Lehigh wrestling begins preseason practice
10/1/2008 5:00:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh wrestling team is back on the mats in preparation for the 2008-09 season. This season marks the 100th season of wrestling at Lehigh, and the centennial campaign is officially underway as the team, under first year head coach Pat Santoro, began preseason practice on Tuesday with a workout in the Sheridan Wrestling Room, located in the Gerry Leeman Wrestling Complex, inside Taylor Gym.
After recently conducting his first official practice as Lehigh’s head coach, Santoro is pleased with what he saw on day one, and what he saw from his team in its off-season workouts.
“It’s been a great preseason,” said Santoro. “With the lifting, the running and the open room workouts, the guys are working very hard and we’re very pleased and pleasantly surprised. The full team is coming in and doing the work. Tuesday was the first day of practice, and that’s really the first brick of the foundation that we are laying.
Santoro continued, “The first few weeks we will be putting them through the skills and drills on the mat and building that base up. The guys are working hard, and the most important thing that we talked about is if they buy into themselves they’ll start winning matches.”
The start of practice marks the return to the Lehigh wrestling room for Santoro, who spent nine years as an assistant coach for the Mountain Hawks before moving on to the University of Maryland.
“It felt the same,” indicated Santoro. “I was able to get right back in there. I’ve spent my whole life in that wrestling room, so it was easy coming back.
Wrestle-offs are still a full month away, but one national publication has already unveiled its preseason rankings. Five Lehigh grapplers were ranked in the W.I.N. Magazine preseason rankings, with junior David Craig attaining the highest ranking at No. 14 at 184. Sophomore Alex Caruso came in at No. 15 at 174, while senior co-captain Trevor Chinn is ranked No. 17 at 149. Junior Seth Ciasulli is expected to bump up to 141 this season and is ranked No. 17 at that weight class, while classmate Matt Fisk returns from his deferred year at No. 18 at 133.
The Mountain Hawks are coming off a 12-14 campaign in 2007-08 and return six wrestlers who have previously qualified for the NCAA Championships.
Lehigh’s annual wrestle-offs are scheduled for Sunday, November 2, while the Mountain Hawks will kick off the dual season on Sunday, November 9 when they host Maryland at 1 p.m.
