SOURCE: bubearcats.com

January 08, 2021

WE ARE BACK AND IT FEELS SO GOOD! Bearcats host Rider at 5 p.m.

📺: https://t.co/luR53z7AOd#EmbraceTheGreen pic.twitter.com/eqa0yw5lea

— Binghamton Wrestling (@BearcatsWrestle) January 9, 2021

LIVE VIDEO

The Binghamton University wrestling team is set to open the season against Rider Saturday evening. The Bearcats return five starters from last season's lineup, including NWCA All-America selection Lou DePrez.

DePrez, ranked as high as fourth in the nation at 184 pounds, had six victories against top 10 opponents last season. The redshirt junior tallied a 26-5 record and had first place finishes at the Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open, Southern Scuffle and EIWA Championships on top of his All-America selection.

Providing a punch at 141 pounds, No. 19 Zack Trampe will also look to carry over his success from a year ago. Another redshirt junior, Trampe is a two-time NCAA qualifier who earned significant national recognition a season ago.

Redshirt senior Alex Melikian and junior Michael Zarif will also bring a veteran presence Saturday. Five newcomers will make their career debuts against Rider. Freshman Collin Burns will wrestle in place of Joe Doyle (No. 29,TrackWrestling) this weekend at heavyweight.

Projected Lineups

Binghamton
125-Micah Roes

133-Anthony Sobotker

141-No. 19 Zack Trampe

149-Michael Zarif

157-Alex Strashinsky

165-Brevin Cassella

174-Alex Melikian

184-No. 4 Lou DePrez

197-Sam DePrez

285-Collin Burns


Rider

125-Jonathan Tropea

133-Richie Koehler

141-McKenzie Bell

149-Wyatt McCarthy or Travis Layton

157-No. 4 Jesse Dellavecchia

165-Jake Silverstein

174-Angel Garcia or Shane Reitsma

184-George Walton

197-Matt Correnti

285-No. 13 Ethan Laird

Scouting Rider

The Broncs enter Saturday's contest with two nationally ranked wrestlers (InterMat). They are led by 157-pounder Jesse Dellavecchia. Dellavecchia, ranked fourth in the country, is a returning MAC champion and NWCA All-America selection. The graduate student went 30-2 a year ago, including a 12-1 dual record.

Heavyweight Ethan Laird also is nationally ranked. Laird, ranked 13th in the country, has made the transition to heavyweight from 197 pounds last season. He took second at the MAC Championships last season.

125-pounder Jonathan Tropea (No. 26, TrackWrestling) and 184-pounder George Walton (No. 24, TrackWrestling, No. 25, FloWrestling, No. 26 (WestleStat) have also garnered national recognition.

The remainder of the Rider lineup consists of two returners, two transfers, and two true freshmen.