SOURCE: providence.jwuathletics.com

November 06, 2022

The Victory Squeeze!!!!! #WINatEVERYTHING pic.twitter.com/PHyKORQsZS

— JWU WRESTLING (@JWUWRESTLING) November 5, 2022

ITHACA, N.Y. - The Johnson & Wales (RI) University wrestling team won the Ithaca Invitational for the third-consecutive year Saturday afternoon at the Athletic and Events Center.

The Wildcats finished the event with 182.5 points, which was well ahead of several nationally and regionally-ranked opponents, including No. 12 Baldwin Wallace (99.5 points) and No. 22 Castleton (145 points). Overall, JWU earned 121 victories and posted the best winning pct. amongst all schools at 66 percent. Additionally, 15 student-athletes placed in the top six ? including seven who advanced to the finals.

Graduate student and captain William Hughes earned the award for most pins in the least amount of time; he recorded five pins at 157 lbs. Sophomore Zachary Weiner (141 lbs.) had the most tech falls in the fewest time with two in 5:06. Junior Cameron Bailey, meanwhile, scored the fastest pin of the tournament in just 25 seconds. Senior Gabe McDaniel collected the most points in one match (22) while Gabriel Leo and Weiner tied for the most individual match points with 79.

Freshmen and No. 2 seed Joziah Fry and unseeded Harrison Gordon met in the finals of the 125 lb. weight class with Fry scoring an 8-1 win; Gordon upset top-seeded Chris DeRosa of New England College to reach the finals. Senior Ryan DeVivo also won his weight class (184 lbs.), defeating the number 5 seed in the finals.

Junior and no. 3 seed Hayden Brown competed in the 157 lb. weight class, where he defeated No. 2 seed and All-America selection Kyle Merritt of Norwich to advance to the finals. Freshman Adolfo Betancur enter the meet unranked at the 285 lb. weight class and also moved on to the finals before falling to Austin Williams from Del Val.

Junior and No. 1 seed Scott Defex (165 lb.) and sophomore Dylan Harr (197 lb.) also advanced to the finals of their weight class. Defex ripped off four-in-a-row to advance to the finals before being ousted by the No. 3 seed. Harr, meanwhile, pinned his first three opponents in a total time of 3:31 before ousting the No. 2 seed with a score of 15-4. He was upended by All-America Chibueze Chukwuezi in the finals.