Santoro welcomes 15 newcomers in 2014 recruiting class
5/22/2014 12:26:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro has announced the addition of 15 student-athletes in the Mountain Hawks' 2014 recruiting class. A large group that will add depth to the Mountain Hawks' program, the incoming class features 11 current high school seniors, two transfers and two wrestlers who deferred their enrollment. Eight states are represented, highlighted by five Pennsylvania products.
This incoming class has already received national acclaim as Lehigh's recruiting class was ranked 19th by InterMat and 15th by The Open Mat earlier this month.
"We're excited about this class," explained Santoro, who enters his seventh season. "There are a lot of good wrestlers in this class and on top of that there are a lot of really good people. One of the things we focused on this year was bringing in wrestlers who get it done on the mat but also get it done in the classroom and get it done socially. These are the type of kids we want in our program. We're really excited about our future. These guys are hungry and want to be part of a really competitive team and they want to win championships."
Seven members of the incoming class are multiple time state place winners. The highest-rated recruit in the class is Dylan Milonas from Blair Academy. A New Jersey native, Milonas amassed a 98-14 career record including a 20-0 mark in his senior season Milonas is a three-time finalist at the National Prep Wrestling Championships and won a National Prep title in February. In his senior season, Milonas also won his third regional title and also captured individual titles at the Walsh Ironman and Beast of the East tournaments. Ranked No. 1 at his weight class and 14th overall by InterMat, Milonas projects at 157 or 165 for the Mountain Hawks.
Also coming to Lehigh from Blair Academy is Patrick Coover. A three-time National Prep place winner, Coover won a Prep title as a sophomore and has placed at the Walsh Ironman on three occasions and at both the Beast of the East and the Powerade Tournament twice. Coover, a Carlisle, Pa. product, missed his senior season due to injury and projects at 165.
The other InterMat top 100 recruit in the incoming class is lightweight Scott Parker from Sellersville, Pa., and Pennridge High School. Parker is ranked 66h overall and fifth at the 120 lb. weight class. A three-time state place winner, Parker posted a 147-11 record over four years, finishing fourth in the state as a sophomore, third as a junior and capping a 44-2 senior season with a second place finish in the state AAA tournament. He projects at 125 for Lehigh. Parker also won a Beast of the East title in 2013.
"We love bringing in kids from the area," Santoro said of the three newcomers who wrestled in high school less than an hour from Lehigh's campus. "It's important for any school to have local people in their program. It's something we've done over the last few years and something we want to continue to do, but we also need to continue to bring in the best kids we can throughout the country. For us its finding the kid that can succeed at Lehigh, the kid that can do it in all three categories: athletically, academically and socially. These are the type of kids we want in our program."
Four-time Pennsylvania place winner Ian Brown hails from Hanover High School. Brown went 39-0 as a senior, capturing a state title at 132 to go along with two fourth place finishes and a third place finish. A four-time sectional champion, Brown won two district titles and two regional titles en route to a 156-12 career record. The projected 141 pounder also owns state titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling and posted a third place finish at folkstyle nationals.
The third multi-time Pennsylvania place winner in the class is Ryan Preisch from New Columbia and Milton High School. A three-time state qualifier, Preisch is a two-time third place finisher. He is a three-time district champion and a two-time regional champion. Preisch also placed at the Beast of the East on two occasions and twice placed at the postseason FloNationals tournament. Preisch is a state champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman and earned All-America honors at the Junior Freestyle Nationals in Fargo, N.D. He projects at 165.
A four-time state place winner from Lowell High School in Michigan, Garett Stehley will provide depth at 184 and 197 for the Mountain Hawks. Stehley's 129-20 career record included a 61-3 record over his final two seasons. A two-time Michigan runner-up, Stehley also placed fourth and sixth at the Michigan state tournament. A four year conference champion, Stehley also lettered in football and baseball and made the academic honor roll in all four years of his high school career.
Representing the state of Maryland is Camden Fischer from Snow Hill High School. A projected 125 pounder, Fischer owns the Snow Hill career wins record with 131 A two-time conference champion and East Regional finalist, Fischer was a three-time state qualifier, finishing third as a junior and capping a 43-3 senior season with a second place finish in 2014. Fischer owns six in-season tournament titles and was named the Bayside Conference Most Outstanding Wrestler this past season.
A familiar name to Lehigh fans, Cortlandt Schuyler joins the Mountain Hawks from Manheim Township High School in Lancaster. Schuyler is a three-time state qualifier and two-time regional champion who finished seventh at the state tournament as a senior. Manheim Township's career wins leader (145-23 record), Schuyler also placed second and fourth at the Beast of the East tournament. He projects at 141/149 for the Mountain Hawks. Schuyler's father Pete '83 was a two-time EIWA Champion for Lehigh and earned All-America honors with a third place finish at 134 as a senior.
Gordon Wolf also projects at 141/149 and comes to Lehigh from Lawrence High School in Lawrenceville, N.J. Wolf is a four-time county and district finalist with three titles at both the county and district levels. A three-time regional finalist, Wolf won a regional title as a senior. He placed fifth at the NJSIAA tournament as a junior and reached the round of 12 as a senior. Wolf's 118-13 career mark includes a 37-3 mark as a junior, with the 37 wins setting a school single season record.
Two other upperweights that will be joining the program are Nick Weber from Kings Park, N.Y. who placed fifth as a junior and Russell Laros from the Punahou School in Oahu Hawaii.
The incoming class also features two wrestlers who deferred their enrollment after graduating high school in 2013. Axel Wessell was included in last year's recruiting class announcement. The Boulder, Colorado native and younger brother of Lehigh NCAA qualifier heavyweight Max Wessell finished second in Colorado in 2012 with a 20-3 record and was off to a 7-0 start in his senior season suffering a season-ending injury. Like his brother, Axel competes in judo, where he took second at the Junior Olympics and is a two-time third place finisher at the Junior US Open.
Tom Murray from Yorktown High School in New York also graduated in 2013. He posted a 135-30 career record and finished fourth in New York State at 182 in 2013. Laros, Murray and Wessell all project at 184/197 for Lehigh, while Weber is a projected 197.
"Our target was upperweights this year," Santoro said. "We were so thin at the end of last year with injuries and guys deferring eligibility. We really tried to add depth up top and we were able to do that. They're going to push each other and make each other really good."
The two transfer student-athletes joining the Lehigh program are Santiago Martinez from Florida and Jon Mele from New Jersey.
Martinez attended Coral Glades High School in Florida and began his college wrestling career at Lindenwood, before transferring to Central Florida where he competed in the NCWA. In three seasons at UCF, Martinez amassed a 119-13 record with 52 falls. He is a three-time conference champion and a three-time NCWA finalist, winning back-to-back national titles at 157 in 2013 and 2014. Martinez has also excelled in Greco-Roman wrestling, finishing fourth at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas last month. He projects at 157 or 165 and has one year of eligibility remaining for the Mountain Hawks.
Mele attended Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights, N.J. He spent last season at Clarion University where he went 11-9 as the Golden Eagles' starter at 125 before suffering a season-ending injury. While at Clarion, Mele did finish fifth at the PSAC Championships. A three-time county and district champion in high school, Mele was a three-time regional place winner and finished fourth in the state as a senior in 2013. Mele will have three years of eligibility remaining at Lehigh.
"We've seen them wrestle before," Santoro said of the two transfers. "Santiago is an unbelievable person. He was a two-time champ in the NCWA and we've seen him wrestle freestyle and Greco where he's had some success.
"Jon Mele is a great student," Santoro continued. "He wanted the academic challenge along with being part of a program that's going in the right direction."
Lehigh lost just one starter to graduation. The Mountain Hawks returning nucleus includes nine wrestlers who competed at least year's EIWA Championships, three All-Americans, seven 2014 NCAA qualifiers and a pair of 2013 EIWA Champions and NCAA qualifiers who deferred their eligibility last season.
This incoming class has already received national acclaim as Lehigh's recruiting class was ranked 19th by InterMat and 15th by The Open Mat earlier this month.
"We're excited about this class," explained Santoro, who enters his seventh season. "There are a lot of good wrestlers in this class and on top of that there are a lot of really good people. One of the things we focused on this year was bringing in wrestlers who get it done on the mat but also get it done in the classroom and get it done socially. These are the type of kids we want in our program. We're really excited about our future. These guys are hungry and want to be part of a really competitive team and they want to win championships."
Seven members of the incoming class are multiple time state place winners. The highest-rated recruit in the class is Dylan Milonas from Blair Academy. A New Jersey native, Milonas amassed a 98-14 career record including a 20-0 mark in his senior season Milonas is a three-time finalist at the National Prep Wrestling Championships and won a National Prep title in February. In his senior season, Milonas also won his third regional title and also captured individual titles at the Walsh Ironman and Beast of the East tournaments. Ranked No. 1 at his weight class and 14th overall by InterMat, Milonas projects at 157 or 165 for the Mountain Hawks.
Also coming to Lehigh from Blair Academy is Patrick Coover. A three-time National Prep place winner, Coover won a Prep title as a sophomore and has placed at the Walsh Ironman on three occasions and at both the Beast of the East and the Powerade Tournament twice. Coover, a Carlisle, Pa. product, missed his senior season due to injury and projects at 165.
The other InterMat top 100 recruit in the incoming class is lightweight Scott Parker from Sellersville, Pa., and Pennridge High School. Parker is ranked 66h overall and fifth at the 120 lb. weight class. A three-time state place winner, Parker posted a 147-11 record over four years, finishing fourth in the state as a sophomore, third as a junior and capping a 44-2 senior season with a second place finish in the state AAA tournament. He projects at 125 for Lehigh. Parker also won a Beast of the East title in 2013.
"We love bringing in kids from the area," Santoro said of the three newcomers who wrestled in high school less than an hour from Lehigh's campus. "It's important for any school to have local people in their program. It's something we've done over the last few years and something we want to continue to do, but we also need to continue to bring in the best kids we can throughout the country. For us its finding the kid that can succeed at Lehigh, the kid that can do it in all three categories: athletically, academically and socially. These are the type of kids we want in our program."
Four-time Pennsylvania place winner Ian Brown hails from Hanover High School. Brown went 39-0 as a senior, capturing a state title at 132 to go along with two fourth place finishes and a third place finish. A four-time sectional champion, Brown won two district titles and two regional titles en route to a 156-12 career record. The projected 141 pounder also owns state titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling and posted a third place finish at folkstyle nationals.
The third multi-time Pennsylvania place winner in the class is Ryan Preisch from New Columbia and Milton High School. A three-time state qualifier, Preisch is a two-time third place finisher. He is a three-time district champion and a two-time regional champion. Preisch also placed at the Beast of the East on two occasions and twice placed at the postseason FloNationals tournament. Preisch is a state champion in freestyle and Greco-Roman and earned All-America honors at the Junior Freestyle Nationals in Fargo, N.D. He projects at 165.
A four-time state place winner from Lowell High School in Michigan, Garett Stehley will provide depth at 184 and 197 for the Mountain Hawks. Stehley's 129-20 career record included a 61-3 record over his final two seasons. A two-time Michigan runner-up, Stehley also placed fourth and sixth at the Michigan state tournament. A four year conference champion, Stehley also lettered in football and baseball and made the academic honor roll in all four years of his high school career.
Representing the state of Maryland is Camden Fischer from Snow Hill High School. A projected 125 pounder, Fischer owns the Snow Hill career wins record with 131 A two-time conference champion and East Regional finalist, Fischer was a three-time state qualifier, finishing third as a junior and capping a 43-3 senior season with a second place finish in 2014. Fischer owns six in-season tournament titles and was named the Bayside Conference Most Outstanding Wrestler this past season.
A familiar name to Lehigh fans, Cortlandt Schuyler joins the Mountain Hawks from Manheim Township High School in Lancaster. Schuyler is a three-time state qualifier and two-time regional champion who finished seventh at the state tournament as a senior. Manheim Township's career wins leader (145-23 record), Schuyler also placed second and fourth at the Beast of the East tournament. He projects at 141/149 for the Mountain Hawks. Schuyler's father Pete '83 was a two-time EIWA Champion for Lehigh and earned All-America honors with a third place finish at 134 as a senior.
Gordon Wolf also projects at 141/149 and comes to Lehigh from Lawrence High School in Lawrenceville, N.J. Wolf is a four-time county and district finalist with three titles at both the county and district levels. A three-time regional finalist, Wolf won a regional title as a senior. He placed fifth at the NJSIAA tournament as a junior and reached the round of 12 as a senior. Wolf's 118-13 career mark includes a 37-3 mark as a junior, with the 37 wins setting a school single season record.
Two other upperweights that will be joining the program are Nick Weber from Kings Park, N.Y. who placed fifth as a junior and Russell Laros from the Punahou School in Oahu Hawaii.
The incoming class also features two wrestlers who deferred their enrollment after graduating high school in 2013. Axel Wessell was included in last year's recruiting class announcement. The Boulder, Colorado native and younger brother of Lehigh NCAA qualifier heavyweight Max Wessell finished second in Colorado in 2012 with a 20-3 record and was off to a 7-0 start in his senior season suffering a season-ending injury. Like his brother, Axel competes in judo, where he took second at the Junior Olympics and is a two-time third place finisher at the Junior US Open.
Tom Murray from Yorktown High School in New York also graduated in 2013. He posted a 135-30 career record and finished fourth in New York State at 182 in 2013. Laros, Murray and Wessell all project at 184/197 for Lehigh, while Weber is a projected 197.
"Our target was upperweights this year," Santoro said. "We were so thin at the end of last year with injuries and guys deferring eligibility. We really tried to add depth up top and we were able to do that. They're going to push each other and make each other really good."
The two transfer student-athletes joining the Lehigh program are Santiago Martinez from Florida and Jon Mele from New Jersey.
Martinez attended Coral Glades High School in Florida and began his college wrestling career at Lindenwood, before transferring to Central Florida where he competed in the NCWA. In three seasons at UCF, Martinez amassed a 119-13 record with 52 falls. He is a three-time conference champion and a three-time NCWA finalist, winning back-to-back national titles at 157 in 2013 and 2014. Martinez has also excelled in Greco-Roman wrestling, finishing fourth at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas last month. He projects at 157 or 165 and has one year of eligibility remaining for the Mountain Hawks.
Mele attended Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights, N.J. He spent last season at Clarion University where he went 11-9 as the Golden Eagles' starter at 125 before suffering a season-ending injury. While at Clarion, Mele did finish fifth at the PSAC Championships. A three-time county and district champion in high school, Mele was a three-time regional place winner and finished fourth in the state as a senior in 2013. Mele will have three years of eligibility remaining at Lehigh.
"We've seen them wrestle before," Santoro said of the two transfers. "Santiago is an unbelievable person. He was a two-time champ in the NCWA and we've seen him wrestle freestyle and Greco where he's had some success.
"Jon Mele is a great student," Santoro continued. "He wanted the academic challenge along with being part of a program that's going in the right direction."
Lehigh lost just one starter to graduation. The Mountain Hawks returning nucleus includes nine wrestlers who competed at least year's EIWA Championships, three All-Americans, seven 2014 NCAA qualifiers and a pair of 2013 EIWA Champions and NCAA qualifiers who deferred their eligibility last season.
| Name | Hometown/High School | Proj. Wt. |
| Ian Brown | Hanover, Pa./Hanover | 141 |
| Patrick Coover | Carlisle, Pa./Blair Academy | 165 |
| Camden Fischer | Snow Hill, Md./Snow Hill | 125 |
| Russell Laros | Oahu, Hawaii/Punahou School | 184/197 |
| Santiago Martinez | Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Glades (UCF) | 157/165 |
| Jon Mele | Berkeley Heights, N.J./Governor Livingston (Clarion) | 125/133 |
| Dylan Milonas | Oak Ridge, N.J./Blair Academy | 157/165 |
| Tom Murray | Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown | 184/197 |
| Scott Parker | Sellersville, Pa./Pennridge | 125 |
| Ryan Preisch | New Columbia, Pa./Milton | 165 |
| Cort Schuyler | Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Twp. | 141/149 |
| Garett Stehley | Ada, Mich./Lowell | 184/197 |
| Nick Weber | Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park | 197 |
| Axel Wessell | Boulder, Colo./Boulder | 184/197 |
| Gordon Wolf | Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence | 141/149 |
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