When reflecting on the team's season, the individual accomplishments of freshman
Isaac Cory stand out. But there was much more during its 11-10 dual-match campaign and results in bouts against eight of the top 25 teams in NCAA Division III and multiple top 15 individuals under first-time head coach Pankil Chander, including:
- First tournament title,
- First conference medalists,
- First time with two top-five tournament team finishes in one season,
- First time with six medalists in a single tournament,
- First time a wrestler garnered a national ranking and a Top 10,
- First Wilkes Open medalist,
- First win over conference contender SUNY Oneonta,
- First winning dual record (in the NCAA era).
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After the regular season ended, Cory placed second in the 184-pound weight class at the D-III Mideast Regional and became the first Wildcat wrestler in school history dating to 1968 to qualify for a national championship, while junior
Noah Hunt, of Muncy, at 141 and senior
Ryan Berstler, of Middletown, at 125, also claimed All-Region honors as Hunt placed sixth and Berstler seventh. As a team, the Wildcats finished 11
th of 21, tying the college's previous highest finish in 2019.
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At nationals, Cory, the lone freshman in his weight class, went 1-2 to close out an 18-4 season, finishing among the top 16 at 184 in D-III, and earn the program's first team point at the national event, tying it for 52
nd in a 71-team field.
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"Overall, we grew in various ways as a contingent," Chander said. "(We have) higher belief in oneself and their teammates, consistent accountability, a more competitive training environment, stronger performances, and most importantly, we learned how to be resilient amid adversity.
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"We hit performance milestones — first winning dual season (in the NCAA era), two top-five tournament team finishes, multiple individual tournament titles, first NCAA berth, strong team GPA, largest home crowd in program history, organically tripled our following on social media. There is a lot to be proud of.
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"We're only just beginning to realize how competitive we can be as a young team and program.
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"The future is bright!"
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Wrestling
Final overall dual: 11-10
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Postseason honors
ECWC: Ryan Berstler (Middletown, 125);
Mason Leshock (Shamokin, 165);
Noah Hunt (Muncy, 141);
Patrick Snoke (Northampton, 133).
NCAA Division III Mideast Region: Isaac Cory (Montoursville, 184);
Ryan Berstler (Middletown, 125);
Noah Hunt (Muncy, 141).
d3wrestling.com: Isaac Cory (Montoursville, 184) All-Freshman Team.
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