Cortland Wins SUNYAC Wrestling Crown
SOURCE: www.cortlandreddragons.com
November 18, 2023

 


ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The Cortland wrestling team, behind two weight-class champions and 12 total top-six finishers, won the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) team title Saturday at RIT's Gordon Field House.

The SUNYAC is sponsoring wrestling for the first time since the 1990-91 season. The conference consists of eight teams - four current full-time league members and four wrestling affiliate members. Cortland captured its eighth SUNYAC title overall and first since the 1987-88 season. The Red Dragons finished with 155.5 points, followed by Ithaca (145), RIT (130.5), Oswego (102.5), Oneonta (92.5), St. John Fisher (90), Brockport (63.5) and Utica (23).

Senior J.C. Cardenas (Brooklyn/Grand Street Campus) was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler after winning the 133-pound title a 4-0 record. He won twice by technical fall, followed by a 7-2 decision in the semifinals and a 13-8 win over Ithaca's Isaias Torres in the finals. Senior Leo Rabinovich (Staten Island/Tottenville) won the 285-pound crown with a 4-0 mark that included two pins and a 3-1 win over Ithaca's Jeremy Mazzella in the finals.

Freshman Culley Bellino (Canastota) finished second at 141 pounds. He won his first three matches, with a pin and a major decision, before losing to St. John Fisher's Alex Samson in the finals.

The top two finishers in each weight class earn All-SUNYAC honors.

Four Cortland wrestlers earned fourth-place finishes - Christian Lievano (East Setauket/Ward Melville) was 3-2 at 125 pounds, Nick Noto (Lima/Honeoye Falls-Lima) went 3-2 at 149 pounds, Pat Ross (Woodstock/Onteora) was 4-2 at 174 pounds and Robby Cunningham (Miller Place) went 5-2 at 184 pounds.

Three Red Dragons finished fifth - Shane Walczyk (Eden) at 141, Hunter Hughes (Selden/Newfield) at 157 and Nick Ross (Woodstock/Onteora) at 165, while Dan Cassera (East Setauket/Ward Melville) placed sixth at 174 and Chris Bold (Miller Place) was sixth at 197.


Continue to www.cortlandreddragons.com



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