Hofstra wins 10th CAA title in 11 years

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Jim Sheehan (Hofstra Sports Information)
03/04/2012


Binghamton, NY - Hofstra crowned four individual champions  and captured its 10th CAA team title in its 11 years in the league at the 2012 Colonial Athletic Association Wrestling Championships at the Binghamton University Events Center Saturday night.

Seven-teams and 70 wrestlers competed for the CAA team crown and 23 individual berths to the 2012 NCAA Championships at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri on March 15-17.

Pride seniors P.J. Gillespie at 165 and Ben Clymer at 184, junior Steve Bonanno at 125 and sophomore Luke Vaith at 141 captured CAA individual titles. It was Gillespie's second conference title after winning at 149 pounds in 2009. It was Clymer's second CAA title after winning at 184 in 2011. Bonanno and Vaith recorded their first conference titles.

Those four individuals plus Hofstra's two second-place finishers, sophomore Jamie Franco at 133 and junior Justin Accordino at 149, have all qualified for the NCAA Championships.

In the final team standings, the Pride edged the host Bearcats of Binghamton by two points, 80.5-78.5. It was Hofstra's second consecutive CAA championship since Binghamton broke the Pride's streak of eight straight CAA conference titles from 2002 through 2009. Hofstra also won the final conference title in the East Coast Wrestling Association (ECWA) in 2001.

The CAA Championship is Hofstra mentor Rob Anspach's first as head coach of the Pride after taking over for Tom Shifflet last spring.

Following Hofstra and Binghamton in the team standings were Old Dominion (68.5 pts.), Boston University (34), Drexel (33.5), George Mason (30.5) and Rider.

2012 CAA Championship Results

125 Pounds
Jerome Robinson (ODU) dec. #4 Derek Steeley (Bing), 5-2
Chris McGinley (Boston) dec. #3 Chuck Zeisloft (Rider), 1-0
#2 Vince Rodriguez (GMU) tech fall Franco Faeraina (Drexel), 17-2, 0:00

Consolations
Chuck Zeisloft (Rider) major dec. Franco Ferraina (Drexel), 8-0

Semifinals
#1 Steve Bonanno (Hofstra) major dec. Jerome Robinson (ODU), 8-0
#2 Vince Rodriguez (GMU) WBF Chris McGinley (Boston), 5:35

Second Round Consolations
Chris McGinley (Boston) dec. #4 Derek Steeley (BU), 8-5
Jerome Robinson (ODU) dec. #3 Chuck Zeifloft (Rider), 6-1

Championship
#1 Steve Bonanno (Hofstra) major dec. #2 Vince Rodriguez (GMU), 9-0
3rd Place
Jerome Robinson (ODU) dec. Chris McGinley (Boston), 3-0

133 Pounds
#1 Jimmy Morris (Rider) dec. Zachary Isenhour (GMU), 4-2
#3 Jamie Franco (Hofstra) dec. Patrick Hunter (Bing), 6-4 tb1
#2 Fred Santaite (Boston) dec. Josh Yurasits (Drexel), 8-3

Consolations
Patrick Hunter (Bing) WBF Josh Yurasits (Drexel), 1:40

Semifinals
#4 Scott Festejo (ODU) WBF #1 Jimmy Morris (Rider), 3:04
#3 Jamie Franco (Hofstra) dec. #2 Fred Santaite (Boston), 2-0

Second Round Consolations
#2 Fred Santaite (Boston) dec. Zachary Isenhour (GMU), 9-4
Patrick Hunter (Bing) dec. #1 Jimmy Morris (Rider), 8-7

Championship
#4 Scott Festejo (ODU) dec. #3 Jamie Franco (Hofstra), 4-3
3rd Place
Patrick Hunter (Bing) dec. #2 Fred Santaite (Boston), 6-3

141 Pounds
#1 Luke Vaith (Hofstra) dec. Dennis Herndon (GMU), 6-3
#4 Joe Bonaldi (Bing) dec. Tyler Scotton (Boston), 5-4 tb2
#2 Frank Cimato (Drexel) dec. Vinny Fava (Rider), 10-4

Consolations
Dennis Herndon (GMU) dec. Tyler Scotton (Boston), 4-0

Semifinals
#1 Luke Vaith (Hofstra) dec. #4 Joe Bonaldi (Bing), 8-3
#3 Justin LaValle (ODU) dec. #2 Frank Cimato (Drexel), 6-5

Second Round Consolations
Dennis Herndon (GMU) dec. #2 Frank Cimato (Drexel), 11-9 tb1
Vinny Fava (Rider) dec. #4 Joe Bonaldi (Bing), 8-6

Championship
#1 Luke Vaith (Hofstra) dec. #3 Justin LaValle (ODU), 3-1
3rd Place
Dennis Herndon (GMU) dec. Vinny Fava (Rider), 6-4
True Second
#3 Justin LaValle (ODU) dec. Dennis Herndon (GMU), 5-3

149 Pounds
#1 Donnie Vinson (Bing) WBF B.J. Suitor (Boston), 1:19
#3 Zac Cibula (Rider) dec. Shane Fenningham (Drexel), 4-1
#2 Justin Accordino (Hofstra) major dec. Kevin Timothy (GMU), 10-2

Consolations
Shane Fenningham (Drexel) dec. Kevin Timothy (GMU), 7-4

Semifinals
#1 Donnie Vinson (Bing) tech fall #4 Brennan Brumley (ODU), 15-0, 4:00
#2 Justin Accordino (Hofstra) dec. #3 Zac Cibula (Rider), 7-2

Second Round Consolations
#3 Zac Cibula (Rider) WBF B.J. Suitor (Boston), 1:55
#4 Brennan Brumley (ODU) dec. Shane Fenningham (Drexel), 2-1

Championship
#1 Donnie Vinson (Bing) major dec. #2 Justin Accordino (Hofstra), 12-3
3rd Place
#3 Zac Cibula (Rider) dec. #4 Brennan Brumley (ODU), 8-3

157 Pounds
#1 Justin Lister (Bing) WBF Jaaziah Bethea (GMU) , 0:43
#3 Austin Sommer (Drexel) WBF Ramon Santiago (Rider), 4:30
#2 John Nicholson (ODU) dec. Nick Tourville (Boston), 13-8

Consolations
Ramon Santiago (Rider) dec. Nick Tourville (Boston), 1-0

Semifinals
#1 Justin Lister (Bing) dec. #4 Tyler Banks (Hofstra), 7-2
#2 John Nicholson (ODU) major dec. #3 Austin Sommer (Drexel), 14-5

Second Round Consolations
#3 Austin Sommer (Drexel) med. forfeit Jaaziah Bethea (GMU)
Ramon Santiago (Rider) dec. #4 Tyler Banks (Hofstra), 6-5 tb2

Championship
#1 Justin Lister (Bing) WBF #2 John Nicholson (OSU), 1:32
3rd Place
Ramon Santiago (Rider) dec. #3 Austin Sommer (Drexel), 10-5
True Second
#2 John Nicholson (ODU) dec. Ramon Santiago (Rider), 5-3

165 Pounds
#1 Joe Booth (Drexel) dec. James Brundage (Rider), 6-3
#4 Tristan Warner (ODU) dec. Ty Knepp (GMU), 5-1
#3 Matt Kaylor (Bing) major dec. Mitchell Wightman (Boston), 13-4

Consolations
James Brundage (Rider) major dec. Ty Knepp (GMU), 12-3

Semifinals
#4 Tristan Warner (ODU) dec. #1 Joe Booth (Drexel), 3-1 tb2
#2 P.J. Gillespie (Hofstra) dec. #3 Matt Kaylor (Bing), 6-4 tb1

Second Round Consolations
James Brundage (Rider) dec. #3 Matt Kaylor (Bing), 9-5
#1 Joe Booth (Drexel) dec. Mitchell Wightman (Boston), 3-1

Championship
#2 P.J. Gillespie (Hofstra) dec. #4 Tristan Warner (ODU), 4-1
3rd Place
#1 Joe Booth (Drexel) major dec.James Brundage (Rider), 12-3
5th Place
#3 Matt Kaylor (Bing) dec. Mitchell Wightman (Boston), 4-2

174 Pounds
Alex Rinaldi (Drexel) dec. #4 Caleb Wallace (Bing), 4-0
#3 Jim Resnick (Rider) tech fall Seth Robertson (GMU), 17-1, 4:52
#2 Kyle Czarneck (Boston) dec. Jermaine John (Hofstra), 3-1

Consolations
Jermaine John (Hofstra) major dec. Seth Robertson (GMU), 12-0

Semifinals
#1 Te Edwards (ODU) dec. Alex Rinaldi (Drexel), 10-7
#2 Kyle Czarnecki (Boston) injury def. #3 Jim Resnick (Rider), 6:52

Second Round Consolation
#4 Caleb Wallace (Bing) med. forfeit #3 Jim Resnick (Rider)
Jermaine John (Hofstra) major dec. Alex Rinaldi (Drexel), 12-3

Championship
#1 Te Edwards (ODU) dec. #2 Kyle Czarnecki (Boston), 6-2
3rd Place
#4 Caleb Wallace (Bing) WBF Jermaine John (Hofstra), 0:55
True Second
#2 Kyle Czarnecki (Boston) dec. #4 Caleb Wallace (Bing), 7-3

184 Pounds
#1 Ben Clymer (Hofstra) major dec. Niccolo Becattini (Drexel), 10-2
Hunter Meys (Boston) WBF #3 Clint Morrison (Rider), 3:51
#2 Nate Schiedel (Bing) WBF Ryan Hembury (GMU) 3:13

Consolations
Clint Morrison (Rider) tech. fall Ryan Hembury (GMU), 17-2, 0:00

Semifinals
#1 Ben Clymer (Hofstra) dec. #4 Billy Curling (ODU), 4-0
#2 Nate Schiedel (Bing) dec. Hunter Meys (Boston), 4-2

Second Round Consolations
Hunter Meys (Boston) WBF Niccolo Becattini (Drexel), 4:20
#4 Billy Curling (ODU) dec. #3 Clint Morrison (Rider), 2-0

Championship
#1 Ben Clymer (Hofstra) dec. #2 Nate Schiedel (Bing), 6-0
3rd Place
Hunter Meys (Boston) dec. #4 Billy Curling (ODU), 3-2

197 Pounds
#1 Bagna Tovuujav (GMU) major dec. Cody Reed (Bing), 15-4
#3 Brandon Palik (Drexel) dec. Donald McNeil (Rider), 3-1
#2 John Hall (Boston) dec. Tim Murphy (Hofstra), 10-4

Consolations
Donald McNeil (Rider) major dec. Tim Murphy (Hofstra), 16-6

Semifinals
#1 Bagna Tovuujav (GMU) dec. #4 Joe Budi (ODU), 3-1 tb1
#3 Brandon Palik (Drexel) dec. #2 John Hall (Boston), 8-1

Second Round Consolations
Cody Reed (Bing) dec. #2 John Hall (Boston), 9-5
#4 Joe Budi (ODU) dec. Donald McNeil (Rider), 5-3

Championship
#1 Bagna Tovuujav (GMU) dec. #3 Brandon Palik (Drexel), 3-1 tb1
3rd Place
#4 Joe Budi (ODU) dec. Cody Reed (Bing), 7-5 tb1

285 Pounds
#1 Kyle Frey (Drexel) dec. Matt Tourdot (ODU), 3-2
#4 Paul Snyder (Hofstra) dec. Evan Craig (Rider), 2-1
#3 Kevin Innis (Boston) dec. Adam Barnette (GMU), 8-2

Consolations
Matt Tourdot (ODU) dec. Evan Craig (Rider), 6-3

Semifinals
#1 Kyle Frey (Drexel) dec. #4 Paul Snyder (Hofstra), 2-1
#2 Nick Gwiazdowski (Bing) major dec. #3 Kevin Ennis (Boston), 13-3

Second Round Consolations
#3 Kevin Innis (Boston) dec. Matt Tourdot (ODU), 10-6
#4 Paul Snyder (Hofstra) WBF Adam Barnette (GMU), 6:42

Championship
#2 Nick Gwiazdowski (Bing) dec. #1 Kyle Frey (Drexel), 3-1
3rd Place
#3 Kevin Innis (Boston) dec. #4 Paul Snyder (Hofstra), 3-2