Mid East Conference Recap
The NCWA's Mid East Conference Championships were hosted this past weekend in Bardo Gym on the campus of Pennsylvania's College of Technology. Taking place on three mats and featuring over a dozen schools from around Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey; the MEC Championships were smoothly run as is expected in this nation's hotbed for the sport. On the mat, the competition was deep and fierce, and nearly half of the schools entered produced a champion.
The team title came down to the wire, and in a battle with runner-up Penn State-Dubois, The University of Maryland, Baltimore County edged for first with 3 individual champions. Host school Penn College of Technology placed third as a team, and was lead by 133 pound champion Ryan Hart. Also finishing with 3 champions and placing 4th as a team was perennial MEC power West Chester University. The Rams of WCU brought home three individual titles and a 4th place finish. The top 5 was rounded out by Slippery Rock University and their two individual champions Jeff Hernandez (125) and Braeden Luciano (235). Full team results can be seen in the attached link.
For his efforts leading the Retrievers to their first ever conference title and earlier 4th place finish at the national duals, head coach Luke Broadwater of UMBC was awarded the conference coach of the year.
The Champion of Champions was Luke Bilyeu, winner of a 141 lb weight class that included returning All-American Kekura Musa of UMBC, and legitimate All-American threats Tyler Warner of PSU-Mont Alto and Erik Rayman of PSU-Greater Alleghany.
The most falls / least time award went to Stephen Beam of the University Maryland, Baltimore County. Beam, a freshman, accumulated 3 falls in 12:58 en route to his third place finish at 149.
A trio of wrestlers from the MEC, each from a different school, are all favored to contend for a national title in Allen, TX; Luke Bilyeu (WCU - 133), Daniel Carr (UMBC - 149), and Scott Schretzenmaier (PITT - 174). Carr has placed twice at the NCWA National Tournament (2nd and 8th) and Bilyeu is also a returning NCWA All-American. Schretzenmaier is in his first year of NCWA eligibility, but as a high school teammate of fellow MEC Champion, Myles Tornetta (184) of WCU, he placed in the prestigious AAA PA State H.S. tournament.
The Mid-East Conference is proud of all of their national qualifiers and expects to see many on the podium at the NCWA National Championships on the 16th in Allen, Texas.
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The team title came down to the wire, and in a battle with runner-up Penn State-Dubois, The University of Maryland, Baltimore County edged for first with 3 individual champions. Host school Penn College of Technology placed third as a team, and was lead by 133 pound champion Ryan Hart. Also finishing with 3 champions and placing 4th as a team was perennial MEC power West Chester University. The Rams of WCU brought home three individual titles and a 4th place finish. The top 5 was rounded out by Slippery Rock University and their two individual champions Jeff Hernandez (125) and Braeden Luciano (235). Full team results can be seen in the attached link.
For his efforts leading the Retrievers to their first ever conference title and earlier 4th place finish at the national duals, head coach Luke Broadwater of UMBC was awarded the conference coach of the year.
The Champion of Champions was Luke Bilyeu, winner of a 141 lb weight class that included returning All-American Kekura Musa of UMBC, and legitimate All-American threats Tyler Warner of PSU-Mont Alto and Erik Rayman of PSU-Greater Alleghany.
The most falls / least time award went to Stephen Beam of the University Maryland, Baltimore County. Beam, a freshman, accumulated 3 falls in 12:58 en route to his third place finish at 149.
A trio of wrestlers from the MEC, each from a different school, are all favored to contend for a national title in Allen, TX; Luke Bilyeu (WCU - 133), Daniel Carr (UMBC - 149), and Scott Schretzenmaier (PITT - 174). Carr has placed twice at the NCWA National Tournament (2nd and 8th) and Bilyeu is also a returning NCWA All-American. Schretzenmaier is in his first year of NCWA eligibility, but as a high school teammate of fellow MEC Champion, Myles Tornetta (184) of WCU, he placed in the prestigious AAA PA State H.S. tournament.
The Mid-East Conference is proud of all of their national qualifiers and expects to see many on the podium at the NCWA National Championships on the 16th in Allen, Texas.
More Information...