Deep squad looks for Ivy, EIWA titles

Filled with experience, the 2000-2001 Princeton wrestling team is prepared to avenge its poor record from last year.

With veterans throughout the lineup, the Tigers have an excellent competitor in each weight class. Led by seniors Ryan Bonfiglio, Scott Pasquini, Joe Rybacki and Jeff Bernd, the Tigers have their best chance of winning an Ivy League championship in five years.

The 1999-2000 season was very disappointing for the wrestling team. An injury to Rybacki — and the absence of Bonfiglio and junior Juan Venturi, who were both studying abroad — devastated an alreadydepleted team. The Tigers placed sixth out of six teams at the Ivy League championships.

Experienced

But the 1999-2000 team only graduated one starter, Marc Steyer '00. The return of Bonfiglio, Venturi and Rybacki makes the team possibly the Tigers' strongest of the past 10 years. While last year was a long and strenuous season, it did prepare many of the young wrestlers, especially sophomores Seth Dunipace and Joe Clarke. While the team was weak and lacking in senior leadership, the younger wrestlers filled those roles and matured enormously.

While Penn and Cornell are still very strong teams, Princeton feels that it finally has the opportunity to compete with these Ivy League rivals at every weight class, and with so much experience, the team finally knows it can win.

Here's how the Tigers shape up by weight class:

125 lbs. — The loss of Steyer, a four-year letterman, leaves a huge gap for the young wrestlers to fill. Most likely, Dunipace, who wrestled several bouts last year, will start as the top wrestler in the weight class, but freshmen Brian Kirschbaum and Kenny Chu are battling for a spot.

133 lbs. — While Venturi missed the 1999-2000 season, he had great success in this class during his freshman year. But sophomore John Knorring wrestled in Venturi's place last year, and he has no plans to give Venturi the top spot.

141 lbs. — Clarke wrestled fiercely at this weight class last year and, as a high school All-America from Georgia, he plans on dominating 141 this year.

149 lbs. — As one of the three Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association place finishers returning, Bernd is primed and ready to make another assault on the league and his Ivy League opponents. As one of the top wrestlers on the team, Bernd should carry the Tigers through the tough matches. A number of younger wrestlers, including sophomore Steve Koshgerian and freshmen Milo Adams and Michael Hyatt, hope to learn from Bernd and win a few matches this season.

157 lbs. — Juniors Albert Pendleton and Jon Bunt, co-winners of the most improved freshman award, are battling for the lead spot at their weight class. Constantly competing through practices, each wrestler's intensity influences the entire team. No matter who wins the spot, both wrestlers could be very successful in the league.

165 lbs. — Bonfiglio, a captain, who placed sixth at the EIWA Championships during the 1998-99 season, plans to improve and possibly win the Ivy League championship at his weight class.

Get the best of ‘the Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

174 lbs. — Pasquini, another captain, plans on placing highly in both the Ivy League and the EIWA Championships this season. But Pasquini will face stiff competition from his classmate, senior Brian Foran, who wrestled at 184 last year because of a lack of depth at that weight. With depth no longer a problem for the Princeton team, Foran could also be very successful at this weight class.

184 lbs. — After a sixth place finish in the EIWA Championships last year, sophomore Greg Parker has moved up two weight classes, but he is still capable of winning at this class. Junior Anthony Debartolo has moved between several weight classes, but he hopes to compete at 184.

197 lbs. — Though it is led by senior Chris McLaughlin, this weight class consists mostly of underclassmen who should be very successful in the near future. Freshmen Joe Looke and Matt Fisher are already competing well with McLaughlin, and they are both capable of winning at this level.

285 lbs. — Much of the success for the season depends on Rybacki. Expected to place highly in each meet, Rybacki has competition from freshman Nate Rawlings. Both athletes will have to wrestle at their best to win in the league, but they are experienced and capable of doing so.

Excited by the move to the new Class of 1958 Wrestling Room, the team has been practicing and conditioning since the beginning of the school year. While injuries are always devastating to a wrestling team, this team has the most depth of any Princeton squad in the last 10 years.