LU wrestlers complete spring freestyle season

4/24/2007 9:00:00 AM | Men's Wrestling

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The collegiate wrestling season may have ended in March, but several members of the Lehigh wrestling program remained active, participating in various freestyle competitions in the past month. Freshman Mike Galante delivered the top performance of the spring season, with a first place finish at the University Freestyle Nationals which took place April 21 and 22 in Akron, Ohio.

 

“It really was great for him to be able to go out and win a tournament,” Lehigh head coach Greg Strobel said of Galante. “Our guys haven’t won a lot of tournaments lately, but for Galante to win one after coming in second at Junior Nationals last year is good for him.”

 

Galante went 6-0 in the 79 kg (174 lb.) weight class to lead the Lehigh contingent that competed for the Lehigh Valley Athletic Club. Lehigh sent six wrestlers to University Nationals, with three Mountain Hawks: Galante, and sophomore’s Matt Fisk and Trevor Chinn placing in the event.

 

Among the highlights for Galante was a victory over 2006 NCAA All-American Matt Stolpinski of Navy. Galante defeated Jeff Kerr of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club by a score of 1-0, 5-0 in the finals. Kerr is currently a freshman at the University of Iowa and was a four time Iowa state place winner.

 

Fisk was recently named captain for the 2007-08 college season, and Fisk was also impressive in Akron as he went 5-1 at the 60 kg (132.75 lb.) weight class, which was good for third place. Among Fisk’s five victories were two over former Lehigh recruit Mike Grey (2-3, 2-1, 3-3 and then 6-2, 7-4), and a win in the third place match over Iowa sophomore Daniel Dennis. Fisk’s only loss came to Todd Meneeley, the eventual champion who was also the Division II National Champion at 149.

 

Returning to action for the first time since injuring his elbow in the Harvard dual, Chinn posted a 4-3 record, good for eighth place at 70 kg (154.25 lbs.). Also competing for the Brown and White via the LVAC were sophomore Kevin Vinh and freshmen Frankie Gayeski and Akron native Greg Hilbert.

 

Galante became the fifth Lehigh wrestler to win a University National Championship and the first since Jon Trenge won at 211.5 lbs. in 2002.

 

Earlier this month, Lehigh sent a contingent to the FILA Junior Freestyle Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada. Freshman David Craig enjoyed the top Lehigh finish, going 3-1 and placing second at 185 lbs. Classmate Alex Caruso also placed in the event, going 4-2 and taking seventh place at 174. Hilbert and fellow freshman Nate Spangler also competed in freestyle, but did not place. Spangler did place seventh in his weight class at the Junior Greco-roman Nationals, while freshman Matt Upton placed sixth at 174.

 

The spring freestyle season began at the Northeast Junior and Senior Regional Championships in Brockport, N.Y. Galante led the way for Lehigh with a fourth place finish at 185, an accomplishment that included a 2-0, 6-0 win over Lehigh teammate Alex Caruso. Gayeski, Hilbert and Spangler all competed at this tournament as well.

 

“Freestyle has changed so much since the time that I coached freestyle, and especially since I was competing,” acknowledged Strobel. “It’s good that our guys were active and I’m pleased with the placings we had in the tournament. It showed that our guys worked harder this spring and that bodes well for our team down the line.”

 

Off-season workouts continue for the Mountain Hawks, and Strobel is expected to announce Lehigh’s incoming class of recruits in the coming weeks.

 

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