Trinity Wrestling Teams Enter National Rankings for First Time

Trinity Wrestling Teams Enter
National Rankings for First Time

Hartford, Conn., Feb. 14 - The Trinity College wrestling team, which has posted a College record 22-2 record with two dual matches remaining, is ranked No. 24 in National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III national poll. Trinity, which captured its first-ever New England College Conference Wrestling Association (NECCWA) Duals Championship title in late January, has been ranked No. 1 in New England for the past three weeks.

The Bantams, coached by Sebastian Amato (29th season, 134-167-3), have won 15 straight matches and finish the regular season at Bridgewater State against the hosts and Rhode Island College this Saturday.

Trinity boasts eight wrestlers ranked among the top six in new England in their respective weight classes, including freshman Michael Blair (Plymouth, N.H.) who is also the No. 8-ranked heavyweight in the nation.

Blair is the top-ranked heavyweight in New England, joining junior co-captain Michael Doros (East Hartford, Conn.) who is the No. 1-ranked wrestler at 184 pounds. Fellow senior co-captain 165-pounder Wesley Connell (Simsbury, Conn.) and sophomore 197-pounder Matt Webster (Foxboro, Mass.) are both ranked third in new England, while sophomore David Bucco (Paramus, N.J.) is No. 4 at 157 pounds. Freshman 125-pounder Luis Murillo (Meriden, Conn.) is fifth in New England, and classmate Mark Romeo (Ridgewood, N.J.) and senior Lucas McKittrick (Lincolnville, Maine) are ranked No. 6 at 141 pounds and 174 pounds, respectively.

Connell leads Trinity with a 21-1 record this season and is tied with Webster for a team-high 11 pins. Blair is 19-1 and classmate Bryan Dubiel (Avon, Conn.) is 8-1 to give Trinity a 27-2 record in the heavyweight division. Doros has a team-high 23 wins and just two losses, while Webster is 17-4, Bucco is 21-5 with seven pins, and Romeo is 21-7 with eight pins. McKittrick has posted a 15-6 mark, while classmate Eric Egolf (Glastonbury, Conn.) is 17-9, and Murillo is 12-7 for the Bantams.

Several Bantams are ranked among the best in the nation statistically as well, led by Doros who leads the country in near falls with 2.33 per match (42). Bucco is seventh and Romeo is ninth nationally in near falls with 1.00 (35) and 0.89 (17) near falls, while Egolf is fifth in the nation in reversals with 0.77 per match (17). Romeo is 10th nationally in reversals with 0.63 per match (12).

This week’s New England Division III Poll:

1. Trinity (Conn.) 110

2. Norwich 97

3. Bridgewater State 79

4. Springfield 69

5. Wesleyan 63

6. Coast Guard 43

7. Johnson and Wales 39

8. Rhode Island College 31

9. Worcester Tech 29

10. Roger Williams 26

Also: Plymouth State, Williams