We are 3⃣ days away from hosting our Wrestle-Offs at the Events Center! We have everything you need to know for Saturday, including where you can watch it!
— Binghamton Wrestling (@BearcatsWrestle) November 8, 2023
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20 Bearcat wrestlers will compete against each other prior to season opener on Nov. 17
VESTAL, N.Y. - The Binghamton wrestling team will compete on the mat for the first time during the 2023-24 season on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 5 p.m., when the Bearcats hold their Wrestle-Offs at 5 p.m., at the Events Center. Admission to attend is free.
20 of Binghamton's wrestlers will compete against each other as part of final preparations for the team's season opener at Journeymen Wrestling's Armbar at the Armory on Friday, Nov. 17 in Albany, N.Y. 10 wrestlers will represent the black team, while another 10 will represent the green team.
Here are the matchups for Saturday's event by weight class:
125: (Black) Carson Wagner vs. (Green) Matt Griffin
133: (Black) Ryan Hartung vs. (Green) Micah Roes
141: (Black) Nate Lucier vs. (Green) Ivan Garcia
149: (Black) Michael Zarif vs. (Green) Fin Nadeau
157: (Black) Carter Baer vs. (Green) Marco Albanese
165: (Black) Tyler Reed vs. (Green) Brevin Cassella
174: (Black) Will Ebert vs. (Green) Dimitri Gamkrelidze
184: (Black) Jacob Nolan vs. (Green) John Baker
197: (Black) Cayden Bevis vs. (Green) Andrew Bailey
285: (Black) Charlie Tibbitts vs. (Green) Cory Day
Binghamton will field a roster of 28 wrestlers, consisting of 18 returners and 10 newcomers. Kyle Borshoff returns for his seventh season as the head coach of the Bearcats. Rounding out the coaching staff are three former Bearcat wrestlers in Cody Reed, Lou DePrez, and Anthony Sobotker.
Here is a breakdown of this season's roster by weight class:
125:
Junior Nick Curley wrestled in nine matches unattached during the 2022-23 season. The season prior to that, he picked up three wins and one pin for the Bearcats.
Graduate student Matt Griffin is set to begin his first year with Binghamton after transferring from Ithaca College. Griffin had multiple strong finishes at Ithaca. He finished in second place in the Jamestown Community College Open and third in the New York State Championships in 2019-20 and in sixth place at both the Ithaca Invitational and the Spartan Invitational in 2021-22.
Freshman Jay McDonnell also joins the Bearcats after competing at The Haverford School in Haverford, Pa. During his career there, McDonnell won 82 matches in four years with the varsity team, collecting 40 pins along the way. He qualified for the National Prep Wrestling Championships twice, finishing sixth in 2023.
Freshman Carson Wagner qualified for the Pennsylvania state championships all four years at Northampton Area High School, finishing as high as second during his senior season in 2023. He also was a three-time district finalist, winning one title.
133:
Junior Ivan Garcia wrestled in 11 duals during the 2022-23 season. He ended up getting dual victories against LIU, Lehigh, Harvard, and Hofstra. He won 13 matches during his first two seasons at Binghamton.
Freshman Ryan Hartung competed at New Milford High School in New Milford, N.J. During his career there, he won 103 matches and qualified for state twice, while also finishing as a runner up in the Bergen County Championships during his senior season.
Junior Micah Roes won 12 matches for the Bearcats in 2022-23. During that season, he won eight of his 17 dual matches. He also picked up two major decision wins.
141:
Redshirt sophomore Nate Lucier wrestled in 12 duals for the Bearcats in 2022-23. He ultimately won five dual matches against Minnesota, Buffalo, LIU, Drexel, and American. He also won the 141 lb. championship at the 21st Annual New York State Intercollegiate Open, and placed fifth at the Edinboro Open.
149:
Freshman Jordan Brown finished as a runner-up in the New York state championships during his senior season at Monroe Woodbury High School in Central Valley, N.Y., in 2023. During his last season in high school, Brown compiled a record of 42-2. He was also a two-time Section 9 champion in New York.
Sophomore Fin Nadeau wrestled in three duals for the Bearcats at 157 lbs., in 2022-23. He previously won the 2022 Montana state championship while competing for Flathead High School in Kalispell, Mont. He also contributed to Flathead winning two state championships as a team in 2021 and 2022.
Freshman Caleb Sweet won the New York state championship during his senior season at South Seneca Central School in Ovid, N.Y., in 2023. He became the first wrestler from that school to win a state championship and to also qualify for state twice. He finished runner-up at state in 2022. Additionally, he set school records for pins in a season (34), career pins (109), takedowns in a season (87), and near-falls in a season (121). He ultimately compiled a record of 196-32 over six years on the varsity team.
Graduate student Michael Zarif won 15 matches for the Bearcats in 2022-23. He picked up eight dual victories during the year. Additionally, he recorded two major decision victories for Binghamton. Overall, he has won 34 matches throughout his collegiate career.
157:
Freshman Marco Albanese was the District 11 runner-up in 2022-23 while competing for Emmaus High School in Emmaus, Pa. He picked up 86 wins over four years on the varsity team. He also won the Bethlehem Holiday Classic championship in 2021-22, while finishing as the runner-up at that event in 2022-23.
Sophomore Carter Baer wrestled in three duals for the Bearcats in 2022-23 against Northern Colorado, Appalachian State, and Princeton. He won the 165 lb. championship at both The Open Zingo Nationals and the New York State Intercollegiate, while finishing third at the Lock Haven Mat-Town Open.
Junior Conner Decker recorded dual wins against Lehigh, Hofstra, and Navy for the Bearcats in 2022-23. While competing at Maryland, Decker won six matches for the Terrapins.
Senior Tyler Martin did not compete for the Bearcats in 2022-23. In his two seasons with Binghamton prior to that, Martin won 13 matches for the Bearcats, including 11 in 2021-22.
Freshman Tyler Reed had 118 wins over his career at Cornwall Central High School in Cornwall, N.Y. During his senior season, Reed went 43-2 on the mat, winning the New York state championship that year. He holds the school record for takedowns with 392.
165:
Junior Brevin Cassella was one of three Bearcats to qualify for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in 2023. It was the second straight season he qualified for the event. He finished that year with 20 victories on the mat with two pins, two tech falls, and three major decisions. In his first three seasons at Binghamton, he has won 45 matches.
Sophomore Will Ebert competed in four duals at 174 lbs. for the Bearcats in 2022-23. He secured his first career dual victory against Buffalo.
174:
Junior Dimitri Gamkrelidze won 10 matches for the Bearcats in 2022-23. During that season, he wrestled at both 165 lbs., and 197 lbs., winning matches in duals at both weights. In three seasons with the Bearcats, Gamkrelidze has won 16 matches.
Junior Logan Gumble recorded seven wins for the Bearcats in 2022-23. The Binghamton, N.Y., native has won 10 matches in two seasons with the Bearcats.
184:
Freshman Andrew Bailey won the New York state championship during his senior season at Chittenango High School in 2023, while finishing the year undefeated at 38-0. During his five years on the varsity team, Bailey won 100 matches.
Sophomore John Baker wrestled in one dual for the Bearcats against Cornell in 2022-23. During his first season with the Bearcats, Baker also wrestled nine matches unattached.
Redshirt Senior Jacob Nolan was one of three Bearcats to qualify for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in 2023, winning two matches at the event. It was the third straight season that he qualified for the event. Nolan finished the year with 22 wins overall, including 14 in duals. He also finished second at the EIWA Championships. During his career at Binghamton, Nolan has won 61 matches.
197:
Sophomore Cayden Bevis wrestled in three duals for the Bearcats in 2022-23 against NC State, Navy, and Princeton. He previously qualified for the Florida state championships three times at Lincoln High School, placing twice. He finished his high school career with 107 wins, while setting school records for takedowns for his career and for a single season.
285:
Redshirt senior Cory Day was one of three Bearcats to qualify for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in 2023, his first appearance. That season, Day won 18 matches and recorded seven pins. In four seasons with the Bearcats, Day has won 41 matches, 32 for the Bearcats and nine unattached.
Freshman Trent Sibble won the New York state championship in 2023 for Bolivar-Richburg High School in Bolivar, N.Y., after finishing the year with a record of 55-1. He also finished as runner-up at state during his junior season. In five seasons during his high school career, Sibble won 198 matches.
Sophomore Charlie Tibbitts won 13 matches in his first season with Binghamton in 2022-23. During that season, Tibbitts finished in second place at the New York State Intercollegiate Open, third at the Lock Haven Mat-Town Open II, and sixth at the Wilkes Open.