2008 Woodie Awards
Wrestling, second year coach face stiff competition in 2005 season
By Travis Pickens
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 11/11/05 Section: Sports Extra
The formula of a young team with high expectations doesn't usually equal success.
This year's Slippery Rock University wrestling team hopes to change that stereotype. Of the six wrestlers that coach Derek DelPorto said would lead the team to more wins this season, three were redshirt freshmen or sophomores. Last season, SRU compiled a 7-15 dual meet record.
"We're expecting big things out of red shirt freshmen Sal Lascari and Braden Shaw," DelPorto said. "I expect Jeremiah Frederick, a redshirt sophomore, to do pretty well this year."
DelPorto said the other wrestlers expected to lead the team, are Garry Price, Jason Cardillo and Charlie Pienaar. All three qualified for nationals last year in Oklahoma City, and enter this year as team captains.
"The guys I'm really hoping to carry us this season are the captains and the two red shirt freshmen," DelPorto said. "I expect (the three captains) to repeat winning the East Region. Charlie was also PSAC champion last year, and I hope that he can repeat that. I'm expecting them to place high in the PSAC, at least top three. I expect them to win the East Region, go out to nationals and win some matches out there. I'm expecting big things."
DelPorto, in his second year as coach of the Rock after finishing his collegiate career at SRU as an All-American in 1999, took over a young team last season. In turn, he said the team experienced some growing pains.
"I had 22 freshmen on my team," DelPorto said of the team he inherited from former coach Jim Harshaw. "The majority of my guys are red shirt freshmen or sophomores. I'm expecting big things out of those guys."
DelPorto said he gives the players credit for staying with the program after Harshaw left for the University of Virginia.
"They came in after being recruited by a different coach," DelPorto said. "I came in, and they tried to learn my system. They've had my system for a year and a half, so I'm expecting big things out of them."
This year's Slippery Rock University wrestling team hopes to change that stereotype. Of the six wrestlers that coach Derek DelPorto said would lead the team to more wins this season, three were redshirt freshmen or sophomores. Last season, SRU compiled a 7-15 dual meet record.
"We're expecting big things out of red shirt freshmen Sal Lascari and Braden Shaw," DelPorto said. "I expect Jeremiah Frederick, a redshirt sophomore, to do pretty well this year."
DelPorto said the other wrestlers expected to lead the team, are Garry Price, Jason Cardillo and Charlie Pienaar. All three qualified for nationals last year in Oklahoma City, and enter this year as team captains.
"The guys I'm really hoping to carry us this season are the captains and the two red shirt freshmen," DelPorto said. "I expect (the three captains) to repeat winning the East Region. Charlie was also PSAC champion last year, and I hope that he can repeat that. I'm expecting them to place high in the PSAC, at least top three. I expect them to win the East Region, go out to nationals and win some matches out there. I'm expecting big things."
DelPorto, in his second year as coach of the Rock after finishing his collegiate career at SRU as an All-American in 1999, took over a young team last season. In turn, he said the team experienced some growing pains.
"I had 22 freshmen on my team," DelPorto said of the team he inherited from former coach Jim Harshaw. "The majority of my guys are red shirt freshmen or sophomores. I'm expecting big things out of those guys."
DelPorto said he gives the players credit for staying with the program after Harshaw left for the University of Virginia.
"They came in after being recruited by a different coach," DelPorto said. "I came in, and they tried to learn my system. They've had my system for a year and a half, so I'm expecting big things out of them."
