Eric Knopsnyder of PantherLair.

Pitzer wrestled against Arizona State No. 5 redshirt junior Cohlton Schultz (3-1) on Sunday in their dual match at Fitzgerald Field House.

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Both wrestlers competed well through the first period, with each having chances to score, but none completing any moves. Schultz would then make an escape and a takedown to earn a 4-1 lead and took a 7-2 lead with another takedown in the third period.

Pitzer suffered an injury on the second takedown. He would attempt to wrestle again, but hurt his shoulder and exhausted all of his injury time, forcing him to medically forfeit.

The medical forfeit not only hurt Pitzer, but Pitt as well, as they had a 20-14 lead, but the forfeit counted as six points, tying the dual at 20-20.The criteria used was on wins for each team, at five, and then how the wrestlers won, pins, technical falls, major decisions. With the pin, which is ranked as highest, Arizona State won the dual, 21-20.

Head coach Keith Gavin confirmed following the match that Pitzer dislocated his shoulder and that he would have to figure out who would replace him at heavyweight.

The loss of Pitzer hurts Pitt Wrestling, not only with his absence, but because there isn’t a true replacement for him at 285 pounds. The roster lists redshirt junior Geoff Magin at 285 pounds, but he has not wrestled at all this season and last year, wrestled at 197 pounds.

Pitzer became a fan favorite last season, finishing in second place at the Midlands Championships and competing in important duals. Gavin chose to redshirt Pitzer to allow him to develop for this season, letting senior Jake Slinger start the rest of the way. Slinger chose not to use his COVID-19 year this season, graduating and leaving Pitt Wrestling without a true backup at heavyweight.

His first year starting for Pitt has resulted in many great wins, including going 4-4 against ranked wrestlers, with the injury forfeit a part of his losses. Some of his best wins came against No. 11 Nathan Taylor of Lehigh and No. 19 Seth Nevills of Maryland in November, as well as a 10-3 decision over No. 8 Luke Luffman of Illinois back on Dec. 3 in the first dual at Fitzgerald Field House this season.

Pitzer will sit out the rest of the season, which includes the entire ACC dual schedule, which starts against No. 8 NC State this Friday at home. Intermat ranks him higher than any other ACC wrestlers and his absence will likely play a role in Pitt not repeating as ACC Dual Champions.

The goal for Pitzer is to return prior to the ACC Championships on March 10, to allow him to qualify for the NCAA Championships the following week.

Dayton Pitzer Wrestling Record 2023-24

(Navy Duals) Nov. 12 (2-1)

No. 9 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) injury default Tyler Mousaw (VMI), 1:30 (Win)
No. 9 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) wins by forfeit (Win)
No. 13 Grady Griess (Navy) dec. No. 9 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt), 4-2 (Loss)

No. 17 Lehigh (Road Dual): Nov. 19 (1-0)/(3-1)
No. 13 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) dec. No. 11 Nathan Taylor (Lehigh), 2-0 (Win)

Maryland (Road Dual): Nov. 20 (1-0)/(4-1)
No. 13 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) dec. No. 19 Seth Nevills (Maryland), 4-3 (Win)

Illinois (Home Dual): Dec. 3 (1-0)/(5-1)
No. 11 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) dec. No. 8 Luke Luffman (Illinois), 10-3`(Win)

No. 5 Ohio State (Road Dual): Dec. 10 (1-0) (6-1)
No. 14 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) maj. dec. Hogan Swenski (OSU), 12-2 (Win)

(National Collegiate Duals): Dec. 18 No. 6 Iowa State, No. 5 Cornell, Little Rock (2-1)/(8-2)
No. 3 Yonger Bastida (ISU) dec. No. 10 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt), 6-3 (Loss)
No. 10 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) pins Ashton Davis (Cornell), 4:40 (Win)
No. 10 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) dec. No. 27 Josiah Hill (LR), 5-0 (Win)

No. 5 Oklahoma State (Home Dual): Jan. 12 (0-1)/(8-3)
No. 11 Konner Doucet (OSU) dec. No. 9 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt), 3-0 (Loss) 

No. 24 Arizona State (Home Dual): Jan. 21 (0-1)/(8-4)
No. 5 Cohlton Schultz (ASU) injury default No. 12 Dayton Pitzer (Pitt), 5:50