Season Preview: Wrestling team optimistic about upcoming 2014-15 season
By Tim Glon
ADA — The Ohio Northern wrestling team enters the 2014-15 season with high hopes under 27th-year head coach Ron Beaschler.
The Polar Bears return nine lettermen and seven starters from last year's squad that posted a 9-9 dual meet record, went 1-4 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, was seventh of 17 teams at the NCAA III Mideast Regionals and had an All-American at the NCAA III Championships.
ONU has posted seven consecutive non-losing seasons and has had winning records in 42 of the program's 49-year history.
The Polar Bears finished 44th at the 2014 NCAA III Championships and return senior All-American and two-time Elite 89 Award winner Cody Lovejoy.
With the high level of talent and experience returning on the roster, combined with a solid incoming freshman class, it's easy to see why optimism abounds in the ONU wrestling camp.
"We are excited about the upcoming season," Beaschler said. "Our goal each season is to win the OAC title and we feel that we have the talent to compete for that. We have many question marks at some of the weight classes, but we also have a great deal of talent at each and every weight class."
Here is a breakdown of the 2014-15 Ohio Northern wrestling team, by weight class.
125
Freshman Brad Taton is a two-time Ohio HS State Tournament placer and enters the season as ONU's lone 125-pounder.
133
Senior Cole Cochran (17-18 overall, 2-3 OAC) is the returning starter at 133 and is looking to end his career with a solid senior campaign.
He will compete against freshmen Allen Seagraves and Colin Ingram.
Seagraves is in his second year at ONU but sat out the 2013-14 season and Ingram is a two-time State placer who may make a move to 125 as the season progresses.
141
Two incoming freshmen, Dylan Dolph and two-time Ohio HS State qualifier Matt Mangen, will battle for the starting spot at 141 pounds.
149
Freshman Evan Morgan is a two-time Ohio HS State qualifier and enters the season as the lone 149-pounder this season.
Morgan may face challenges from the 157-pound group as one or more wrestlers may move down a weight class as the season goes on.
157
Sophomore Gennar Feucht (15-14 overall, 1-0 OAC) was the starter at 149 pounds as a freshman before his season was ended early by injury and will move up to 157 pounds this year.
He will face challenges from freshmen Seth Meyer and Matt Gwin.
This weight class may be one of the more fluid ones during the season with the possibility of wrestlers moving up to 165 and down to 149 as the season unfolds.
165
Junior Colt Lovejoy (22-8 overall, 1-0 OAC) was the starter at 165 during an injury-plagued 2013-14 campaign.
He placed at the NCAA III Mideast Regionals and hopes to take the next step and qualify for the NCAAs this season.
Sophomore Kyler Deeter (12-15 overall, 2-3 OAC) was the late-season starter at 157 pounds a year ago and will join junior transfer Junior Benitez to compete for mat time at 165.
174
Junior Tyler Gargano (30-6, 5-0 OAC) started at 165 as a freshman in 2012-13 and at 174 as a sophomore last year.
He was named First Team All-OAC and was one place away from placing at the NCAA III Mideast Regional and grabbing a spot at the NCAA III Championships last year.
Sophomore Jacob Sowers (4-8 overall, 0-1 OAC) and freshmen Alex Bair and Max Dole make this one of the deepest and most talented weight classes on the team.
184
Freshman Aaron Adkins comes to ONU as a two-time Ohio HS State champion and will compete with sophomore Nathan McCown (2-8 overall) for the starting position at 184 pounds.
197
The 197-pound weight class is up for grabs after the graduation of three-year starter Michael Pawlitz.
Junior Dillon Brancheau (7-23 overall, 0-4 OAC), sophomore Kody Bellamy (10-14 overall) and incoming freshman Evan Hickey will battle for the starting position this year.
285
Senior Cody Lovejoy (43-5, 5-0 OAC) earned All-America honors with a seventh place finish at the NCAA III Championships last season.
He is a two-time First Team All-OAC honoree, has qualified for the past two NCAA III Championships and is a two-time winner of the NCAA's prestigious Elite 89 Award, given to the student/athlete with the highest GPA at the NCAA Championships.
Junior Greg Biben (9-9 overall) and freshman Gunner Parr will push for mat time and gives the Polar Bears good depth here.