Wrestling to Compete in NEWA Championships this Weekend

Courtesy of WNEC Sports Information Director Ken Cerino

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The region's best wrestlers will be on display when Western New England College hosts the 32nd Annual New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Championship Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 20-21) in the Alumni Healthful Living Center.

There will be four rounds Saturday beginning at 10:30 a.m. and continuing into the evening. Competition starts at 9:30 a.m. Sunday with the final round scheduled for 5:00 p.m.

The ten individual champions in their respective weight classes and four wild-card selections will advance to the NCAA Division III Championship March 5-6 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Defending champion Williams heads the list of 14 schools competing in the tournament. The Ephs posted a 20-3 record during the regular season and were the top-ranked team in the final NEWA rankings.

Johnson & Wales was ranked second followed by Springfield, Wesleyan, and Rhode Island College. Roger Williams, Plymouth State, Southern Maine, Trinity, and Bridgewater State round out the top 10.

Also participating are Coast Guard, Norwich, Western New England College, and WPI.

There are five defending champions, Wesleyan senior Dan Bloom (Sharon, MA) (125-lb. weight class); Johnson & Wales junior Nick Cucciniello (Smithtown, NY) (133); Rhode Island College junior Kevin Sutherland (Dauphin, PA) (149); Southern Maine senior Mike Morin (Fryeburg, ME) (165), and Williams junior Ryan Malo (Georgetown, MA) (197).

Malo finished second and Morin fourth in their respective weight classes at the NCAA Division III Championship to earn All-American recognition.

This year, Cuccinello, Morin, and Malo were first in the final NEWA rankings.

The other top-ranked performers are Plymouth State sophomore Josh Huber (Hampton, NH) (125); Williams senior Dylan Rittenburg (Binghamton, NY) (141); Bridgewater State seniors John Marsh (New Bedford, MA) (149) and Frank Cammisa (Danbury, CT) (157), and Williams senior Carl Breitenstein (Delanson, NY) (157); Johnson & Wales freshman Colin Lenhardt (Hayes, VA) (174); JWU junior Brennan Ward (Waterford, CT) (184), and Western New England College freshman Jamison Sacco (Syracuse, NY) (heavyweight).

Marsh, who advanced to the NCAAs out of the 141-pound weight class as a sophomore in 2007, is the top New England wrestler at 149.  He heads into the tournament with a record of 26-1 and is also ranked fourth in all of Division III.  Cammisa, a three-time NCAA Tournament participant, moved up a weight class to 157 this season and is ranked second in New England behind Breitenstein.

Another wrestler to watch is Williams junior Corey Paulish (Ridgefield, CT) who won last year's 141-lb. title at the NEWA Tournament and placed fourth at the NCAA Division III Championship to gain All-America honors. This year he is ranked second in the NEWA in the 149-lb. weight class.

Sacco compiled an outstanding 21-1 record with 15 pins in an impressive rookie campaign. The Golden Bears have another freshman standout in Anthony Medina (Springfield, MA) who posted a 21-5 mark (five pins) in the 133-lb. weight class.

All-Tournaments passes are available for $15 (adults) and $5 (students). Day passes are $10 (adults), $3 (students), and $2 (children under 12. Session passes are $6 (adults), $2 (students), and $1 (children under 12).