Butler, DeNichilo lead grapplers

In a sport in which the athletes spend most of their time rolling around the floor, struggling to overpower their opponents, bruises, bumps and strains are the norm rather than the exception. The biggest challenge for the wrestling team this season will be for the players to push themselves while trying to keep their injuries to a minimum.

"The wrestling season is long and really takes a toll on your body," senior co-captain Jake Butler said. "At times it is difficult to stay focused and motivated in the practice room every day for six months, but I think as long as you can stay healthy and continue to work hard every day, come tournament time in March it will pay off."

Butler enjoyed the most success of any Tiger last season, traveling to the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo. Though he won his first match in the 197-pound bracket, he was ousted in the second match by the No. 2 seed and ultimate champion, Jake Rosholt of Oklahoma State. Butler is motivated by a desire to get back to the Championships, and his training is dedicated to improving on last season's performance.

"Individually, I have been able to really improve my conditioning from last year, and mentally I am much more prepared. I think last year we had a lot of guys getting their first taste of Division I wrestling, and so this year we will be in much better position to win some big matches."

Though Princeton competes in individual tournaments, the majority of its season involves team competition. Impressive contributions from Butler alone, therefore, won't be enough this season. Fortunately for the Tigers, the outlook for the rest of the team is also positive.

"The team has done a great job of preparing for upcoming matches through strength and conditioning training in the preseason," senior co-captain Matt DeNichilo said. "We had our first tournament [last weekend], and it was great to see a lot of the guys pick up solid wins that will hopefully carry momentum into our first official tournaments next weekend."

Both DeNichilo and Butler are four-year starters in their weight classes and will be called upon to consistently provide points for the Princeton squad. Their leadership, along with the experience provided by senior co-captain Andrew Iannuzzi, will be critical for establishing a team presence in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association.

"I think this season has gotten off to a good start for the team, in terms of our attitude and fitness and in the sense that we are not pushing as hard as early this year in order to be able to perform better in the late season and to avoid peaking too early," Iannuzzi said.

Though the team has many dominant seniors, its outlook for the future is even brighter because of the new talent that has arrived. With many grapplers getting their first taste of Division I wrestling this season, the Tigers' success is dependent on how quickly the younger players can adjust.

"The freshmen earned some respect from the rest of the team with some solid wrestling," DeNichilo said. "That's good to see because there will probably be two freshmen starting this year for us in the lowest two weight classes, 125 and 133."

Two of the most important tournaments for Princeton are the EIWAs and the NCAA championships. Performance in the EIWAs dictates whether or not each wrestler qualifies for the NCAAs. Before they compete in those season-ending tournaments, however, the Tigers will face numerous strong squads in one-on-one meetings. After amassing a 5-8 record last season, Princeton will have to face more difficult matches against traditional powerhouses Penn and Cornell, a team the Tigers lost to by a 42-0 margin last year.

Princeton's season will open on Nov. 19 in the East Stroudsburg Open. It will be the first chance the squad has to show that it can implement the aggressiveness and tenacity that the Tigers have worked on during the preseason practices.